General Motors to Sell Chevrolet Badged Daewoo Cars in Europe

Chevrolet, Already Led by the Corvette, Will Become Global Brand

In an unusual move, a spokesman at General Motors has unofficially announced it will rename its European-bound Daewoo models

Up until now, Corvette has been the only established Chevrolet model available in Europe. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

Chevrolets in Europe. Up to this point, Corvette has been the only established Chevrolet model available in Europe.

GM acquired majority ownership in the Daewoo brand when it purchased the assets of the South Korean automaker and formed GM Daewoo Auto and Technology Co. (GMDAT). Altogether GM owns 42.1 percent of GMDAT, Suzuki Motor Corp. holds 14.9 percent and Shanghai Automotives Industry Corp. owns 10 percent.

Linguistically the Chevrolet brand name makes sense in Europe, a land that initially, at least, used French as its common language. The move also makes sense because Daewoo cars are up to the tactile quality standards

The Chevrolet Aveo, a rebadged Daewoo, is becoming a popular new model for Chevrolet in North America. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

expected in the European market. GM has considered selling its domestic product in Europe previously, but new product czar Bob Lutz has been concerned interior quality standards wouldn't be up to expected standards.

GM sells the rebadged Daewoos in Canada already, as the Chevrolet Aveo/Pontiac Wave, Chevrolet Optra, Optra5 and Optra Wagon, and Chevrolet Epica, subcompact, compact and midsize respectively. Suzuki sells its own variants, which include the Sprint+ subcompact and Verona midsize, virtual clones of the Aveo and Epica, and in the U.S., the Forenza (Optra), Reno (Optra5) and Forenza Wagon (Optra Wagon). The Aveo is the only Chevrolet branded Daewoo sold in America.