Daewoo to become Chevrolet?

22 September 2003: General Motors will replace the Daewoo brand name with the Chevrolet nameplate as the automaker enters new markets in central and eastern Europe, according to a report from Automotive News.

Chevrolet may eventually replace Daewoo in western Europe as well. The change will be made first in Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Turkey, starting at the end of this year, said Erhard Spranger, executive in charge at GM Daewoo Europe.

“The old Daewoo nameplate and the new GM Daewoo name does not differentiate enough,” Spranger said. “So it is better to use the name Chevrolet in markets where Daewoo was not active before.”

If Daewoo is already present in a market, the change will occur with the launch of new models, he added.

Daewoo vehicles have already been rebadged as Chevrolets in the Asia Pacific region and the USA.

In 2002, GM and GM affiliates acquired two-thirds of GM Daewoo, which was formed from many of the assets of the bankrupt Daewoo Motors.

Some new Lada models built by AvtoVAZ are already badged as Chevrolet in Russia. Sources within GM Europe say that eventually the Daewoo name may disappear completely from export markets.

©2003 irishcar.com