Have car, will travel

HOLDEN is poised to eclipse its all-time export record set last year of 50,000 sedan, ute and coupe models.

The company will ship approximately 60,000 vehicles to more than 20 countries with the Middle East remaining the dominant export market, followed by the United States.

The Middle East would make up more than 50 per cent of this year’s total, according to a Holden spokesperson.

"The Middle East market has grown faster than last year," she said.

Despite its bumper year, Holden is reluctant to put a figure on next year’s export forecast.

"It’s really a moveable feast," the spokesperson said, as some export contracts could be announced throughout the course of the year.

Last year the company exported 52,372 vehicles, beating the single year record set in 1973 by Holden’s HQ range.

Holden has added China and Korea as long-wheelbase export destinations this year, as well as other markets that include South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand and parts of Asia-Pacific.

The Korean-bound Daewoo Statesman features 2.8-litre and 3.6-litre HFV6 engines while the same car is called the Buick Royaum in China.

Last year Holden exported 23,511 vehicles to the Middle East, including 12,596 long-wheelbase Chevrolet Caprices while 16,000 Pontiac GTOs headed Stateside.

This year Holden has tested the waters in China with 200 vehicles based on its own long-wheelbase cars and those from Holden Special Vehicles.

Although the US market currently only takes the Monaro (branded a Pontiac GTO) Holden’s new executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales, Alan Batey, said there was little option for other Holden models to be exported to the US, specifically the ute.

Despite a trend for US buyers downsizing into smaller pickups because of rising fuel prices, Holden had no plans "at this moment in time" to make any announcement regarding possible exports of utes to the US, he said.

"However, the whole portfolio we have is continually being looked at on the global execution," he said. "The one thing that we have to do is obviously to think global but we have to act global."Apart from vehicles, Holden last week celebrated the manufacture of its four-millionth engine for export partners globally.

The engine, a 2.8-litre turbocharged V6, is being shipped to Sweden where it will become the powertrain for one of the new 9-3 Saab Aero range of vehicles.

Saab is one of several GM customers for Holden’s Global V6 engine, which also powers the Commodore.

The company has built a range of four-cylinder and V6 engines for export from its Port Melbourne facility since 1981. It currently holds contracts to build engines for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America.