The iconic 72-year-old Holden brand is set to be axed in Australia.

US car giant General Motors, which is Holden’s parent company, will ditch the brand at the end of 2020, after years of declining sales.

The announcement comes three years after Holden ended Australian manufacturing.

An estimated 600 workers will be made redundant in Australia when the company’s Melbourne design studio and testing facility close.

Josh Dowling from Car Advice broke the news and spoke with Deborah Knight about the “bombshell” announcement, describing it as “a truly sad day”.

“Right under our noses, over the past three years, General Motors globally has been retreating from right-hand drive markets.

“They are out of the UK, Japan, South Africa, growing markets such as India.

“All they’ve been left with is the main right-hand drive markets – Thailand, Australia, New Zealand – and it just isn’t economical to make vehicles for those three countries alone.”

Josh also revealed what it means for Australians who have just bought a Holden or are planning to do so.

“They will honour those agreements, they will honour their warranty claims. They’re actually leaving 200 people behind for the next 10 years.”

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