Not this again... :(

[Commodore GS/E]

I bet you've read that, too. I have no idea if it's true, but I'm also not sure if it would be good or bad for Opel. BAIC has already stated that they are very interested.

The rumormill is churning at full steam over whispers that General Motors is once again considering selling Opel. According to Reuters, two German magazines have reported similar tales without citing any sources, saying that GM is concerned that Opel won't be able to return to profitability anytime soon. The General hasn't commented on the situation publicly, but called the talk speculation in a letter to its employees. That comes after Dan Akerson, CEO of GM, said that Opel is continuing to bleed cash despite selling more vehicles than before.

The murky reports of Opel's sale claim that the automaker could go to a number of potential buyers. Those include the usual suspects like any one of a multitude of unnamed Chinese automakers or more curiously, Volkswagen. The logic behind a VW purchase of Opel is based on the fact that the people's automaker has fat stacks of cash on hand and an unwavering thirst to be the world's largest automaker. Reuters reports that Volkswagen refused to comment on the situation.

Source: Autoblog.

The thing that makes me scratch my head is that Opel is actually making huge progress in sales terms right now. Their sales improved greatly in Q1 (+40% at the moment), and there are many more reasons why it would make no sense for GM to sell Opel right now.

Tell me what you think and know that I'm NOT happy at the moment .

[thebrochureman]

I don't get it ether.

[Ferrer]

GM is not selling Opel. There's far too much industrial integration for a separate Opel to survive. It would also make pretty much no sense to any major car manufacturer, except maybe to some chinese ones. But then we are back to the integration with GM issue.

At most they'll be shutting it down if they are fed up with it.

[Commodore GS/E]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

GM is not selling Opel. There's far too much industrial integration for a separate Opel to survive. It would also make pretty much no sense to any major car manufacturer, except maybe to some chinese ones. But then we are back to the integration with GM issue.

At most they'll be shutting it down if they are fed up with it.

GM has not yet demented the rumors, and that's what makes me nervous.
They seem to have no idea what sort of damage these rumours could do to Opel.

[Ferrer]

But the thing is, if GM takes away everything that's theirs, what's left of Opel, other than a name and a badge?

It makes little sense to sell Opel, at least in its current state.

[Matra et Alpine]

How much of GM "platform" for premium medium/small cars going forward are Opel and how much GM ?

I'd worry that a GM without Opel will lose out in sales in the largest car segment.
Calling cheap eastern cars Chevrolet doesn't fool us

[Ferrer]

The question is what owns Opel? Because developping and owning isn't the same.

The Agila is a Suzuki (isn't it?), the Corsa a Fiat, the Astra shares the platform with Cruze and the Insignia is full GM too. The diesels are from FPT and the petrols from GM.

So, there's litttle independent Opel to be had...

[Badsight]

Opel based holdens are the Lemons of the brand

[ScionDriver]

I thought Opel was just re-branded GM cars like the Cruze and Saturns, etc. I guess I don't know or much care because Opel hasn't been in the US market in my lifetime so i know little of their brand. Sounds like it's a bit like Saab. If Opel bit the dust, what would you miss?

[Matra et Alpine]

"GM" platform - Delta is Opel Germany design I thought ?
This is what the Astra is on.

[Ferrer]

But is it owned by Opel or by GM?

And if GM sold Opel, would they want to give away their technology?

[Matra et Alpine]

I was more thinking of the people Ferrer.
If the design teams are Opel then a Delta III improvement will be easy.
If all GM have is the Delta II designs and little of the knowledge, skills and experience to develop a decent chassis then it's bad

[Ferrer]

But GM owning the design, don't this would mean they'd have to start from scratch with all the costs this would represent?

[crisis]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Calling cheap eastern cars Chevrolet doesn't fool us

I rekon it would fool plenty though. The Cruze was Korean and is now supposed to be Australian again. It is built in one of Adelaide suburbs. But the real truth that was leaked and kinda brushed aside is that only about 25% of the cars components are built here and the final assembly. Petrol heads like us may know and care but the masses probably wouldn’t. I guess the reality is that no mainstream manufacturers build all of their components anyway. It’s a percentage game.

[Commodore GS/E]

Originally Posted by ScionDriver

I thought Opel was just re-branded GM cars like the Cruze and Saturns, etc. I guess I don't know or much care because Opel hasn't been in the US market in my lifetime so i know little of their brand. Sounds like it's a bit like Saab. If Opel bit the dust, what would you miss?

It's the other way round . Opel engineers a lot of GM's platforms; the Cruze and the Saturns were just rebadged Opels. Right now, GM is busy to sell rebadged Opels as Buicks.
Opel is very important for GM, and it's loss would be fatal for GM, not just on the Euro market.
By the way, Chevrolet (Daewoo) isn't recognized as a "quality" brand here. It just doesn't sell.