Opel (GM) to assemble all-terrain vehicle

The Belgian Opel (General Motors) factory in Antwerp will in all likelihood also assemble the car maker's small all-terrain vehicle or SUV.

Klaus Franz, a General Motors (GM) top executive, confirmed the news in an interview with the German motoring weekly Automobilwoche.

Opel's small all-terrain vehicle will be in production by 2010 and will use the extended chassis of the Opel Corsa, the car maker's town vehicle.

The new model is supposed to compete against Suzuki's SX4, the Fiat Sedici, the Daihatsu Terios and VW's CrossPolo.

In addition to the Opel all-terrain vehicle a Chevrolet SUV will also be assembled at the Belgian plant.

In all 120,000 vehicles of both models should be produced in the northern port city. This is half the present production.