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General Motors Transfers Russian Operations From GMIO To GM Europe

General Motors has announced plans to fold its Russian operations under GM Europe, the automaker’s European division, effective January 1, 2014. In the past, Shanghai-based GM International Operations (GMIO) was responsible for The General’s business in Russia, which offers Opel, Chevrolet, and Cadillac brands.

“This is the right decision at the right time. Russia is an important part of the European market and for Opel it is the third biggest market in Europe,” says Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Chairman of Opel/Vauxhall and President, GM Europe. “All forecasts point out that Russia will become the biggest market in Europe in the next years. Opel enjoys high reputation in Russia. With our strong model portfolio we want to clearly increase our market share.”

The automaker has appointed Andy Dunstan to head up its operations in Russia. The appointment is effective November 1.

GM's Andy Dunstan

GM’s Andy Dunstan

In his previous role, Mr. Dunstan served as Executive Director Sales Central & Eastern Europe and International Operations and, according to GM, brings valuable experience from Product Planning, Marketing, Business Development and Sales. He will report directly to Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. Dunstan and follows Jim Bovenzi, who will move to Detroit as Executive Director Global Localization Strategy.

The GM Authority Take

Making GM Europe responsible for Russian operations denotes a new focus on the Russian market from GM. Anyone still doubting that The General is on a mission to dominate the global automotive industry at large should reconsider their opinion.

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Comments

  1. Finally GM is beginning to do the right decisions concerning Opel/GME. It is a shame that the profitable market of Russia (a European country) was part of GM Shanghai, so the earnings haven’t been added to GME in the past.
    This is another very important step to make Opel/Vauxhall profitable. This decision could also make it easier for Opel to expand and gaining market share in Russia. GM should stop pushing Chevrolet for all costs and begin to focus on Opel/Vauxhall in Europe. Chevy is loosing market share not only in Western Europe but also in Russia while Opel is winning. Opel has a very good image in Russia and competes with Audi or BMW, so it has a great potential in this market.

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  2. There had been an overlap of responsibilities and booking of sales between GMIO and GME over Russia. GM’s 2011 Annual Report describes the two entities like this:

    ——- quote ———-

    • GME has sales, manufacturing and distribution operations across Western and Central Europe. GME’s vehicle sales volume, which in addition to Western and Central Europe, includes Eastern Europe (including Russia and the other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States among others) represented 19.2% of our vehicle sales volume in 2011. In 2011 we had the number four market share in this market at 8.8%. GMIO distributes Chevrolet brand vehicles which, when sold in Europe, are included in GME vehicle sales volume and market share data.

    • GMIO has sales, manufacturing and distribution operations in Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe (including Russia and the other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States among others), Africa and the Middle East. GMIO’s vehicle sales volume, which includes Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East is our largest segment by vehicle sales volume. GMIO represented 36.6% of our global vehicle sales volume including sales through our joint ventures in 2011. In 2011 we had the number two market share for this market at 9.5% and the number one market share in China. In 2011 GMIO derived 77.1% of its vehicle sales volume from China. GMIO records the financial results of Chevrolet brand vehicles that it distributes and sells in Europe.

    ———- end quote —–

    “Opel/Vauxhall strengthens its position in Russia” is the title of the English language Opel press release on this change. “GM gives Russia to Opel” is the title of the “Handelsblatt” article on the change (‘Handelsblatt’ the leading business dailies in Germany).

    BTW, Andy Dunstan’s current role was described in the German language press release as ” Executive Director Opel Sales Central & Eastern Europe und International Operations” (my emphasis), the “Opel” part was missing in the English version. Besides the German and International Opel sites, I found a corresponding announcement at the Russian GM site, presenting Andy Dunstan as new “rukovoditel GM Russia” (my Russian-German dictionary doesn’t know that word…).

    I guess the change also gives control over the manufacturing in Russia (GM plant in St. Petersburg) to GM Europe, not only marketing and sales. Thomas Sedran, who a few months ago moved from his position in the Opel executive board (and acting CEO of Opel before K.T. Neumann took over) to GM Europe overseeing sales of Cadillac and Chevrolet in Europe, will then be responsible for marketing the two brands in Russia, too.

    The announcement mentions only Russia, but does not say anything about the other CIS countries (former Soviet Union) like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kaukasus countries. Do they continue to be part of GMIO’s realm, or will they be manged from Moscow?

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  3. Question: What model is that shown under the headline? It looks like a modernized Opel/Buick Verano. It’s good to see GM addressing this situation too.

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  4. It’s an Opel Astra Sedan. In US known as Buick Verano but with a different exterior.

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  5. Thanks, I kind of thought so because of certain styling aspects but the front looks way better.

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  6. slightly different exterior. The front and rear fascias differ, with the Buick “waterfall grille” making a different look and “ass brows” over the rear lights instead of the centered Opel bar. Besides that, I think that most of the sheet metal is identical. Those funny three holes are placed in the hood instead of the side, in order to minimize the differences; so the fender (is it still called that?) could be identical with the Opel Astra sedan.

    The image with the Astra sedan on the Red Square dates from the 2012 Moscow Motor Show where the Astra sedan had its world premiere. The Astra sedan is also assembled in Russia (GM’s St. Petersburg factory) from CKD kits delivered from the Gliwice (Poland) factory.

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  7. Chevy is the mainstream brand of GM and the majority of cars sold will be Chevys while Opel is a entry level luxury brand. GM must continue to market Chevrolet agressively in Europe while pushing Opel further upmarket with the new Buick/Opel strategy. There is enough room for both brands in Europe. Like you said yourself, Opel competes with BMW,Audi and Mercedes while Chevy competes with Toyota,Honda,Ford,VW etc.

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  8. I think the “Mighty Duck” gets it wrong — Chevrolet competes against the likes of Kia, Skoda and Dacia, not at the level of Ford, or even Toyota and VW. That’s the level of Opel.

    OK, maybe Chevrolet also competes for buyers who previously have bought a Honda or Mitsubishi for being cheap Japanese imports, but which are now being pushed aside by the Korean imports like Chevrolet, Kia, and Hyundai (by the way, I see Hyundai today rather in the league of VW, Toyota, Ford and Opel, not of Chevrolet).

    This is from a European perspective. The market for automobiles is certainly different in the USofA.

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  9. In my opinion the current (European!) Chevy lineup doesn’t even compete with Kia/Hyundai or Skoda by far. These brands offer high quality, modern technology and European design, Chevy does not. Chevy is placed between Dacia and Kia/Hyundai but closer to Dacia in my opinion.
    I would also say that Skoda is very (!) close to Ford and Opel but for a cheaper price. This is why Skoda is so succesfull. They use VW technology, offer VW quality but are cheaper than VW competitors.

    @ Mighty Duck
    No European would ever say that Chevy competes with VW. Perhaps this is right for the US but not for Europe. Please remeber that the European Chevys aren’t identic to the North American ones.
    Concerning Opel and BMW…this is only right for Russia not for Western Europe. There, Opel hasn’t the image to move up and compete with the premium brands. Opel will and cannot move up in this way. What Opel does at the moment is improving the image and moving up the brand but not the prices.

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  10. “Chevy competes with Toyota,Honda,Ford,VW”

    What may be true in North America, isn’t true in Europe, not by a long shot.

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  11. I’m from Russia and decided to share his thoughts
    We have many outraged GM policy in Russia and did not consider it the most competent in relation to the other competitors
    But the decision angered many simply because at the moment the policy so as to promote built in Russia in the first Opel model to the detriment of all other GM brands
    To do this artificially ” castrated ” many Chevrolet models to artificially create them less competitive in relation to models of Opel. By the way the same idiotic policy applies in Europe for example where the Chevrolet Cruze is more expensive Opel Astra – this naturally do not buy it there ! Similarly, in Russia Malibu is much more expensive than many similar Opel Insignia although it looks much more interesting. Almost all my friends have expressed the wish to buy a Malibu for a bright appearance, but seeing price is 1.5 times more expensive than Opel had to give up and buy Opel (?) There is no dull faceless machine virtually sold in Russia is not a competitor as Malibu and competitors ! On that those who have not bought the Malibu did not buy Opel Insignia and bought a Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat
    This example is indicative for such idiot going on in all segments of the market from GM in Russia and the whole policy is that it “does not sell Chevrolets ,” and just a little bit longer to sell Opel to the detriment of sales of Chevrolet
    Most of us consider what is happening in Russia complete idiocy and competent solution for our account when solving problems of perpetual bankruptcy and impose Opel Opel is to the detriment of the other brands. Lord buyer vote with their feet , and a former leader of GM sales in Russia due to successful sales of Chevrolet’s now down to 5th place and has a good chance of losing him too.

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  12. It’s a shame for Europe and Opel they are unprofitable. And at a loss because they do dull, unreliable machines that are not popular
    We do not have to translate for Europe. We have a GM in Russia was 1 best seller of all time and the overwhelming sales were just at the Korean Chevrolet
    Opel is too expensive, unreliable, often looks stupid and do not buy it, even in the Europe. Take Me to Europe its Opel us in Russia it is not needed! Most of the sales in Russia and now has a Korean Chevy! By the way, many models for artificially increasing Opel sales in Russia we do “castrated.” For example, the Korean Aveo (Sonic in the USA), we are not selling hatchback with the mechanics in general, and removed the popular 1.3 engine sales (although it was 30% of sales) – all in order to give us something to help sales boring outdated Opel Corsa (made on the platform Fiat 10 years old) who have very few people buy. On that those who do not buy the Chevy because of the artificial “castration” buy anything just not an Opel

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    1. I don’t believe that the GM sales organisation in Russia has favored Opel over Chevrolet trying to “castrate” Chevrolet cars in order to make them look worse than Opel cars of the same segment.

      The news we discuss here is saying that until now, GMIO from Shanghai, has mananged the sales organisation of GM cars in Russia, with probably strong influence from GM Korea, where most of the Chevrolet labelled cars offered in Russia are being produced. The quotes in the press releases about this organisational change sound rather the other way round: that Opel management sees their products being disfavored in releationship to Chevrolet in Russia, and that managing GM sales in Russia from GME (GM Europe, which is mainly Opel) will change that, and make all three GM brands in Russia more successful. We will see.

      As to the prices — it is really strange that the minimal price for a Malibu is 1’285’000 ruble while the Insignia starts with 797’000 rubles (in Germany Malibu is priced from 29.990€, Insignia from 24’130€). Unfortunately my knowledge of Russian language is too poor to follow the configurators for more concrete information. Strange differences. I would expect the reverse. On the other hand, Opel usually offers low prices for quite naked basic cars pushing the prospective customer to add more costly features … so that in the end, a similar equipped Insignia might be more expensive than its Chevrolet equivalent from the same segment. Also there is the old Insignia still in the Russian price ist starting with 777’000 Rubles, and they also offer the old Astra as significantly cheaper “Astra Family”.

      On the other hand, the chevrolet.ru site shows the Cobalt from South America in its lineup… another cheap solution.

      We’ll see how they will fare in the future.

