Editing Holden (section)

=== 1990s ===
[[File:1998 Holden Caprice (VS II) sedan (2015-07-09) 01.jpg|thumb|The [[Holden Caprice#VS|VS Statesman/Caprice]] of 1995 represented a mild facelift of the [[Holden Caprice#VR|VR]], which in turn was an update of the 1990 [[Holden Caprice (VQ)|VQ]]—Holden's long-wheelbase version of the [[Holden Commodore (VN)|VN Commodore]] series.]]

The company changed throughout the 1990s, increasing its Australian market share from 21&nbsp;percent in 1991 to 28.2&nbsp;percent in 1999.<ref name="Sales and Share of Australian Market Archive (1991-2002)">{{cite web |url=http://media.gm.com/aus/holden/en/company/finance/fin_sales_share_ARCHIVE.html |title=Sales and Share of Australian Market Archive (1991–2002) |publisher=[[General Motors]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070829033825/http://media.gm.com/aus/holden/en/company/finance/fin_sales_share_ARCHIVE.html |archive-date=29 August 2007 |access-date=23 August 2008}}</ref> Besides manufacturing Australia's best selling car, which was exported in significant numbers, Holden continued to export many locally produced engines to power cars made elsewhere. In this decade, Holden adopted a strategy of importing cars it needed to offer a full range of competitive vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gm.com/company/corp_info/global_operations/asia_pacific/aust.html |title=GM Global Operations: Australia |publisher=[[General Motors]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427004252/http://www.gm.com/company/corp_info/global_operations/asia_pacific/aust.html |archive-date=27 April 2007}}</ref> During 1998, General Motors-Holden's Ltd name was shortened to "Holden Ltd".<ref>[[#Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)|Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)]]: Part One, p. 9.</ref>

On 26 April 1990, GM's New Zealand subsidiary [[Holden New Zealand]] announced that production at the assembly plant based in [[Trentham, New Zealand|Trentham]] would be phased out and vehicles would be imported duty-free—this came after the 1984 closure of the [[Petone]] assembly line due to low output volumes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.holden.co.nz/heart/heritage/ |title=Heart of Holden – Holden Heritage |publisher=[[Holden New Zealand]] |access-date=23 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601180944/http://www.holden.co.nz/heart/heritage/ |archive-date=1 June 2008}}</ref> During the 1990s, Holden, other Australian automakers and trade unions pressured the Australian Government to halt the lowering of car import tariffs. By 1997, the federal government had already cut tariffs to 22.5&nbsp;percent, from 57.5&nbsp;percent ten years earlier; by 2000, a plan was formulated to reduce the tariffs to 15&nbsp;percent. Holden was critical, saying that Australia's population was not large enough, and that the changes could tarnish the local industry.<ref>{{cite news |last=Richardson |first=Michael |date=24 April 1997 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/24/business/worldbusiness/24iht-cars.t_0.html |title=Automakers Say Cuts in Duties Would Maim Industry : Tussle on Tariffs in Australia |work=[[International Herald Tribune]] |access-date=23 August 2008}}</ref>

[[File:1999 Holden Commodore (VT) Executive sedan (2016-01-04) 01.jpg|left|thumb|[[Holden Commodore (VT)|Commodore VT]], introduced in 1997, marked the Commodore's global expansion.]]

Holden reintroduced its defunct Statesman title in 1990—this time under the Holden marque, as the [[Holden Caprice|Statesman and Caprice]]. For 1991, Holden updated the Statesman and Caprice with a range of improvements, including the introduction of four-wheel [[Anti-lock braking system|anti-lock brakes]] (ABS);<ref>[[#Wright (1998)|Wright (1998)]], p. 343.</ref> although, a rear-wheel system had been standard on the Statesman Caprice from March 1976.<ref name = "Wright 340"/> ABS was added to the short-wheelbase Commodore range in 1992.<ref>[[#Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)|Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)]]: Part Two, p. 103–104.</ref> Another returning variant was the full-size utility, and on this occasion it was based on the Commodore.<ref>[[#Robinson (2006)|Robinson (2006)]], p. 26–27.</ref> The VN Commodore received a major facelift in 1993 with the [[Holden Commodore (VR)|VR]]—compared to the VN, approximately 80&nbsp;percent of the car model was new. Exterior changes resulted in a smoother overall body and a "twin-kidney" grille—a Commodore styling trait that remained until the 2002 [[Holden Commodore (VY)|VY]] model and,<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Graham |date=6 September 2002 |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/holden-vr-commodore/story-e6frfj7f-1111112104526 |title=1993 Holden VR Commodore |work=[[Herald Sun]] |access-date=2 March 2008}}</ref> as of 2013, remains a permanent staple on HSV variants.

