General Motors finally pulled the plug on Holden in February, after operating the Australian brand for almost 90 years.
And even though GM is exiting most right-hand-drive markets, it still plans to have a small presence in Australia. That's why it will launch the new outfit GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) in Australia (and New Zealand) in the fourth quarter of 2020.
In an announcement Tuesday, GM said it will partner with Walkinshaw Automotive Group on GMSV. Walkinshaw Automotive is the parent company to HSV, a semi-official tuner to Holden which in recent years has turned to converting enthusiast GM products to right-hand drive for sale in Australia and New Zealand. The first products were conversions of the Chevrolet Camaro and Silverado.
HSV is expected to continue with its right-hand-drive conversions of the Silverado for GMSV. Also pegged for GMSV will be the Chevrolet Corvette which will reach Australia in late 2021. The mid-engine supercar will come with right-hand drive straight from the factory, though.
2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Heading the new outfit will be Joanne Stogiannis, who has worked at Holden for almost 20 years.
“I am thrilled to be leading a new automotive venture by GM in Australia,” she said in a statement. “Sales of large U.S. pickups have been growing consistently and I believe the ongoing strength of that segment will provide a very solid basis for us to build a successful long-term business.”
GMSV vehicles are expected to be sold through former Holden dealers, though the network will be much smaller than what Holden had. GM today runs a similar operation in Europe, offering a handful of Cadillac and Chevy models.