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  13. The German wrote “In my opinion the current (European!) Chevy lineup doesn’t even compete with Kia/Hyundai or Skoda by far.”
    As I understand it in an article talking about Russia
    My view of Russia in the Chevrolet lineup closer to the truth
    I will say again that the Chevrolet in Russia artificially “castrated” not to create competition Opel. But this is idiotic. Those who do not buy the Chevy because of it – do not buy and do not dull quality of Opel.
    GM is killing for the sake of increasing sales of Chevrolet sales of Opel, which we, too, especially no one is buying. He did not when Russia was a top seller and it is very cheap reputation. In Russia Opel put on quality is always lower than all the German brands, and now even lower than Korean, which offer cheaper, high-quality, better-equipped car
    Examples cited absurdities. For example, removed the Chevrolet Lacetti Wagon of sales despite the fact that it was the sales leader among foreign manufacturers. But the “joy” are trying to sell Astra Wagon – and who does not buy at all. Just who. And those who have not bought those Lacetti Wagon buy Dacia Logan MCV
    Put a price tag on a beautiful Malibu 1.5 more than a dull Opel Insignia (which in general in Russia sold a few hundred per year) of course no one to buy it will not be
    Yes we have in Russia is not as beautiful Aveo / Sonic sell. We sell “castration.” What idiot came up with a bumper stick European beard? We do no one sells cars with this beard, even the Opel! Because of this decreased clearance and it put most of the buyers!
    Removed the 1.3 engine (30% of sales), do not sell with a manual transmission. While it’s a decent car which in Europe has been recognized as the safest car in 2011. Many look, sigh, and go to buy a car in the Volkswagen saloon
    GM’s enough to make a fool! Get started selling Chevrolet in Russia at present in the United States. We do not need this European Opel – to him all the same as to the worst European car and when given the choice to take a European car, we always buy a Volkswagen, Skoda, Peugeot but do not buy Opel

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  14. Why would Chevy have been castrated because of Opel? Both brands are or will be placed on the market in a way, so that there will be no competion between them. I could also say the same about Opel. Why is Opel not allowed to built cheap cars which compete with the likes of Lada and so on? You should also note that there is not only Chevrolet and Opel on the Russian market, but also other car makers with cheap vehicles e.g. Renault or GAZ who doesn´t make the life for Chevrolet in Russia easier. Opel is on the 12th place in Russia and you want to say seriously that nobody is buying Opel? Chevrolet is not performing so bad, if you take a look at the sales figures. They are very close to Renault, KIA, and Hyundai but all of them are far behind Lada.

    “For example, removed the Chevrolet Lacetti Wagon of sales despite the fact that it was the sales leader among foreign manufacturers.”
    – The Chevrolet Lacetti Wagon was already outdated and has been replaced by the Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon. Volkswagen manufactured the Beetle for several decades in Mexico and they stopped production, although it was still successful, but new laws made a continuation of production unattractive and a modification would have cost thousands of dollars. It is not the first time, where GM has stopped production of popular outdated cars, e.g. Zafira and Meriva in South America.

    “Put a price tag on a beautiful Malibu 1.5 more than a dull Opel Insignia (which in general in Russia sold a few hundred per year) of course no one to buy it will not be…”
    -You don´t seem to be objective to call the Insignia “dull”. BTW this car won European car of the year 2009 and German Red Dot Design Award. The Malibu is even in most Europan countries more expensive than the Insignia and most other mid-size sedans, not only in Russia! I guess this a matter of business administration and many other reasons, e.g. taxes, marketing, tools etc. for this vehicle. The more you sell the cheaper it gets.

    Apart from that most Chevy are “castrated” they are almost all exported from South Korea to Europe. Hyundai and KIA are producing their cars locally to safe costs and their cars are designed to meet European needs. Opel cars exported outside of Europe don´t have all the features, which you can get in Europe because of logistics or whatever.

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  16. “Why would Chevy have been castrated because of Opel?”
    Otherwise no one to buy Opel in Russia will not be. For a poor country , and the preference is a larger car for less money, such as Dacia Logan from 11,000 in Russia than the Opel Corsa for 15tysch . Loganov sold a thousand times more than an Opel . The fact that Chevy is cheaper than an Opel ? I hope colleagues argue or who will not
    Another fact that in Russia Chevy and Opel sold in the same showroom. And as option 1 and 2 in Russia have Hyundai Solaris and Kia Rio ( produced in Russia ) who have the option Hatch 1.4 and 1.6 with manual transmission and automatic transmission at a price of $ 15,000 . But the Aveo sold and marketed (!) In the Russian version is only 1.6 Hatch with automatic transmission besides price of about $ 19,000 for the base for all the money in Russia buy Peugeot and Citroen but the C- segment !
    This artificially made ​​so that the car did not buy !
    I am personally in many salons to ask why we do not deliver to Russia with the subcompact Aveo engine , diesel 1.3 hachtbek with a manual transmission in response to hear a response from the sellers – then no idiot is not even close to fit Opel Corsa is a 10 year old Fiat platform .
    Once again in Russia Opel and Chevy sold in the same cabin on the sale looks like . Suitable buyer and says I want to Chevy with manual transmission and a smaller engine, and in return – such machines in Russia do not sell. After that, take the arm and supplied to the Opel Corsa !
    I hope colleagues so you will be more clear . Why do we have done everything in Russia is to sell Opel ?

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  17. “Both brands are or will be placed on the market in a way, so that there will be no competion between them.”
    It has some promise , but in fact more modest Chevy Malibu in Russia is almost 1.5 times more expensive than Opel Insignia
    In fact, no one in Russia is not buying Chevy Malibu at a price LEXUS СT250 . This should be an absolute idiot ! By passing a Lexus you can buy and Audi and BMW.
    Opel Insignia in the Russian car sold poorly because it is worse than leaders Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat .
    In this setting an excessive price for Malibu GM thinks – they do not buy Malibu and buy insignia …. After all, they are in the same cabin in Russia . And actually seeing the Russian inflated price on Chevy Malibu is not going to buy Opel , and go to buy Toyota and Volkswagen

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  18. “I could also say the same about Opel. Why is Opel not allowed to built cheap cars which compete with the likes of Lada and so on?”
    Opel European company and is located in Europe, where labor productivity and the quality is lower than in Asia , and higher wages . In the real world gathered in Korea B- segment car in good equipment 1.6 with air-conditioning, full power accessories , and many other worth $ 12,000 . What can you buy in Europe for the money ? Romanian Dacia Logan wretched assembly !
    In this completely hopeless in Europe to produce cheaper products . Also do not see any progress in any GM to move production to Eastern Europe where labor is paid less.
    In this European cheapest car can only be absolute nothingness as Logan , while Asian products for the money it is competing with Ford , Volkswagen and Opel and exceeds

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  19. “Opel is on the 12th place in Russia and you want to say seriously that nobody is buying Opel? Chevrolet is not performing so bad, if you take a look at the sales figures.”
    Chevrolet for a long time in Russia was the first in sales among foreign companies. A position has become hard to lose it in the last 1-2 years when the policy is changed and no longer supply the Aveo subcompact with motors hatchbeki with a manual transmission. When the price was higher than the Chevy Malibu and the Opel Insignia on par with Lexus, BMW – is idiotic
    In Russia such Chevrolet will not buy!

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  20. Europe is not North America! We don´t have “entry level luxury” brands here, because such a segment doesn´t exist in Europe. What do understand under the term mainstream? BMW is a luxury brand and sold more cars than Fiat therefore you see in some European countries a lot of BMWs. But BMW has no commercial vehicles or small cars compared to Fiat. In Germany and most other European countries they even use Mercedes-Benz cars as taxis and Mercedes-Benz is also very successful with buses and trucks. How strange does that sound for an American to hear that Mercedes-Benz is known for trucks and buses. Opel definitely doesn´t compete with the German Big 3 (Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz), because Opel´s reputation and cars can not keep up with them. Not once Cadillac, Infiniti or Lexus can make the Germans fear in Europe. Europeans are more demanding compared to Americans when it comes to brand reputation, quality and so on. If you don´t believe me then compare Euro Fiesta with US Fiesta. Some Europeans would buy a naked BMW over a fully loaded Opel or Chevrolet. Most European car makers try to cover many segments, e.g. Volkswagen offers everything from the cheap Up! to the expensive Phaeton. VW is therefore a volume car maker and positioned between Skoda, which is affordable and Audi, which is expensive. Our mainstream Euro cars are often sold as semi luxury cars in the US. The Insignia/Regal is our Toyota Camry or Nissan Altima. There is nothing special about it. The US Passat is a water downed version of the Euro Passat, which is one of the main competitor for the Insignia/Regal.

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  21. “Opel is on the 12th place in Russia and you want to say seriously that nobody is buying Opel? Chevrolet is not performing so bad, if you take a look at the sales figures.”
    Remind the article is not about the Europeans . This article is about Russia
    I ‘m trying to convey the information if it is interesting that his GM simply counterproductive policies in Russia and as a result of a loss of 1 in sales rolling up to 5th place . There is no chance of staying on the 5th place among foreign manufacturers because GM policy in Russia is not professional and just a silly
    Compare the sales policy of the Volkswagen Group with GM
    Volkswagen is not afraid to sell Skoda and Seat in Russia since the money to get all the same in one pocket . GM Chevrolet afraid to deliver competitively priced and in good trim in the hope that a buyer will prefer an Opel ! But the mistake is that the buyer is not buying Opel and Hyundai buys , Kia , Volkswagen , Skoda …. Understand my phrase ” do not buy Opel” – it means that the Russian did not buy Chevrolets neutered , but do not buy Opel . They buy their competitors. This is the idiocy of GM sales policy
    In Russia only sells well Opel Astra . In this case, laughter is that Asta Sedan in Asia under the Buick brand has appeared on two years earlier than in Europe! What prevented a Russian ship sedan from Asia ? Why the detriment of the Asian division of Buick 2 years we have waited until a Russian European Opel Astra Sedan ? All these 2-year Russian had to buy for example the Volkswagen Jetta

    I love and respect GM … on this and decided to speak out.
    I’m afraid that most GM do not care for it
    There is a Russian saying – do not spit in the well , the well will come in handy when you want a drink of water
    Now GM mistaken policy ” reaping ” the loss of one space for sales and sales with a complete lack of clarity in the future. Do not forget that many buyers are loyal to the brand. Chevrolet was not easy to become number 1 in Russia and among foreign manufacturers losing market leadership to win back the Koreans will be almost completely real. Russian people are turning away from the conservative Chevy him then and in the years to come will not force the dealer Chevrolet

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  22. I also don´t like to see Opel and Chevrolet cars sold side by side in the same showroom. If GM wants to increase Chevy sales then they have to built locally and they have to use their European resources. Diesel passenger cars and manual transmissions are usually very popular in Europe. In South Korea and most other Asian countries passenger cars are petrol and have automatic gear boxes. From an economic viewpoint it would be too expensive to built a Diesel engine plant only because of Europe, while there is no need for them in Vietnam, Thailand or Taiwan, which are near South Korea. Maby the suppliers are missing. As I already said before this is the reason why KIA and Hyundai are producing locally. However, an affordable brand like Chevy doesn´t need so many features.