Holden introduced the all-new [[Holden Commodore (VT)|VT Commodore]] in 1997, the outcome of a A$600&nbsp;million development programme that spanned more than five years. The new model featured a rounded exterior body shell, improved handling and many firsts for an Australian-built car. Also, a stronger body structure increased crash safety.<ref>[[#McCarthy, McKay, Newton, Robinson (2006)|McCarthy, McKay, Newton, Robinson (2006)]], p. 158.</ref> The locally produced Buick-sourced [[V6 engine]] powered the Commodore range, as did the 5.0-litre Holden V8 engine, and was replaced in 1999 by the 5.7-litre ''[[GM LS engine|LS]]'' unit.<ref>[[#Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)|Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)]]: Part Three, p. 11.</ref>

[[File:2000 Holden Astra (TS) CD Olympic Edition 5-door hatchback (2015-07-10) 01.jpg|thumb|right|The 1998 [[Holden Astra]] continued Holden's trend of sourcing its mid-size and smaller model lines from Opel in Europe.]]

The UAAI badge-engineered cars first introduced in 1989 sold in far fewer numbers than anticipated, but the Holden Commodore, Toyota Camry, and Corolla were all successful when sold under their original nameplates.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/60DB5F93CC0B207FCA256D21001310D6 |title=Car review – Holden Nova 5-dr hatch |work=GoAuto |access-date=23 August 2008 |archive-date=31 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731051142/http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/60DB5F93CC0B207FCA256D21001310D6 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first generation Nova and the donor Corolla were produced at Holden's Dandenong, Victoria facility until 1994.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fujimoto |first=Takahiro |date=October 1998 |url=http://e-server.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/cirje/research/dp/98/cf23/dp.pdf |title=Toyota Motor Manufacturing Australia in 1995: An Emergent Global Strategy |publisher=[[University of Tokyo]] |page=23 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5xJZkwEEX?url=http://e-server.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/cirje/research/dp/98/cf23/dp.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> UAAI was dissolved in 1996, and Holden returned to selling only GM products.<ref name = "Robinson 27"/> The Holden Astra and [[Opel Vectra|Vectra]], both designed by [[Opel]] in Germany, replaced the Toyota-sourced Holden Nova and Apollo. This came after the 1994 introduction of the [[Opel Corsa]] replacing the already available Suzuki Swift as the source for the Holden Barina.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/D928D7E37EE64519CA256D210003F9D7 |title=Car review – Holden Barina Swing 5-dr hatch |work=GoAuto |access-date=23 August 2008 |archive-date=31 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731051427/http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/D928D7E37EE64519CA256D210003F9D7 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sales of the full-size [[Holden Suburban]] [[Sport utility vehicle|SUV]] sourced from Chevrolet commenced in 1998—lasting until 2001.<ref>{{cite web |date=10 May 2001 |url=http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/CCFB67BA3E9FCE77CA256A480019218D |title=Car review – Holden Suburban 1500 LT 5-dr wagon |work=GoAuto |access-date=22 April 2009 |archive-date=17 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117105910/http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/CCFB67BA3E9FCE77CA256A480019218D |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in 1998, local assembly of the Vectra began at Elizabeth, South Australia. These cars were exported to Japan and Southeast Asia with Opel badges.<ref name="Holden Announces Next Stage Of $1 Billion Export Drive">{{cite web |date=8 September 1999 |url=http://www.autoweb.com.au/A_51613/cms/newsarticle.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002153424/http://www.autoweb.com.au/A_51613/cms/newsarticle.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 October 2011 |title=Holden Announces Next Stage Of $1&nbsp;Billion Export Drive |work=AutoWeb |publisher=Web Publications |access-date=23 August 2008}}</ref><ref>[[#Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)|Davis, Kennedy, Kennedy (2007)]]: Part One, p. 34.</ref> However, the Vectra did not achieve sufficient sales in Australia to justify local assembly, and reverted to being fully imported in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Ewan |date=18 June 2005 |url=http://www.marque.com.au/usedcars/050815_Holden_Vectra.htm |title=Holden Vectra 1997–2004 |publisher=Marque Publishing |access-date=5 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313071106/http://www.marque.com.au/usedcars/050815_Holden_Vectra.htm |archive-date=13 March 2008 }}</ref>