Holden slashes Vectra pricing

HOLDEN has chopped the price of the medium-sized Vectra range by as much as $3000 as it strives to reverse sinking sales.

The moves comes on the heels of a price cut for the Barina light car.

Both models are imported from Europe and the improved pricing is understood to be the result of Holden negotiating better deals with Opel, General Motors’ European arm.

In 2003 Holden lost the overall sales leadership in Australia to Toyota and actually dropped its overall sales total in a record year.

Barina sales fell by 47 per cent from 9002 to 4764 as prices rose, while Vectra sales slumped 39 per cent as Holden tried to push the model range up-market last year.

Holden blames those sales falls for its lower than expected overall result.

The biggest Vectra beneficiary in price reduction terms is the base 2.2-litre four-cylinder CD model, which has dropped $3000, the five-speed manual sedan now kicking things off at $31,990.

The auto only 3.2-litre V6 CDX hatch drops $1500 to $42,490, while both versions of the CDXi hatchback get a $2000 shave, with the manual set at $45,990.

There has also been an equipment upgrade, with the CDXi getting curtain airbags and the CDX equipped with dual zone climate control air-conditioning.

Changes to the CD are limited to some styling upgrades.

Vectra equipment includes variable assist power steering power exterior mirrors, heated power windows with 'power on' time delay after switch-off nine-speaker audio system with CD (six-stack on CDX, CDXi), height and reach adjustable steering wheel with remote audio controls, cruise control, variable intermittent wipers headlamps off auto delay height and tilt adjustable padded front seat head restraints rear armrest storage compartment and multi-function display.

Safety equipment includes ABS, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA), cornering brake control (CBC) and traction control. Electronic stability program (ESP) is standard on Vectra CDXi.

VECTRA PRICING:
Vectra CD sedan $31,990
Vectra CD sedan (a) $33,990
Vectra CD hatch $32,990
Vectra CD hatch (a) $34,990
Vectra CDX hatch (a) $42,490
Vectra CDXi hatch $45,990
Vectra CDXi hatch (a) $47, 990