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  23. I also don´t like to see Opel and Chevrolet cars sold side by side in the same showroom. If GM wants to increase Chevy sales then they have to built locally and they have to use their European resources. Diesel passenger cars and manual transmissions are usually very popular in Europe. In South Korea and most other Asian countries passenger cars are petrol and have automatic gear boxes. From an economic viewpoint it would be too expensive to built a Diesel engine plant only because of Europe, while there is no need for them in Vietnam, Thailand or Taiwan, which are near South Korea. Maby the suppliers are missing. As I already said before this is the reason why KIA and Hyundai are producing locally. However, an affordable brand like Chevy doesn´t need so many features

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  24. “Europe is not North America! We don’t have” entry level luxury “brands here, because such a segment doesn’t exist in Europe.”
    I repeat once again Russia is not Europe ! In Russia the preferences crossovers , pickups and we well within the scheme with “entry level luxury” as an example of Renault -Nissan
    At Renault in Europe there is a budget brand Dacia ( in Russia it is also AvtoVAZ ) above is the very Reno , and even higher planned to release a luxury brand “Initial Paris”. Did not you know?
    Partner company Renault Nissan – Datsun brand brought the cheapest , followed by the Nissan and Infiniti higher
    As an example in the VW is more cost Skoda and Seat , Volkswagen and then he completes a number of Audi
    Another example of a Citroen which has a luxury option DS. And all the talk going on the resumption of the budget model for neglected or imenet Simca or Talbot
    Thus in Europe are possible embodiments with 3 levels cars. The budget , family and luxe . And it is already a fact in many companies !
    And let us be clear on those already Russia is not Europe ! Geographically, the smaller part of Russia is still in Europe, but the preferences of cars and the mentality of Russian are not Europeans . By this is laughable when you say Russian Europeans on the need to drive to Fiat500 in which I can fit with its growth if to throw out the driver’s seat and sit in the back seat ! The absurdity of our preference for Russian cars completely coincide with the U.S. is a large family sedans and crossovers .

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  25. “How strange does that sound for an American to hear that Mercedes-Benz is known for trucks and buses.”
    The fact is that in the U.S. “trucks ” means the same as the crossover in Europe
    Mercedes crossover can surprise someone?
    By this, do not judge on America’s too easy
    I have been in the U.S. they know that Mercedes manufactures heavy trucks for the trailers. There’s not that anyone is surprised.

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  26. “Europeans are more demanding compared to Americans when it comes to brand reputation, quality and so on.”
    and in Russian, too, are more similar to Americans
    For chasing the brand is very expensive. If you are a thief-in-law or a corrupt official to have no problems in Russia to buy a BMW, but the usual Russian buys Korean car because it is for less money offers the best accessory, reliable and high quality collected than European competitors
    There are those who go after blunt brand, but for example to get an equally packed Volkswagen Polo in comparison with the Korean car must pay 20% of the cost. While European cars suffer worse problems in Russia. Turbocharged engines are broken in our Russian fuel their repair costs much more … Most of these machines are buying the show and toil with their breakdowns. My corporate Polo began to creak at 3000 km for 1 year 2 times was in the service and it is a new car assembled in Europe. With my own car – Korean short visits 50000 without a single failure

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  27. “Our mainstream Euro cars are often sold as semi luxury cars in the US. The Insignia / Regal is our Toyota Camry or Nissan Altima.”
    Attempts to bring the Opel products outside Europe pursue resounding failure . It’s a fact !
    Trying to sell Opel in Australia ended in a resounding fiasco. Even the Chinese company GreatWall sales exceeded sales of Opel . In this Opel left the market in Australia
    The following fact is not so that European Opel withdrawn in the United States . For example Omega tried to sell a Cadillac. Resounding failure were able to sell a few hundred. And the Omega as the Cadillac in the U.S. came in 10 cars with the worst in the history of sales
    After that tried to bring the previous generation Opel Astra Saturn brand . Director of the GM even photographed the entire Saturn / Opel Astra . And another resounding failure ! Sales is not just a failure , they were led to the complete bankruptcy of the successful Saturn brand under which used to sell for example the model of Suzuki and moreover successfully . Once there was a ghost all over Opel’s bankruptcy and complete liquidation of Saturn brand

    But most importantly, where do you think that most of the models it was originally created as an Opel ? It’s a lie marketers to maintain sales in Europe. On this and deliberately lie about the origin of the car giving Chevrolet , Buick for Opel … as an example of the same Captiva designed and manufactured for Europe in Korea. Worldwide known model Chevy Captiva Sport In Europe alone, it is sold as an assembly Korean Opel Antara …. An example is not unique. Believe me you just in Europe deceive his head

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  28. “IamfromRussia” wrote “In Russia only sells well Opel Astra . In this case, laughter is that Asta Sedan in Asia under the Buick brand has appeared on two years earlier than in Europe! What prevented a Russian ship sedan from Asia ? Why the detriment of the Asian division of Buick 2 years we have waited until a Russian European Opel Astra Sedan ?”

    Couldn’t his delay have occurred because of GM sales in Russia were under the GMIO management instead of GME?

    Besides, I hope you do know that the Astra sedan is assembled in Russia, i.e. in the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) factory from CKD-kits imported from Poland.

    BTW2, — I noted that they offer both the current Astra J lineup as well as the previous generation (Astra H) as “Astra Family”. How do sales figures compare between the two generations?

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  29. The Opel Antara is also assembled in Russia, i.e. in the GM factory at St. Petersburg. Didn’t you not know that?

    Besides, the Opel development center is developing cars for Opel and Buick, and other stuff for GM in general, only the Opel Antara/Chevrolet Captiva and the Mokka/Encore and Tracker have apparently been developed mainly in Korea. But that will change with the next generations of those cars.

    According to a report in the German weekly illustrated magazine “Stern” (Star / Swezda), the new Opel CEO and President, GM Europe had said to that reporter that in previous times, GM had tried to supplant Opel by Chevrolet in Europa, but that those times are over. And that cars that resembles too much across the brand lines, like Volt/Ampera or Tracker/Mokka-Encore should not be built so similar looking any more. And that the Chevrolet brand should grow in Europe, but not at the detriment of Opel.

    We’ll see what they will actually do in the future.

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  30. “I also don’t like to see Opel and Chevrolet cars sold side by side in the same showroom”
    But in Russia it is universally true. Neutered or unrealistic inflated prices Chevrolet stand at one dealership with Opel . While Opel has no problems with a choice of vehicles and the vehicle, while the Chevrolet problems artificially created by GM . Ie GM policy ” not to sell the Chevrolet .” Why ? Here I also wonder who is the pest in the camp that GM is looking at selling Chevrolet and says look very good small cars are sold with a manual gearbox. So it is necessary to remove them from the sales. For what to do so? This is sabotage !
    Look at the look on Russian roads photos
    https://www.google.ru/search?q=разбитые Russian
    Now look at European ” beard ” which tied for the Russian Chevrolet Aveo
    http://povozcar.ru/wp-content/uploads/Chevrolet-Aveo-2012-sedan-profile.jpg”
    You can clearly see that it lowers the ride height and smashed it on the Russian roads. With this ” beard ” is hard to park . And the beard came in 2012 when GM lost its leadership in Russia having descended from one place to 5th place for sales and this is only for 1 year!
    All Russian dealers shrug and say – this is sabotage. We all feel that the policy of GM ” not to sell Chevrolet , Opel and sell .” Chevrolet is much cheaper than and attract buyers. GM cuts the branch on which he sits

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  31. Vall wrote “If GM wants to increase Chevy sales then they have to built locally and they have to use their European resources. ”
    “If GM wants to increase Chevy sales then they have to built locally and they have to use their European resources.”
    Why European resources? Developing cars poplecham done in the U.S. and Asia. And most importantly the development and production of vehicles in the U.S. and Asia will be much cheaper
    Look and compare prices for cars in the United States and Korea, for example. There’s B-segment cars from the 12000, and the C-segment of 15,000. In Europe, for the money, not what you can not buy
    Europe is not capable of competitive prices and quality products. According to this there is a sense of europe news only luxury goods

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  32. Observer7 wrote “I don’t believe that the GM sales organisation in Russia has favored Opel over Chevrolet trying to” castrate “Chevrolet cars in order to make them look worse than Opel cars of the same segment.”
    But it’s a fact !
    The local dealers feel that someone has analyzed the results of sales and decided – to remove the most sold version of the Chevrolet from the market and change the pricing so as to stop the sales of Chevrolet
    How else to explain when they start selling cars in Europe ” beard ” on the bumper with clearance in Russia can not ride .
    Removed the best-selling subcompacts Aveo and Aveo stripped manual transmission . As a result of the leaders of the car was an outsider
    For what to do affordable and cheap Chevrolet Malibu that pleased everyone in Russia is 1.5 times more expensive than his brother Opel Insignia ? This is sabotage ! Insignia is too boring and dull , low reliability, and in this it in Russia or who is buying. Sales in the hundreds …. D- segment in Russia as in the United States is very popular.
    Repeat these actions simply are not professional and we all had the impression that artificially prevents GM Chevrolet sales in favor of Opel . But the error is that the Russian not buying Opel. They going to the dealer Volkswagen and Hyundai

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  33. Observer7 wrote “The news we discuss here is saying that until now, GMIO from Shanghai, has mananged the sales organisation of GM cars in Russia”
    How do you think what interest the Korean branch of artificially reduce their own sales ? This is absurd !
    We all say that such a policy imposes GM to save Opel . But rescuing Opel killed by other GM brands
    Open your eyes – the trend of today and tomorrow the transfer of production to Asia. The fact that GM like a donkey trying to hold on to europe too looks like a problem of mental disorders
    For almost all the European manufacturers have opened design centers and development centers in the U.S. and Asia. And it is very effective impact on the business! GM goes against the flow – he is trying to move production from Asia to Europe. This is ridiculous ! In Russia, all the managers it is only laughter . This is not a professional solution
    You know the fact that 1 Chevrolet assembled in Korea makes a profit $ 1,000 and 1 Opel assembled in Europe brings a $ 300 loss ?
    For what branch of profitable to move production to unprofitable ? This causes confusion and mistrust …

    Reply
  34. Observer7 wrote “That Opel management sees their products being disfavored in releationship to Chevrolet in Russia, and that managing GM sales in Russia from GME (GM Europe, which is mainly Opel) will change that, and make all three GM brands in Russia more successful. We will see. ”
    I am personally against the Opel that does not have. This is a major manufacturer. But the main thing – Opel in Russia is very low status. Opel is not considered a good producer in Russia
    I think even the conclusion Buick would be interesting Russian buyer. When I have in Asia and China saw that the Asian version of the Buick are cheaper, have better complete set, is cheaper than an Opel!
    So why Russia is unwilling to sell Opel? This is done only to support the bankrupt
    But this is done at the expense of other GM brands, to be precise at their expense
    Opel needs urgent restructuring – it should just be a subsidiary of GM with the same model number as the Buick. There is not any sense to hold on to the European assembly. In Russia we have the opportunity to compare the European assembly of Hyundai cars with Korean assembly. In Russia you will all say that a similar car from Korea is cheaper, has the best complete set, better built
    On that trumps the “European” assembly is counterproductive. In Russia is perceived as something that Europe’s problems are trying to solve through Russian. Supplying more expensive in Russia, worse collected, worse-equipped cars from Europe
    In this fully support Russian and Korean companies to collect the car in Russia. For imported cars from Europe just totally competitive with them…

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  35. I think that I understand finally the complaint which “IamfromRussia” wants to convey: that GM tries to place Chevrolet too high “up market” by higher prices and removing cheaper configurations from the price list, and that he or she thinks that this had been done to push for higher sales of cheaper Opel.

