KENSELLS has been left reeling by the news the Holden brand will be retired by its parent company General Motors by the end of next year.
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The decision was announced on Monday, meaning more than 600 Holden employees across the country would be left without a job.
Kensells dealer principal Scott Kensell said he was shocked by the news.
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"I've got a lot of emotions running through my head at the moment," Mr Kensell told the Leader.
"I was shocked at hearing the news, but myself and all of the staff at Kensell's are saddened that the iconic brand will be retired from sales in Australia and New Zealand."
General Motors' call to discontinue the brand comes after Holden ended its manufacturing operations in Australia in October 2017.
The company said it would retain 200 staff in ongoing roles as part of its pledge to offer 10 more years of service to owners of the 1.6 million Holden vehicles in circulation.
Mr Kensell said his dealership would continue to operate as normal.
"We've been proudly selling Holdens in Tamworth for over 60 years," he said.
"We will continue selling Holdens until the end of this year and of course we will continue selling our other brands Kia and Mitsubishi into the future.
"Holden customers can be assured that the company will honour all warranties and servicing offers made at time of sale.
"Kensell's Holden will provide servicing and spare parts for at least 10 years.
"As required, Holden and its after-sales network will also continue to handle any recalls or safety-related issues if they arise, working with the appropriate governmental agencies.
"We will continue to focus on providing our customers with quality service."