Barina decision looms

GM HOLDEN is believed to be on the brink of deciding which way to go for the look of its next Barina – Europe or Asia.

GoAuto has learned that the light-car price-leader’s fate will fall on newly appointed managing director and CEO, Mark Reuss.

“It’s still under consideration,” admitted outgoing Holden boss Chris Gubbey. But, while a decision is expected within the next few weeks, Australia will have to wait until 2009 at the earliest to see the next all-new Barina (although a facelifted version of today’s car is coming mid-year).

Nevertheless, General Motors is working at full speed to have the next Opel/Vauxhall Corsa/Chevrolet Aveo/Holden Barina ready as soon as possible.

“It’s going to be (here) sooner than you think,” Mr Reuss revealed.

Stylistically, General Motors is executing a strategy similar to the one it employs on its global Captiva compact SUV, whereby GM Daewoo Auto Technologies (GM DAT) in South Korea and Opel in Germany respectively were responsible for the Captiva and Captiva Maxx/Antara, even though GM DAT actually builds both versions.

In the case of the next Corsa/Aveo/Barina, GM has already let slip that Opel is styling one car as the Corsa for European consumption, while GM DAT is drawing the other for Asia and America.



Left: Opel's latest Corsa (top) and the European-built Holden Barina sold here between 2001 and 2005 (below).

GoAuto understands that the Opel-designed Corsa body will be the vehicle to wear the Holden Barina badge, even though both designs will sit on the same new transverse front-wheel drive platform. “The basic architecture will be common,” confirmed GM product czar Bob Lutz, speaking to the Australian media at last week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“We will have a global B-class architecture, which can spawn a whole host of totally different cars.

“We do one B-segment car out of South Korea right now, which is the Chevy Aveo.

“And the next generation of that architecture will be slightly larger, will be about the size of an Opel Corsa now, and there will be – as we see it now – US variants of that.” It is also becoming clear that Australia is already having a bigger say in what the next GM baby car will look and drive like, even if the next Corsa/Aveo/Barina will be designed and developed in South Korea.

“Holden is involved,” Mr Lutz said. “But the primary development responsibility belongs to an international team lead by a German… the chief engineer is Brazilian – because if anybody knows how to build small cars cheaply/good small cars cheaply, it’s GM (of) Brazil.

“It is a hotchpotch of nationalities all stationed at GM Daewoo Automotive Technologies, and they are designing the architecture for the whole world.

“And of course Holden is basically a customer for the car, and so obviously has a say in the Opel version.” Holden has been stung by persistent criticism of its South Korean light and small-car strategy, which has seen “legacy” models (GM-speak for rehashed old vehicles that use outdated architecture) replace former class-leaders. The basic ‘bones’ of today’s Barina extend back beyond the obvious 2002 Daewoo T200 Kalos from which the Holden-badged car is clearly derived, encompassing both the 1997 Daewoo T100 Lanos and even the 1984 Opel Astra II (which Daewoo sold here from 1994 to 1998 as the 1.5i and Cielo). Apart from affordability, the ex-Opel 2001 XC Barina and 1998 TS Astra are both acknowledged by many observers as being superior vehicles compared to their respective 2005 TK and JF Viva small-car replacements.

Holden dropped the European (Spanish-built) Barina for the South Korean vehicle despite it receiving widespread acclaim, citing uncompetitive pricing against cheaper light cars like the Hyundai Getz and Kia Rio.

Ironically, Holden’s arch-rival Ford Australia employed a similar strategy in the 1990s with its Mazda 121-based, Kia-built Festiva, but was then forced to source its light cars from Europe following Hyundai’s acquisition of Kia in 1998.

TK Barina facelift imminent

GM HOLDEN is expected to unveil a TK Barina facelift in the next few weeks in an attempt to lift the look, quality and safety of its Daewoo-built baby.

Based on the GM DAT-built vehicle known abroad as the Chevrolet Aveo, the latest Barina is set to hit Holden dealers sometime later in the second quarter of 2008.

Among the changes are a new nose and redesigned tail-lights and rear bumper, as well as the existing Barina sedan’s more modern dashboard, which includes revised interior trim and materials.

Reduced noise, vibration and harshness properties, as well as improved crash-safety performance, are also expected with the facelift. However, the current car’s 1.6-litre Family I four-cylinder petrol engine is expected to carry over.

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