    If that is the case, then handing over of the management of the “Russian business” of GM from GMIO to GME would probably result in the opposite, namely positioning Chevrolet clearly as the cheaper alternative to Opel, and increase sales of both brands (plus those of Cadillac, the third GM brand offered in Russia).

    GM already offers the South American Cobalt as a cheaper alternative to the Cruze, and they might also add the Onix, Celta and/or Agile (all from South America) as cheaper alternatives to the Aveo. Maybe also the Baojun Lechi from China…

    Anyway, I expect GM to offer under the GME leadership Chevrolet cars at competitive prices, and Opel cars with more comfort and technical sophistication for more money.

    But this is my guesswork, and reality may turn out otherwise.

    BTW, dear “IamfromRussia”, since Russian is obviously your primary language, can you tell the readership of this blog if the Russian press release Новый руководитель GM Россия — Энди Данстан станет новым Президентом и Управляющим директором GM Россия says something about Russia only, or if this concerns also Central Asia (i.e. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc). Browsing thru the GM Media sites, the latter all come with a “Eastern Europe and Central Asia” heading. So it might be that the recently announced reorganisation reunites the Russian Federation with all other CIS republics in one single GM business area, instead of dividing the two between Russia from Shanghai, and the rest from Zürich and Rüsselsheim.

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  36. The next logical step would be to unite Opel and Buick as a single division. Opel can’t continue as separate company and subsidiary while losing a lot of money. GM should consider rebranding Opel as Buick outside Western Europe, that should have positive effect on sales and brand reputation. R&D and design should stay in Germany while manufacturing should happen in North America,Russia or Asia. Smaller cars such as subcompacts and small minivans aimed at the European market could me made by GM’s partner PSA.

    Reply
    1. @MightyDuck

      You cannot simply unite Opel and Buick as a single divison. Adam Opel AG is a company with own subsidiaries. Buick is a brand.
      Beside that, people would stop buying Opels if the car production would move from Europe to other parts of the world. In that case GM would have to fire nearly 40k people in Europe, closing all plants and kill hundreds of suppliers. More than 100.000 people would lose their jobs…No one would ever buy a car from such a company.

      “GM should consider rebranding Opel as Buick outside Western Europe, that should have positive effect on sales and brand reputation.”
      What do you mean with outside Western Europe? Russia? Why would such a measure have positive effects? Don’t understand that. I’m sure in Russia German car brands have higher reputation than unknown American ones!?
      BTW in NA and China Opel cars are still sold under the Buick brand!

      Reply
  37. It looks as if there are no “divisions” any more and “new GM”. There are business “segments”, as they call it, and those are:
    • GMNA – GM North America
    • GMSA – GM South America (do not confuse with GMSA as GM South Africa…)
    • GME – GM Europe
    • GMIO – GM International Operations – Asia, Oceania, Africa

    Also, GM seems to have decided to have more common development and production of Opel/Vauxhall and Buick China and Buick NA branded cars, as three of the “carefully cultivated” brands “for specific regional markets”. And these three brands carry different brand images in their four marketing areas … Vauxhall exclusively in the UKoGBaNI, Buick in China, Buick in NAFTA, and Opel in the rest of the world. The design director for Buick and Opel/Vauxhall is located in Rüsselsheim, Germany. So, there you have what you want, what GM CEO Akerson called “a hybrid globel brand”. But not by one, but three names and four different meanings.

    Buick is probably unknown to the general public outside of China and the three NAFTA countries (Canada, Mexico, and USA), and hardly anybody would know how to pronounce that name.

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  38. Observer7 wrote “GM already offers the South American Cobalt as a cheaper alternative to the Cruze”
    Cruise and Cobalt different segments of the machine. Cobalt is made on the platform of the Aveo / Sonic and is a cheaper alternative similar to the Dacia Logan which is a cheaper version made ​​on the platform of Renault Clio (who is on the forum of Europe will immediately understand what I mean )
    Cobalt Output in Russia was held under the sigh of disappointment . For instead of a cheaper version of reality Cobalt was cheaper than $ 1,000 . In this case, it looks less at 5000.
    Dealers grabbed his head for the Brazilian Cobalt very strange appearance which is absolutely not fit into a stylish range of Chevrolet in Korea . The usual reaction of buyers who saw a number of cars Cobalt – what kind of freak? See price all pass by.
    Here at once 2nd error – Cobalt cheaper Aveo / Sonic but costs almost as much. His appearance does not fit into the lineup and do not like Russian because it looks like a Chevrolet stuck on the front of the car of another brand
    “So it might be that the recently announced reorganisation reunites the Russian Federation with all other CIS republics in one single GM business area, instead of dividing the two between Russia from Shanghai, and the rest from Zürich and Rüsselsheim.”
    It is not clear for what to do ? For the countries of the former Soviet Union ran off in different angles . Latvia , Estonia , Lithuania is now the EU . Ukraine , Georgia , Moldova , too, go in the direction of the EU. Part of the other republics of balances in different directions from the Muslim world to China
    On that combine such diverse market under the control of a single office hardly seems reasonable too large differences. As an example, Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia is now part of the civilized world , and the country of Belarus ruled last European dictator – and it’s not a policy, and perfect the difference in approach. For Ukraine it is a purely European country heavily populated and there are European cars will be sold steadily. While Kazakhstan is an Asian steppe where the state will prefer to buy crossovers, pickup trucks and large sedans . It is impossible to model all in one pile . It looks like GM idiologi have no understanding of that reality in itself represent the countries of the former Soviet Union. If the return to Russia that tastes are more American than European . We prefer large sedans and crossovers .
    If speaking about the appointment of a new head of the Russian media that pays attention to the fact that the former head off to the U.S. to promote the Chevrolet and the new head of Europe and has sales of Opel. According to this Russian Chevrolet dealers or anything good from this change in leadership is not expected. Alas , many frustrated by this appointment . On the contrary , many believe that we need a leader with experience in Asia is best Korea or China . The heads of Europe in Russia we are not happy. Because it’s there in his Opel can not clean up – then for what he is coming to us ? To get us to buy more cars Opel ? Thanks but already skazad prefer to buy more of Hyundai or Volkswagen

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  39. As to the cars: OK, if you prefer, the Cobalt (4479 mm long) is between the Cruze (4,6 meters) and the Aveo/Sonic (4399 mm); the “cheaper” Aveo/Sonic is the Onix (hatchback) and Prisma (sedan, 4275 mm) . And I just mentioned their existence, not voicing any opinion on their suitability for this or that task and taste.

    Same non-opinion on the sensibility of dealing with Russian Federation and the Central Asian republics in one sales organisation. I just wanted to know the facts, it was or now will be managed by GME or split between GMIO and GME.

    But if I may voice an opinion, I think that the Far East (Khabarovsk kraj) and Siberia have much more in common with Kazakhstan than with the original Russia west of the Ural.

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  40. Observer7 wrote “Couldn’t his delay have occurred because of GM sales in Russia were under the GMIO management instead of GME?”
    There is such a thing as a general policy of the company. Why is the Asian branch of GM anywhere in the pan-Asian region is absolutely competent and professional politics , and only in Russia at the GM mess ? It is not really possible.
    I am absolutely 100% sure that the subordination of the Asian branch is formal . And in reality commanded by European division here .
    Here are my thoughts .
    1. In Asia, the full order at GM and professional approach. Raging sales growth and commercial success.
    But there is an exception – Australia . What happened there ? There happened …. Opel . Opel Australia has completely failed . Opel sales in Australia were lower than the … сhinese car companies . It is ridiculous !
    Would you believe that it was an idea to bring the Asian branch in Australia selling Opel ? None of marketing for the company in this nonsense would not believe . The Asian branch of a great range of brands – the cheapest Baojun , budget Chevrolet , Buick and premium luxury Cadillac. Absolutely professional, but where there Opel ? He did not fit . Sorry, but no one would believe that the withdrawal of Opel in Australia is the idea of ​​the Asian branch . Reading the speeches of the heads of the European Opel constantly hear that they want to bring Opel to other markets besides Europe . Brought ? Disgraced ! Can now finally begin to lift sales of Opel in the markets in which Opel is successful – that is in Europe ? And will not impose Opel where he is or who do not need
    My opinion is that we should create a single brand Buick / Opel / Vauxhall producing the same car and it is a professional decision . Then all the income will fall into one pocket, and not crushed into Asia, America and Europe
    2 . GM Russia officially run out of Asia, but the politics in Russia are not Asian , and European. Why so ?
    Why do not Asian or American – is easily proven by the model number .
    Take the Chevrolet Spark – it is quite a successful product sold in the United States . There he sold the motor 1.2 ( 84 hp) and automatic
    In Russia we only offered the European version 1.0 (68 hp) with automatic transmission .
    When Russian dealers are requested to sell the Asian and American versions of what they are told it can not be done ! The question is why not? If you REALLY Asian branch operates in Russia then who is it illegal to sell Asian and American versions . Why are Asian ( !) Subsidiary sells the European ( !) Version ?
    The following example – Chevrolet Malibu in Russia is 1.5 times more expensive than Opel Insignia . Again, for what the Asian branch of self- harm ?
    For Koreans than producing the Chevrolet Captiva Sport to sell it in Russia as the Opel Antara ?
    For Koreans than producing Buick Encore sell it in Russia as the Opel Mokka ?
    After all, there are also twin Opel / Buick Mocha under the name Chevrolet Tracker . Why do Koreans do not carry it in Russia ? They do not need sales? No 100 % they say guys your car better and cheaper than the Opel this does not need to sell Chevrolets and let’s sell Opel .
    I am personally waiting for the Chevrolet Tracker in Russia because he is 1000-1500 dollars cheaper Opel Mokka . And on a more aggressive design, I like it Chevrolet . He gives the impression of man’s car. Opel look sad too for a woman . Except for the Opel Astra everything else is just stuff that in Russia no one is buying.
    What interest Koreans sell their own design under a different brand ?
    Approved by 100 %, which is the Asian branch has no public capacity to regulate sales in Russia . I’m sure at 100 %
    This is the fallacy of GM Russia sales policy .
    All sales policy and range imposed on us from Europe in order to understand it does not have to be a marketing genius .
    And if you pay more , and the rest of the Europeans , they would kill all GM sales in Russia .

