Just the Facts:
* General Motors will build two new minicars for Europe.
* One will be a Mini rival, a luxury Vauxhall/Opel hatchback.
* The other will be a budget-priced city car based on an entirely different platform.
LONDON — General Motors is developing two minicars for Europe that will slot below the Corsa supermini for introduction by the middle of this decade. One will be a Mini rival, a luxury Vauxhall/Opel hatchback internally labeled "fun and fashion." The other will be a budget-priced city car based on an entirely different platform.
Sales of baby cars, such as the Fiat 500 just launched in the U.S., are growing in Europe, and GM is keen to maximize its market coverage. The luxury GM mini, as well as the next-generation Corsa, is currently being designed and engineered in Korea, and Korea is also where GM will source a cost-effective platform to support the city car. GM's Opel engineering base in Russelsheim will only contribute in a minor way to the development of these minicars.
Work on the next-generation Corsa is also at an advanced stage. Observers believe final styling for the new baby Opel, which goes on sale in 2013, has not been finished. Although Korea is undertaking the bulk of the design and engineering, it's expected that the upmarket Opel and Vauxhall mini will be manufactured in Europe, as is it is currently. Since the decision has not yet been made, it's possible the new Corsa could still be made in Korea, though.
Sources at GM Daewoo Auto and Technology (GM DAT) in Korea also say that the Chevrolet Volt could be produced in Korea if Asian demand is sufficient. More possible, though, is that Korea will become a center for pure electric vehicles. GM DAT is just beginning a trial for Cruze and Lacetti EV sedans. If it's a success, it could spawn full production for either of them.
