Marketplace: Title defence puts Commodore on the ropes
Extracted article by David Berthon, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday March 19 2003, www.drive.com.au

With Ford's new Falcon starting to hit its straps, Holden dealers have begun panic-selling new Commodore Executives -- with discounts of more than $5000.
United Holden at Sydney's Rockdale, for example, has Commodore Executive automatic sedans for $31,897 drive-away with free air-conditioning. The normal on-road price is $37,166. Metallic paint adds $255.

Features include dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, central locking, power steering, engine immobiliser and CD player.

With the Falcon sedan posting its best sales last month since February, 1996, Ford closed the year-to-date gap to just 336.

Holden dealers have been caught with a glut of Commodore Executive sedans.

Due to a dire shortage of alloy wheels from its Indonesian supplier, the factory cannot supply enough better-equipped Acclaims, Berlinas and S packs. (Ford has a similar problem sourcing Falcon XR6 and XR8 wheels.)

Commodore sedans are not the only models to feel the knife -- Suttons Waitara (Sydney) has 2003-build Holden utes with sports pack for $32,990 drive-away. The total saving is $6000-plus.

The panic marketing by the previously bullish Holden camp has been brought on by a marked reversal in fleet preferences for the Ford since January.

To add further salt to its wounds, Holden has lost market leadership in the first two months to Toyota -- last year at the same time it was nearly 5000 ahead.