    “Besides, I hope you do know that the Astra sedan is assembled in Russia, ie in the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) factory from CKD-kits imported from Poland.”
    I know very well .
    But who prevented deliver Astra Sedan from Asia where it was sold under the Buick brand to 2 years earlier than has appeared in Europe? Why the Russian lineup is tied to the range of the European branch of the Chevrolet ? If the Asian branch of the Russian command why he is not allowed to range in Russia the same as in Asia or the United States?
    There is always the one who benefits . This situation is extremely beneficial Opel . Chevrolet such policies result in the loss and the loss of one place on the sales results . In Russia, Chevrolet has rolled to 5th place thanks to the policy of ” do not sell Chevrolets , and to sell Opel “

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  41. “The next logical step would be to unite Opel and Buick as a single division”
    Colleague totally agree with you

    “Smaller cars such as subcompacts and small minivans aimed at the European market could me made by GM’s partner PSA.”
    And here do not agree! Let me explain
    Peugeot-Citroen company based in the doldrums. Most of the cars do not even were developed the Peugeot-Citroen
    This product is a badge-engineering. Peugeot-Citroen sells such models Toyota and Mitsubishi. Motors is developing jointly with BMW.
    Peugeot-Citroen is experiencing huge problems – and there is a drop in sales last 2 years only through financial assistance from the Government of France.
    In Russia, Peugeot-Citroen is very shaky position in the market. For example, in September, Peugeot has sold as many as sold to the Chinese Lifan and Citroen sold even less than the Chinese Lifan
    Opel and Peugeot-Citroen is two lame trying to help each other. This is counterproductive! It is much more effective when on the “lame” Opel will not patronage “lame” Peugeot-Citroen. “Lame” Opel will patronage only healthy company.
    Apologies for the association, but I think you get my point…

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  42. “You cannot simply unite Opel and Buick as a single divison. Adam Opel AG is a company with own subsidiaries. Buick is a brand.”
    at the moment there is a division of General Motors Europe
    Which includes 2 independent company Adam Opel AG and Chevrolet Europe GmbH. Opel since 1999, is not profitable and is a loss-making company. Chevrolet profitable company, but sales in Europe are small. The reason lies in the small sales are not professional work and stupid politicians GM sales in Europe
    GM sales policy in Europe and GM sales policy in Russia completely identical. And both are losing money. Both policies are not professional sales. Against the background of the professional work of the Pan-Asian, South American, North American GM divisions in the eye just catches how stupid GM policy is carried out in Russia and Europe. By this, I say that even in Russia will be the policy of sales and product range as in other regions, but not the same as in Europe because it is a failure and bring the company only losses…

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  43. “Beside that, people would stop buying Opels if the car production would move from Europe to other parts of the world.”
    I wonder why people stop buying Opel for that reason?
    European goods of poor quality and are more expensive than Asian.
    We have a unique situation where the goods are shipped from Asia and Europe. The overwhelming majority of Russian prefers Asian goods for this very reason – they have the best combination of price / quality
    The article refers to Russia, and Russia’s image Opel is very low. If you can buy a Volkswagen or who never will buy Opel
    In this case, if you go to the dealer is on the same site you will see the Chevy Captiva and “Chevy Captiva Sport”, but the latter will be a sticker with the Opel Antara. Russian asking for what we lied about Europe when we know perfectly well that there is not any Opel Antara. It is the Korean car, which was collected in Korea, and from there delivered for sale in Europe. Similarly, the Opel Astra Sedan – Opel has always said that it was his car. But hold it for 2 years before the start of sales in Europe were sold in Asia as a Buick. And so why should I believe that this is an Opel? Maybe it’s all the same Buick that changed the grille and are sold as an Opel?
    Besides the previously wrote why Russia can not sell products Buick? It looks a lot more interesting than the dull and boring Opel.

    I’m sure it’s just nationalism when they say they would not buy assembled and developed outside Europe car. This does not prevent many car companies sold privozyaschih machines from other countries. Including from Africa for example carry Dacia which is collected in Morocco. Renault and Toyota cars are imported from Turkey. So it’s just nationalism.
    Items and goods should be bought on the basis of price / quality, not because they are made or not made in Europe. You’ve got to change people’s brains, and not the place of production…

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  44. “In that case GM would have to fire nearly 40k people in Europe, closing all plants and kill hundreds of suppliers. More than 100.000 people would lose their jobs … No one would ever buy a car from such a company.”
    Goods need to buy in terms of price / quality
    If cheaper to produce outside Europe or produced in Eastern Europe it is necessary to close plants in Germany and transfer production to Romania and Hungary.
    So do everything without exception automakers. The only one who is willing to incur losses in 1999 and worked to keep the production of Opel in Germany it. Frankly it requires perseverance to see a doctor – a psychiatrist. Marketers want to keep the plants in Germany just asking for dismissal on the grounds of not professional
    As an example, will give European companies Siemens, Pfaff, Phillips who stopped themselves produce and just have to buy it from Asian companies. And that does not happen. After buying the Siemens you buy Chinese Acer, buying Pfaff you buy Japanese Janome buying phillips you buy Japanese products FUNAI
    So no need to hammer head nonsense
    Will not buy it at some of Germany will buy in Poland, Greece, Romania and other countries ……

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  45. “IamfromRussia” pleads to have the Chevrolet Tracker on the Russian market — he/she at least already knows the name plate “Tracker” different from the general “Trax”. So he must have heard of the announcement made in 2012 Chevrolet пополнит свою линейку новым компактным кроссовером. The Trax (called Tracker in South America, too) has just started sales in Brasilia, one of GM’s largest markets by the number of units. The announcement was made on October 2. So there seem to be national conditions which delay putting new cars on the market country by country. I expect the Trax/Tracker to appear quite soon in Chevrolet show rooms in Russia.

    Consider this from the 2013-08-13 press release of the Australian GM subsidiary Holden about localising the Trax: “Over the past two years, the [Holden development center] team has undertaken engineering development work on Trax to localise the suspension, tune and calibrate the 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions for markets including Australia, Russia, South Africa and New Zealand.”

    As to Opel Antara or Chevrolet Captiva Sport — which one is the original? I think there is none. GM had followed a politicy of cross-badging all kinds of cars between all brands around the world, but I understand that this has now ended. The successor of the current compact SUV will, so I read the announcements made by GM management, have two clearly distinguished looks, one for the Opel/Vauxhall/Buick line and another for the Chevrolet line.

    “IamfromRussia”s statement that (for him/her) “Buick […] looks a lot more interesting than the dull and boring Opel” makes me giggle. The director design for Opel/Buick resides in Rüsselsheim, in the Opel design lab… Sure, sedans do not play an important part in the compact car segment in Western Europe. That’s why the Astra sedan has been presented at the Moscow motor show 2012, and not in Frankfurt, Paris or Geneva. They might also have let the Shanghai PATAC to develop the sedan body for the Astra instead of doing it themselves at Rüsselsheim, for the same reasons.

    Our friend from Russia is full of emotions. I do just observe and try to figure out what they at GM are doing, and where they seem to be heading.

    This lead me to understand that the decision to abruptly end the introduction of Opel into the Australian market was taken by the new Opel CEO K.T. Neumann, and to believe that behind this decision is his intention to integrate the Australian Holden in the the international lineup of the regional brands Buick, Opel and Vauxhall. I think that we may soon see a Holden Adam and Holden Cascada being announced… Maybe also a Holden Meriva and Holden Zafira. And to introduce the Chevrolet brand in Australia under its own name.

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  46. The Herman wrote “GM should consider rebranding Opel as Buick outside Western Europe, that should have positive effect on sales and brand reputation.”
    What do you mean with outside Western Europe? Russia? Why would such a measure have positive effects? Don’t understand that. I’m sure in Russia German car brands have higher reputation than unknown American ones!?
    BTW in NA and China Opel cars are still sold under the Buick brand! ”
    You are wrong. In Australia, the sale of Opel was lower than that of the Chinese automotive companies, and it’s just a shame! The reason is that no one in Australia knows manufacturer Opel . In Asia, as in Russia believe that the best quality Japanese products . Behind her Korean and so on. But Europe in terms of price / quality of the worst. That is why the EU is in a crisis . Because the economy of the EU is very much behind the economies of Asia and the U.S.. European goods is not quality and expensive . And most often it’s like Siemens phones are just Chinese but with a sticker Acer Siemens , which makes the phone more expensive, but does not make it better.
    Opel ‘s reputation in Russia is very low. And attempts to constantly convince everyone that this is Germany , taking into account that the Russian is not so naive as Europeans and we see that often we just lie that the product is of European origin .
    Well, as with the Opel Antara and Opel Mokka who actually Korean Chevy Captiva Sport and Buick Encore
    For we read not only the European automotive press know that these cars to Europe any relationship do not have. And as for instance latest concept Opel Monza shown in the summer is actually shown in the U.S. in the spring Buick Riviera concept that there was a fully developed . And Europe to this machine does not have any relationship . Similarly, on the same site wrote that the previous generation Astra platform developed in the U.S. , as actually for the next generation Astra / Cruise platform now also being developed in the United States. That’s where this article is written, that the development is in the U.S.
    http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/08/gms-next-gen-d2-platform-to-support-at-least-12-nameplates/А Opel constantly in the European press writes that it is all out. We have a Russian joke that if you believe the marketers of the European Opel is also built the pyramids of Egypt Opel . Understand the many many people in Russia travel to Asia and the U.S. , read the American and Asian press and see that European Opel marketers just lie (pardon the word) about the European roots of many machines sold as Opel . Hard to believe that the Design Centre Buick in the U.S. which employs more people than the GM Design Center Europe (which is why some call the Opel Design Center ) just sit and neither of which do not. Waiting for them when they will do that in Europe. Believe me this is ridiculous and not professional
    Here is an example of deception Opel . He said Opel Mokka our car …. and this is what the leadership of GM
    http://archive.cardesignnews.com/news/2005/050624gmeurope-design/
    Read here is clearly stated that the Australian Holden worked on the design of Mocha, Mocha and the platform is known in Korean from the Chevrolet Sonic / Aveo . I do not deny that the European Opel attracted to the development of the car. But the ” involved ” and ” design ” are two different things.
    And yes by the way is that the European press is not report is that this team has received from the Australian Holden intra prize for the best development of the car for the development of the Buick Encore / Opel Mokka / Chevrolet Tracker ! How can this be? Who to believe ? I believe the American, Asian , Australian press.
    I do not like when I was trying to convince that it’s a real Siemens Siemens when I know very well , and I see that it’s just a sticker with Chinese Acer. Similarly, Opel , Opel is not a motor vehicle is being developed in Korea , the U.S., Australia and Europe together! Not nice when Europeans are constantly being lied to about the origin of both phones and cars ….

    Reply
  47. After giving it some thought I’ve to agree with you on the PSA thing. I even read some article about GM scaling down cooperation with PSA. Opel/Buick should develop own subcompacts in house on the same platform that the next gen Sonic/Aveo will use. There would probably be huge demand for an entry level luxury subcompct sedan or hatchback in Europe and Asia and maybe even in North America.

