Bad news for future Octavia??? (based on the Golf MK7)

[Mysticality]

The Rapid is NOT the Octavia replacement!
It was purposely brought in to slot in between the Fabia & the new, soon to b released bigger mk3 Octavia.
The mk3 Octavia will b the 1st (in the Skoda range) to use the new MQB platfor.

Yeah... So in the Mazda 3 Sedan-sized segment, the Rapid will be replacing the Octavia, whilst the Octy moves up to Mazda 6.
Right?

[Tigger]

Damn you zei20t...dont do that to us man!!

He is kidding right guys??

[Mysticality]

Damn you zei20t...dont do that to us man!!

He is kidding right guys??

Not gonna happen. :p

Imagine if VW cut the Golf, or Holden cut the Commodore?
Same deal!

(Yes, yes. I'm a little anti-Commodore. >.<)

[K1W1]

Holden cut the Commodore?

GM killed the Kingswood which I believe is still their biggest ever selling car in proportion to overall sales in lieu of the Commodore. I could see the Commodore going south at the end of the next update cycle the way people are embracing so called smaller cars that aren't that much smaller anyway.
The Falcon is very nearly dead and when that goes there will be no reason for GM to keep the Commodore.

[Mysticality]

I know they killed off the Falcon Wagon because of poor sales...

My god. Imagine what the Police are going to drive... :S

That being said, vRS TSI Highway Patrol, anyone?

[zei20t]

sorry i made an assumption that the rapid would replace the octavia, as they havent released anything (that i have seen) regarding a replacement octavia.

sorry all

to me, the rapid looks similarly sized to the octy. hence my comment

[Jake02]

I know they killed off the Falcon Wagon because of poor sales...

My god. Imagine what the Police are going to drive... :S

With all due respect but the Falcon wagon was crap and that's because Ford already had an excellent wagon - the Territory. It's a shame because had the large car situation been the reverse, that Ford could have made a winner, a real Sportwagon competitor. As for the Police cars well the only Falcons/Commodores I really see are highway patrol cars and the local police have some crappy Commodore Omegas. The rest I see are Lancers, Territorys and even Hyundai i20s... They could replace the Omegas with something else boring, like the new Malibu, but they might have to spend some more money to get new highway patrol cars (something American). A 4cyl turbo Octavia might not do the same job!

[Mysticality]

The local cop cars here are:
Patrol
Hilux
Commodore Omega

Highway Patrol are Commodore SS.
There's an F6 or something in the Campbelltown area - complete with bright orange print on a dark blue body.. Looks bloody amazing, actually.

I really dislike Ford's... Mainly for the fact that, every family has a Territory.
Territories and Falcons - I don't know about the others - can be pulled out of Park gear without the key in. I did it in a car lot once. Scared the hell out of me, when the thing just started rolling.
Tell me how that is a good family car?! Even my dads old '99 Bravo didn't do this!!

The only Lancer's I've ever seen were up in Coffs Harbour, and that was a good couple of years ago.

The horrible thing about the Patrols is that when they have the factory poly bullbar fitted, they get the godawful foglights in the middle, next to the numberplate... Which they simply LOVE to leave on. They're blinding.

Argh!! People driving with foglights on makes me rage so hard... Even moreso, moving from the Sorento to the Octy - cause its so low down!

[zei20t]

be careful down your way, my cousin is one of the highway patrol officers in your area......

[K1W1]

With all due respect but the Falcon wagon was crap and that's because Ford already had an excellent wagon - the Territory.

The Territory was engineered from the outset to replace the Falcon Wagon. Ford said that quite publicly when the territory was first introduced and it's the reason why the Territory has always been available in 2WD and fleet pack type trim levels.
The wagon was based on the long wheelbase chassis that was made redundant when the Fairlane and LTD models were killed off so it had no economic basis to exist.

Probably 90% of VicPol cars are Commodores. They have some Territories and in the 4WDs they use Pajeros and Patrols mainly.

Don't forget GMA has invested heavily in trying to sell Commodore based Police vehicles in the US. I'm not sure where they are with that project at the moment.

As far as the Mailbu being boring Jake have you driven on? I had a renter for two weeks last year in California and it was a bloody good car. I made the local Commodore offering look very ordinary in terms of fit and finish and it drove very well. No it's not a boy racer toy for teenagers but I bet they would sell plenty here if they were beside Commodores in GM showrooms.

[Jake02]

As far as the Mailbu being boring Jake have you driven on? I had a renter for two weeks last year in California and it was a bloody good car. I made the local Commodore offering look very ordinary in terms of fit and finish and it drove very well. No it's not a boy racer toy for teenagers but I bet they would sell plenty here if they were beside Commodores in GM showrooms.

I agree with the old US-spec Malibu it's probably one of the best looking saloons ever produced. But KIWI have you seen the new Malibu? The Korean-made one. To me it offers not much over the Epica - a dreary 2.5 litre petrol and early US reports for it aren't positive, and certainly less positive than the old model of the Malibu. It won't be challenging the class leaders, especially with the new Mazda6, Mondeo and dare I say Octavia coming out.

[pologti18t]

I agree with the old US-spec Malibu it's probably one of the best looking saloons ever produced. But KIWI have you seen the new Malibu? The Korean-made one. To me it offers not much over the Epica - a dreary 2.5 litre petrol and early US reports for it aren't positive, and certainly less positive than the old model of the Malibu. It won't be challenging the class leaders, especially with the new Mazda6, Mondeo and dare I say Octavia coming out.

The new Malibu is built in the USA and Korea. Both styled the same.

Top engine is a 190kw turbo 2L

As for the Rapid - it's nothing more than a stretched Polo. Same engines. Hardly competitive, in that respect, with the Mazda3/Focus/Golf range of cars. How do you compare a 77kw 1.2 with a 110kw 2L. 66kw TDI vs 90-110kw TDIs in its competitors. People just wont have a bar of it. Hate to say it but an i30 is a better car for the price.

To think the Octavia will be become Mondeo/Mazda 6 sized is optimistic. The new Mazda 6 (and Mondeo/Fusion) is nearly as long as a Commodore.

[dArK5HaD0w]

sneak peak at the new octavia...........
and no, its not the Rapid.

[Jake02]

Top engine is a 190kW turbo 2L

Wow, must be an impressive bit of kit... I bet it drives just great too

[Difinity]

Re GM, was new Octavia

C'mon, GM have killed everything they get their grubby hands on. I'd still be driving Saab if it wasn't for those thugs