Holden to stop manufacturing its Commodore model - causing headaches for police

General Electric is reportedly looking at ending production of the Kiwi favourite.

The thin blue line is facing a big problem after carmaker Holden said it would stop manufacturing a mainstay of the police fleet.

Holden this week announced it would next year cut the Commodore from its line-up as it turns its focus to SUVs and utes.

Police have confirmed to 1 NEWS they’re in talks with Holden about what to do when the Commodores come to end.

Police have an existing contract with Holden for its “standard police vehicle fleet”.

“All outstanding orders for vehicles will be filled and we are in discussions with Holden at the moment around potential options for replacement vehicles,” police national infrastructure manager superintendant Paul Jermy told 1 NEWS.

Police also said they’re looking to include “as many hybrid or fully electric vehicles as possible” in its fleet of non-patrol cars.

“Like many organisations, police is also looking to reduce our fuel usage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Jermy said.

Just 1584 Commodores were sold in New Zealand in the year to November.

Fifteen years ago, it was 9368.

Commodores had already stopped being made in Australia, and Holden there said its latest decision is about ensuring “a sharp focus on the largest and most buoyant market segments”.

It said the large car segment in Australia is expected to amount to 8700 vehicles this year, while it was 217,882 at its peak in 1998.

“The large sedan was the cornerstone of Australian and New Zealand roads for decade, but now… customers are displaying a strong preference for the high driving position,” Holden said.

New Zealand police have been using the large Holden Acadia SUVs in its controversial trial of readily armed officers in South Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury.

It was revealed earlier this year that police were dumping the new model Commodore liftbacks from its patrol fleet because they didn’t have enough room in the back, and that the force would instead rely on the station wagon versions.


COMMODORE SALES IN NZ OVER PAST 15 YEARS
2004:    9368
2009:    3097
2014:    3233
2019:    1584 YTD end of Nov

COMMODORE SALES IN NZ OVER PAST 5 YEARS
2015:    2881
2016:    2656
2017:    2368
2018:    1860
2019:    1584 YTD end of Nov

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