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  48. @IamfromRussia:

    Now you appear not only to have problems to express yourself in English, but even to understand what you read.

    You link an 8 year old article from “cardesignnews” about the foundation of a design center within the Opel development center in Rüsselsheim, and then write that in that article one can read that the small SUVs Trax and Mokka/Encore had been developed by Holden. What a nonsense.

    Maybe you have read what I wrote of the Holden press release that they have refined the construction of the Korean developed Trax, in the same way as the Opel development center had improved the driving of the Mokka/Encore. But that does not mean in no way that the Holden design center had developed the Trax from ground up.

    Also your fantasy about a “Design Centre Buick in the U.S. which employs more people than the GM Design Center Europe (which is why some call the Opel Design Center)” — the Buick design center is what you call the “Design Center Europe”, which is also called the “Opel Design Center” because the company which operates it is called “Adam Opel AG”.

    It is understandable that you think that the Opel Monza Concept shown at the IAA 2013 in Frankfurt is just a version of the Buick Riviera developed by PATAC in Shanghai, but this is wrong. Just by both concept cars having gull wing doors, the two cars have no relationship with each other.

    I had the chance to talk directly with the chief engineer at Opel advanced development center, and have asked him directly the question, how much of the 2013 Chinese Buick Riviera is in the Opel Monza Concept, and he told that none. And that it had been a big surprise for the other development centers within GM what the SAIC/GM joint venture PATAC had done by them alone.

    Please stop dreaming up so many “facts” which have no basis in reality. You make yourself look like a fool when you write such stuff of which you have not the slightest knowledge.

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  49. OK, saying that the Buick design center is what you call the “Design Center Europe”, which is also called the “Opel Design Center” is, sure, a slight exaggeration. The design director for Opel and Buick resides in Rüsselsheim, in the Opel development center. Which is actually called the ITEZ, short for “Internationales Technisches Entwicklungs-Zentrum” or “International Technical Development Center”, which stresses its role as one important node of the worldwide GM development network, with other centers in Warren, Mi (USA), Incheon (Korea), joint-venture PATAC and GM ATC in Shanghai, Holden in Melbourne (Australia) and São Caetano do Sul (GM do Brasil).

    PATAC also contributes to the Opel/Buick design.

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  50. Observer7 wrote “I expect the Trax / Tracker to appear quite soon in Chevrolet show rooms in Russia.”
    We’re all really looking forward to the appearance of Russian Trax / Tracker.
    The reason is very simple. It costs 1,000 cheaper and this can make it a bestseller.
    Error GM is that not everyone will be a year to wait for the Chevrolet on the market. Two of my friends did not wait and bought a Nissan Juke. Why not buy an Opel Mokka? I have already said that Opel’s image is very low in Russia. In this buyer chooses to buy Nissan. And promise to bring on the Russian market Ford EsoSport. If GM continues to lead stupid policy “not to sell Chevrolet, Opel and sell” and then I would prefer to buy a Ford or Nissan
    Observer7 wrote “As to Opel Antara or Chevrolet Captiva Sport – which one is the original?”
    The original is the one who develops and produces. Chevrolet Captiva Captiva Sport and developed in the Pan-Asian design center. Captiva, Captiva Sport produced for Europe in Korea. Only machine in the world is sold as Captiva Sport for Europe and paste the badge on the car of Opel. Similarly, a Chevrolet / Buick \ Opel car developed in the Pan-Asian branch in Korea and manufactured in Europe. In this original is an Asian car.
    “That’s why the Astra sedan has been presented at the Moscow motor show in 2012, and not in Frankfurt, Paris or Geneva.”
    Because in Russia prefer cars such as the United States is sedans and crossovers … Half of the cars sold with automatic transmission
    In Russia, the success will be those companies that understand what the car needs to sell in Russia. At GM is the wrong policy sales in Russia. How else can you explain that Chevrolet sales fell from 1 place to 5th place?
    As written above GM sales policy “not to sell the Chevrolet and Opel sell” in Russia led to a catastrophic situation. Yes selling like even while not bad. But the basis of these sales Chevrolet Cruze which is already 2 years discount of 10-15%. No discount sales just stopped. In other segments as written above is simply a nightmare.

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  51. Observer7 wrote “Which is also called the” Opel Design Center “because the company which operates it is called” Adam Opel AG ”
    Prefer to call as it is called in reality
    http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/Creating_Concepts:_GME_Design”
    In the video there is the title of Mark Adams and the image of the building so as it is called
    GM Europe (GME) Design Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany
    “Also your fantasy about a” Design Centre Buick in the US ”
    http://blog.caranddriver.com/head-of-cadillac-and-buick-design-moved-to-oversee-gm-europe-design/”

    Englishman Mark Adams after working in GM Europe (GME) Design Center (see the video in the link above) went to the USA for the post of Design Director Cadillac and Buitsk
    If we have a design director for Cadillac and Buick is to say that the design of the center does not exist? Sorry I do not believe …
    “It is understandable that you think that the Opel Monza Concept shown at the IAA 2013 in Frankfurt is just a version of the Buick Riviera developed by PATAC in Shanghai, but this is wrong. Just by both concept cars having gull wing doors, the two cars have no relationship with each other. ”
    And here is close to the GM source says about the “amazing” similarity of concepts
    http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f16/opels-monza-looks-like-buicks-riviera-concept-128730/”
    It is difficult to believe that the art of Opel cars “do not have any in common” by the pictures can be seen that the machines are different except that the front end styling design machines

    About Holden unfortunately could not find the article to insert a link to it here. But remember very well that I had read that Holden received intra prize for the best design. Alas again found he could not prove their case. Cann’t do not believe I will not persuade. After all, we are not at war? We’re just talking….

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  52. Observer7 wrote “OK, saying that the Buick design center is what you call the” Design Center Europe “, which is also called the” Opel Design Center “is, sure, a slight exaggeration”
    It’s not me calling him that his so- called all including GM .

    That article specifically ex post Mark Adams during his work in the United States .
    @ executive director of Global Cadillac and Buick design
    That means that in the U.S. there is a division of GM and Opel confirms that introduces misleading to say the least when assigns all the achievements GM . Again in Russia is already running joke that “the Egyptian pyramids also built Opel”
    The new position according to Mark Adams called Article
    @ GM Europe Vice President of Design
    This is an article from this site. Nor any Opel in the title of his office, I do not watch

    Not added image in the Russian advertising Opel and last in 2013, which was the main phrase ” we shifted production to the moon .” This caused a lot of jokes. The most popular version ” that we now know that the Germans think that Korea is located on the Moon.” Advertise quickly removed, but it shows the clumsiness GM in Russia .
    By the way I talked to the directors of the third dealerships for the fact that the Russian GM submits Asian operations . They were amazement – they say that to us in Russian travel managers exclusively from Europe.
    By the way , they told me about the presentation of Opel Mokka in Russia . All in one voice say that the marketers at the launch of the Opel were simply not adequate and maintained normal for Opel story about everything in the world designed by Opel . The upshot was that the audience began to make noise and these marketers put out of the room. But technicians have been more appropriate and talked about how they took part in the adaptation of machines for the European market and a total fine-tuning the car.
    You see in such stories as Russia in Europe will not pass. These marketers with tales that “the Egyptian pyramids built Opel” cause mistrust and laughter .
    Another such story saw each other was at the Moscow auto show in which a marketer of Opel allegedly presenting new Opel Astra Sedan began to tell the story that is a completely new car which is no where sold . Many of the students were confused and shocked. We in Russia are well aware that the car before the brand Buick 2 years sold in Asia. And everyone knew it . The visual differences from the Asian buick excelle GT almost exclusively in the headlights and grille. In profile, these machines do not even distinguish expert
    http://images.thecarconnection.com/med/2011-buick-excelle-gt_100313938_m.jpg”
    Such events and stories just kill the image of Opel and that just is not so below that Fiat

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  53. Observer7 wrote “The design director for Opel and Buick resides in Rüsselsheim, in the Opel development center.”
    The problem is that these names are used only possible in Germany . Every GM division has its registered name used by GM and the rest of the world .
    For Example. You cite the name of Vauxhall Motors . But this official name now does not exist. Proper official registered name of General Motors UK Limited
    http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=5466521”
    General Motors UK Limited was formerly known as Vauxhall Motors Ltd. and changed its name to General Motors UK Limited in April 2008 .
    According to this when I say GM in Europe I use the correct official name of GM affiliates in Europe. They like to call them Germans or Englishmen I deeply care about I do not live in Germany or England. For this reason, there is a discrepancy in the name of the same branches . I recommend the Europeans to use the official name understandable to people living in other countries because we are using the official name of posts and branches. If on the building written “GM Europe design center” is the way it is called . If the official title of Mark Adams referred to as the head of GM Europe design center is exactly what it should be called

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  54. With regard to the design Buick once again remind you that in the U.S. Mark Adams served as Global Cadillac and Buick design , but now he returned to GM Europe
    http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/06/cadillac-design-boss-mark-adams-returning-to-europe-to-oversee-opel-design/
    It will be Andrew Smith, currently director of Holden Design that will be promoted to Adams’ vacated position of executive director of Global Cadillac and Buick design.
    At the Buick was , is, and will have its own chief designer of Buick . The fact that Opel is trying to attribute all the credit for himself to look ugly in relation to other design centers
    I think that Opel needs cleaning staff and the brains that they finally realized that they were almost 100 years as a subsidiary of GM . Those who do not understand this thinking just hurt Opel .

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  55. Now at least, our “IamfromRussia” (please let us know whereabouts in the Russian Federation you actually live) is approaching one step further to reality; he found the entry in this blog about what I told him before, namely that this Mark Adam is now residing (again) in Rüsselsheim, in the Opel central offices, “where he will assume the position of GM Europe vice president, Design, and champion for Opel/Vauxhall/Buick brand strategies and design language,” which in the official GM press release reads “Mark will be the Champion for Opel/Buick brand strategies and design language. ” This is in the announcement that Tina Müller had been appointed “Chief Marketing Officer and Opel Board Member”. One may recall that the media mentioned that Tina Müller would be responsible for global Buick marketing, too, ‘especially in China’, an assignment which is not mentioned in the official GM/Opel press releases.

    This came in the wake of more and more prononcements by GM CEO Akerson and others, that Buick and Opel should converge more, and that the Opel development center in Rüsselsheim would do more work than before for this, what Akerson called “hybrid global brand”. So here you have the actual global Buick/Opel/Vauxhall common base and outlook, although under (currently) three different brand names. Vauxhall limited to one political entity, the UKoGBaNI, Buick limited to four countries: China, and then the 3 NAFTA countries, the rest being open to Opel, if a business case arises.

    The company name of GM’s main European subsidiariy happens to be “Adam Opel AG”, basically unchanged since 150 years, not even after GM took over the company in 1929. So everything which Opel does is Opel. Of course, the Opel development center is also the GM Europe development center, or GM’s development center in Europe. You should embrace reality and adopt consciously the fact that there is the unity of identity and difference.

    The same applies to Vauxhall (yes, Vauxhall Motors exists, and from renaming the former GENERAL MOTORS UK LIMITED in April 2008; don’t believe my words, search yourself for “Vauxhall Motors” at companieshouse.gov.uk, and you will find company No. 06356274), and the same applies, too for Holden. There are the Holden engineering center and the Holden design center, and they are at the same time the GM engineering resp. design centers in Australia. When reality is too confusing for you, sit back and take a rest, and don’t write so much on the Web.

    On the other hand, there is no automobile company named Buick. Buick is a brand name used by two different companies, Shanghai GM, i.e. the joint-venture of SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Company) with one of their foreign partners, and by General Motors Co, USA.

    So there is no “Buick design center”. There is only a GM engineering center, located in Warren, Michigan, with the corrsponding GM design center (plus the “Advanced design center” in California), plus several IT development centers scattered around the country.

    All of these engineering and design centers act as nodes in the international development and reseach network of General Motors, working in one globally managed schedule.

    And there is of course PATAC, another joint-venture of SAIC with GM. Here GM can’t decide alone, but has to get agreements with their Chinese partner.

    And, dear friend, don’t believe so much in blog entries on the Web, like the one you linked to regarding the superficial similarities of the PATAC developed 2013 Buick Riviera Concept, and the Opel developed Opel Monza Concept. It might well be that those similarites are due to Mark Adams having had a say in both of ther designs, but the two concept cars have been developed independently of each other. I heard that with my own ears spoken as answer to my questions by the chief engineer responsible for Advanced development at Opel.

    You might want to listen to a Web chat via “Google hangout” with Friedhelm Engler, the Director Opel Advanced Design, especially his answer to the last question by somebody from the USA about the commonality of Opel, Vauxhall and Buick:

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  56. Re this “At the Buick was , is, and will have its own chief designer of Buick” in “IamfromRussia”s post of October 25 at 12:18 PM (some US time zone)….

    Check out the source, GM’s original 2013-06-26 press release about changes in the global design management structure. In this, there appear four “champions” per brand (whatever “champion” may signify in terms of management leadership responsability). These four are
    • Andrew Smith, champion for the Cadillac brand
    • Ken Parkinson, champion for the Chevrolet brand
    • Helen Emsley, champion for the GMC brand
    • Mark Adams, “champion for Opel/Buick brand strategies and design language”.

    These four cover the four central brands of GM, where only Cacillac and Chevrolet are really global brands (Chevrolet currently not in Australia), GMC is limited to the three NAFTA countries plus the Arab East (Mashraq), while Opel, Vauxhall and Buick form a “hybrid global grand” (GM CEO Dan Akerson) with the three brands appearing in distinct regional markets, with only China experiencing a certain overlap between Opel and Buick.

    So there you have your “own chief designer of Buick” which is the same Mark Adams as “champion for Opel/Buick brand strategies and design language”, residing at Rüsselsheim, where the Adam Opel AG headquarters happen to be located…

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  57. In his October 26, 12:00 pm contribution, “IamfromRussia” wrote: If on the building written “GM Europe design center” is the way it is called .

    Ok. then have a look at this photo of the building of the international technical development center in Rüsselsheim. This photo by the dpa press agency is being reproduced by many newspapers and other media, as you may find out by a web search for “Opel Internationales Technisches Entwicklungszentrum”, as it is called in its native German language.

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  58. Thanks to “IamfromRussia” for bringing the site “gmheritagecenter.com” to my attention. Unfortunately, it has not been updated for many years, and I fear that the domain will be deregistered next year and the data will disappear. However… I found an interesting article 1975, Chevrolet Turns to Opel for the New Fuel-Saving Chevette, which shows how automobile construction and design happened in the 1970ies, in this case the “T-Car”.

    “Plans were made to produce the vehicle in several locations all over the world with adaptations to meet local market conditions. The first production T-car was a Chevrolet Chevette 2-door sedan manufactured in Brazil during April of 1973. In August, 1973, Opel began production of their version, called the Opel Kadett. “, which was the 3rd generation of the Opel Kadett, or Kadett C (the name changed later to “Astra”, adopted from Vauxhall).

    The funny part is how it went around the world and was produced and sold under the most diverse names, as Opel K-180, GMC Chevette, GMC 500 in Argentina, as Saehan Gemini/Bird, Daewoo Maepsy, Saehan/Daewoo Max in South Korea, as Isuzu Gemini in Japan, and as Chevrolet Chevette, Pontiac T1000/1000, Opel by Isuzu, Buick Opel, Isuzu I-Mark in the USA.

    After eliminating the stand-alone car one-brand divisions in 1984 in North America, and the reduction of the North American brands to just four after the bankruptcy in 2009, things seem to go differently. No more happy brand-hopping. GM appears to streamline around three global brands (outside of China).

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  59. “please let us know whereabouts in the Russian Federation you actually live”
    Moscow region
    “Mark Adam is now residing (again) in Rüsselsheim, in the Opel central offices”
    No. I gave links to video GM Design Center in Germany – is clearly seen in the video the name of this building there is clearly written GM Europe Design …. Nor any Opel
    And in the video is visible position Englishman Mark Adams – it is called the rough design director for GM Europe . Again nor any of Opel.
    The fact that Mark Adams working at GM Europe Design will design the machine under the Opel and Vauxhall brands, it’s obvious .
    “The company name of GM’s main European subsidiariy happens to be” Adam Opel AG “”
    European subsidiary has its registered name of GM Europe which governs Adam Opel AG and Chevrolet Europe
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Europe”
    “yes, Vauxhall Motors exists”
    Possible to settle the old contracts
    Currently, the official new name I gave you -GENERAL MOTORS UK LIMITED.
    As Europeans like to call the company – we do not care. As Europeans like to call the company – we do not care. So Europeans can fantasize about these issues endlessly. I gave you a link to the new company name exactly as it is called , and all who do not live in Europe. And we are not Europeans 6000000000 . Dance to the tune of 70 million Germans, or who will not
    So there is no “Buick design center”.
    And for what you need a separate design center? This is pointless . Now machines do the same platform , engine at GM designe and produces a separate company GM Povertrayn including in Europe. On that create separate design centers on one single brand is not professional in 2013
    http://www.holden.com.au/corporate/inside-holden”
    Australian subsidiary called GM Holden Ltd. , and not just Holden. Unlike the Germans call themselves part of GM . This is only the German marketing begins hysterical at the mention of GM .
    Let us once again recall that we are talking about Russia . Opel in Europe since 1999, is not profitable . And the most sold in Russia under the brand Opel cars in general are not Opel . For example Astra Sedan we have for 2 years before seen are sold under the Buick brand . Antara the rest of the world is known as Chevy Captiva Sport – for Europe and collected in Korea. Mokka was earlier presented to the world as the Buick Encore – for Europe , too, is going from Korea .
    It was very hard to convince us – Opel is a cool brand , and that there are developing . Those cars that are popular in Russia under the brand Opel are not even Opel .
    We warps that loss-making 14 years in Europe Opel sends us to the leaders who have themselves in Europe can not put everything in order . The bulk of cars sold at Korean descent .
    For this is a big mistake to send the Europeans here that does not understand is how to do business in Russia . In Russia need an expert with experience in China. This is the best option …. Germans only know how to spoil a good thing

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  60. “• Mark Adams,” champion for Opel / Buick brand strategies and design language “.”
    One is not accurate. They themselves thought of the hybrid semi luxury brand Vauxhall / Buick / Opel. The decision to combine all these made ​​this year alone. Early in the year, Mark Adams was the chief designer Сadillaс and Buick. It is in this position, too, someone replaced. My thought on this is true – have been, are and will be the Buick designers

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  61. My dear IamfromRussia – first, thanks for letting us know where to locate you on the map, at least roughly.

    Then I have to repeat that I voice no opinions about GM or any part of it being good or bad, or their decisions being good or bad, and if I have emotions, these are aroused by wrong informations, and that is the main reason why I got interested in GM and Opel, because in the German media they peddle lots of nonsense about the company, e.g. that Opel is supposedly not allowed to sell cars in Russia. Well, you and I do know it better…

    I had finally spotted the image of this part of the wall of some Opel building in Rüsselsheim with the writing “GM Design Center Europe” or “GM Europe Design Center” or similar text. OK. AS I said, the company which operates this design center is called Adam Opel AG, and the people find the name “Opel” on their bank statement when their monthly salary is credited to their account. Their employment is with Adam Opel AG, not with a “GM Design Center”. Search the web for “international techincal development center” and “Rüsselsheim”, and you will find a lot of Hyundai, but only a handful of “General Motors”.

    As I said, the company’s name is Opel since its foundation 150 years ago, and GM did not change the name, not in 1929 when GM acquired the company, not when the Nazis took over the management (not the ownership), not after the war, not when they went bankrupt. Again, it is not up to me to have an opinion if this was and is good or bad, I just state it as a fact.

    There were companies named “General Motors” in Germany, but these companies are all extinguished from the companies register (one is the former “Frigidaire GmbH” – who remembers the GM fridges?).

    The Opel history is different from the Holden history. The website from where you took this video says about Holden in 1931: “GM Australia Pty., Ltd. merged with Holden’s Motor Body Builders Ltd., to form Holden’s Ltd., laying the foundation for design and assembly targeted directly to the Australian market.”

    Opel was, I read, the largest automobile maker of Germany or even all of Europe when GM acquired the ownership of that company from the heirs of the founder. There was no GM manufacturing presence with which the new GM subsidiary could have been merged. The masters of the universe in Detroit decided to keep the name. Fact, not opinion.

    You will, and you are correct, insist that Opel is a 100% subsidiary of GM (to the difference of GM Korea, where GM holds only 77%), but the company does not have a “GM” or “General Motors” in its name. That is a fact. Any one has to cope with facts, not whishes.

    As to Vauxhall, check out the Discussion page of the Vauxhall Motors article in the English language Wikipedia; someone has researched the who owns whom in the GM/Vauxhall/Opel hodge-podge, and you will find that it is very difficult to find one’s way in this labyrinth of juridical relations. It is not as simply as the press releases suggest.

    While there is a company Chevrolet Europe GmbH (in Switzerland, owned as the Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH in Rüsselsheim, 100% by GM Korea, i.e. not 100% owned by General Motors), I could not find a General Motors Europe in Switzerland, only a General Motors Switzerland with a company description of the marketing of all GM brands in Switzerland and of overseeing the GM operations all over Europe.

    While at the end of the 1990ies, GM tried to put Opel under the GME command, what had caused a big crisis in Opel, today the situation is reversed: the President of GM Europe is Karl-Theodor Neumann, CEO of Opel and member of the GM Executive Committee.

    The video mentioning the GM Europe Design lab at Opel Rüsselsheim is from 2007, and Mark Adam’s job was described as leading the design of Opel, Vauxhall, Saab and Saturn brands.

    The latter two are no long (or no long part of GM) Today, as in the past years already, Opel is designing for Buick, and this relationship got formalised this year. Mark Adams was transferred back to Rüsselsheim as “champion for Opel/Buick brand strategies and design language”.

    And I agree with your observation that there must be an inaccuracy in the GM press release. I see the inaccuracy in “Andrew Smith, currently design director, Holden Design, will be promoted to executive director, Global Cadillac and Buick Design, replacing Mark Adams.” So that is the vacancy which Adam going back to Europe and Opel left behind. But then comes the positive description of Smith’s job: “Smith will be the champion for the Cadillac brand and will lead the Global Color and Trim team. He will be based in Warren, Mich.” No mention of Buick. The responsability for Bujick design lies with the design center in Rüsselsheim under the leadership of Mark Adams, responsable for the common design language and brand strategies of Buick, Opel and Vauxhall. A department of the company “Adam Opel AG”, and a node in the worldwide network of General Motors design centers. Both.

    And sure, you are right by stating ” My thought on this is true – have been, are and will be the Buick designers” — and who are they? The Opel designers are the Buick designers. And let us not forget PATAC (my guess is that they designed the Astra sedan, because the sedan is demanded more in China, while in Western Europe the hatchback dominates).

    Again, it is not up to me to have an opinion if this is good or bad, I just register the fact.

    I’ll stop here and now. It is late, and I want to go to bed.

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  62. “first, thanks for letting us know where to locate you on the map, at least roughly”
    Russia is very much in contrast to Europe . Thus, we are more similar to the United States. As we were driving from state to state 1,500 km . In Europe, the whole country will be less. This is the first prichinp why appoint another director in Russia is a big mistake . Living in a small European countries never will understand that it is necessary to the buyer in the United States and Russia .
    The second. This negative attitude towards people from that branch of GM since 1999, is not profitable . For what in Russia is not able to send ignoramuses to make a profit on their own. Oh I wrote we understand the Germans from Opel wants to pump money out of Russia because on another without Russian they are not able to make a profit. But you do not care because I remind . In Russia, the Opel brand image is very low . Opel have the means to be a cause for ridicule owners of other brands.
    That suggests that the Chevrolet and Buick in Asia more interesting to Russian buyers . And the American Chevrolet is considered very prestigious. Have the Chevrolet Tahoe as well as the prestigious BMW.
    The third. A few days talked to three managers dealerships Chevrolet / Opel . Summary. Chevrolet sold several times better than an Opel . But over the last 2 years the policy has changed , and all GM does not like it . When artificially castrated sold Chevrolet and say let’s sell Opel better then the reaction is reversed. Our businessmen say that it is better to stop being a dealer for Chevrolet / Opel than working on these rules. In Russia needed a cheaper Chevrolet . As an example of the Chevrolet Aveo – the safest cars in Europe and the United States in 2011 . Best selling car in the past GM in Russia . And what happens in Russia . Did an analysis of the best selling cars. After that, the Aveo and the Aveo did castrate stopped buying . Asian branch is completely unnecessary. But the dealer when you do not like the Aveo will be offered immediately Opel Corsa . But only an idiot would buy Corsa . Why ? Let out a long time ago . Corsa 1.2 liter worth $ 18,000 . Aveo 1.6 -liter is 15,000. But Aveo put European ” beard ” on the bumper it is simply not possible to park . On that buyers do not buy the old Corso Fiat platform which over 10 years and do not buy the newest advanced Aveo .
    Fourth. Interviewing managers dealerships I found out that all of the current leadership of GM in Russia come from Opel . All were very surprised when told that the Russian branch of the Asian branch of the subject . How to say working people so they do not when you do not see any Korean. Solid Germans from Opel . By this can extol Opel indefinitely. But the Germans in 1999 with Opel can not bring profit and no one can believe that in Russia . Business is not going to tolerate for long dull GM sales policy which is carried out in Russia come from Opel working in Russia . If things do not change all the heads dealerships said they have created a multi-brand points to the example of Peugeot and Citroen. And if the policy of extermination Chevrolet sales continue then they just rolled their business with GM .
    It is a pity that you do not want to listen. Tenacity with which Opel is trying to pose as an independent company cause only laughter . Attempts to sell the Korean car with a sticker Opel while blatantly lie that Opel built all starting with ” Pyramids ” causes mistrust . Which lie quietly published in the European automotive press often at odds with the fact that they write the rest. This, too, is laughable . Especially when my friends and I were at the Beijing auto show my friend joked . See Buick which is already being sold in China. I am sure that next year will begin selling in Russia as Opel will lie with this new model , and they came up with it . My friend made ​​a mistake in one. This car began selling in Russia in 2 years. But at the launch of the Opel when the marketer said that a brand new car , many in the audience began to laugh . Too often Opel impression of which need to be put on the head of a clown hat
    What you wrote about the company’s name is just an excuse. Again when I was in Korea, I heard how they say that the local branch is part of GM . When I hear the nonsense about the ” independent ” Opel can only sympathize with us and say “you are bankrupt because they do not have a business professional ” ….. ” and these companies have no place in Russia because we respect the serious business. Well, like Korean. respected businessman who can not at home to make a profit for 14 years in Russia or who will not ” Therefore, in Russia we will live without Opel . Opel will not survive without Russia …

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  63. IamfromRussia wants “a cheaper Chevrolet “.

    I am quite sure that under the new, unified management of the GM business in the Russian Federation, you will get more and cheaper Chevrolet, and more and more up-scale Opel. And Cadillac. All three brands addressing different customers, different attitudes and different expectations and desires.

    As to your preference of “Asian Buick” to “European Opel” — well, there is only a Chinese Buick, not an all-Asian one(*). The Buick brand is strictly limited to China on the one hand, and North America (i.e. the 3 NAFTA countries) on the other. It is Vauxhall in the UKoGBaNI, and Opel everywhere else. So when you want to get a Buick in Moscow, you get that car, but with an Opel badge on it. And kyrillic script inside instead of Chinese.

    Of course, not every model available in one of the three (or four) brands is available the other three marketing areas (one has to make a distinction between Buick China and Buick NAFTA). So, Buick China’s best selling car is the original Excelle (“Kai Yue” in Chinese), actually a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira, available as neither as Buick NAFTA or Opel or Vauxhall, then Buick China also has the Park Avenue (a rebadged Holden Caprice), and the GL8 MPV. Both Buick China and Buick NAFTA have the LaCrosse and Enclave, which are not available as Opel or Vauxhall. Opel and Vauxhall have a whole range of cars which are available neither as Buick China nor as Buick NAFTA (Adam, Corsa, Meriva, Zafira, station wagons, and the commercial vehicles).

    —————
    Note (*): Actually there is one Buick model which is available outside of China and outside the NAFTA-area, and that is the Buick LaCrosse (which has no Opel twin), which is available from GM Korea exclusively for the South Korean market under the Alpheon brand.

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  64. Observer7 Wrote “I am quite sure that under the new, unified management of the GM business in the Russian Federation, you will get more and cheaper Chevrolet, and more and more up-scale Opel. And Cadillac. All three brands addressing different customers, different attitudes and different expectations and desires. ”
    This is a dream ! Right at this time sent from Germany clowns in leadership positions continue to kink and laugh competitors. Fresh load of nonsense that is not a little amused Russian
    http://www.zr.ru/content/news/591674-chevrolet-cruze-poluchit-novyj-motor/
    Summarized in the article … the market finally goes Cruz 1.4 turbo, but it is only available with automatic transmission (! ! ), while Opel Astra 1.4 Turbo is sold as a manual transmission or automatic transmission
    Castration Chevrolet continues … and, moreover, now
    I repeat ! Naive German marketers sent to the Russian people think that by going to the dealer and not finding it on the Chevrolet turbo power transmission buyers will buy Opel . But in the real world, 9 out of 10 buyers do not go buy Opel , but whatever … For example, Hyundai and Kia , but not Opel .
    By this idiotic policy sales proceeds. GM policy in Russia not to sell 10 cars Chevrolet, but try to sell one car Opel ! In this press writes that 1 Chevrolet sold a profit $ 600 , and 1 sold Opel brings a loss of $ 300 !
    By the way here’s another article from the Russian press
    http://www.zr.ru/content/news/565578-gm_planirujet_ujti_iz_juzhnoj_korei/
    Briefly . GM is going to go from South Korea, which now produces 20 % of all cars Chevrolet .
    All are shifting production to Asia. GM going to withdraw . Hard to imagine a more stupid !
    I wonder if the German Bosch suddenly announced it would close plants in Asia and will transfer production to Germany, where the pay is 10 times more than in Asia. What will happen to the shares ? Would not a week later the director of the defendants on the bench ? I am sure that will be !
    But GM continues to make a fool of the full program ….
    U.S. lawmakers on the spot I would have the court would have given anything for the use of GM executives of state aid for anything but just not for profit and business development. I think soon we will see another shameful show … GM ditched profitable branches in order to maintain pants Opel goes bankrupt again and run to ask for help . We are waiting for the next show called – “the crisis in the realm of Fools”
    Apologies for the emotional

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  65. The whole GM business in the Russian Federation is handed over to GM Europe only by January 1st, 2014. And the new manager, the former head of Opel Eastern Europe and Central Asia took his position only 10 days ago.

    So when the Cruze for Russia will get the 1.362 ccm engine with 140 PS, then this is certainly not a decision of the last 10 days. They are not that fast at GM… This engine is available in the Cruze in Germany with a 6-speed manual transmission.

    If you complain that in Russia, they will sell that only with automatic transmission, your demands are much less US-American-like as you claimed before. US people prefer automatic, and you prefer manual…. There were US-Americans managing the Chevrolet sales in Russia, until now.

    According to what you wrote today, the Opel marketing understood better the demands of the Russian market than the Chevrolet people, by offering manual transmissions, and not only automatic ones. Right?

    As to the story of GM leaving Korea … I can’t read this Russian language article which you linked to. The story was discussed on this forum some time ago, and the rumor had died down in the mean time. It might be that this was deliberately put in the world just as a ploy to put pressure on the Korean partners of GM (GM Korea is not wholly owned by GM, and the Korean Development Bank seems to have a veto right on management decisions).

    Correct is that next year, the Mokka will be also produced in the Spanish factory of GM/Opel, where the Meriva and most of the Corsa are produced, mainly because the demand for this small SUV, both in its Opel/Vauxhall versions as well as Buick Encore, is much higher than anticipated, and the Korean factory seems to be at the limits of its capacity. BTW, Corsa will be assembled soon also in Belarus (from CKD kits).

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  66. I forgot to paste this list of power trains which are available with the Cruze in Germany:

    • 1.4 MT5 S/S,
    • 1.4T AT6,
    • 1.4T MT6 S/S,
    • 1.7TD MT6 S/S,
    • 1.7TD ECO MT6 S/S,
    • 2.0TD MT6 S/S,
    • 2.0TD AT6

    S/S = Start/Stop
    MT, AT = Manual, Automatic Transmission

    I think the rest is self-explanatory

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