Though Chevrolet's recent withdrawal from the European market made a huge dent in General Motors's plans to turn Chevrolet into a global brand, the exit also ends the overlap issues of Opel and Vauxhall with the bow-tied marque.
With the exception of automotive icons such as the Corvette, Chevrolet will exit Europe by the end of 2016 at the latest due to a "challenging business model" and the current economic conditions in the global superstate, according to a statement by GM. Instead, GM's plan is to bring Cadillac across the Atlantic — bolstered by a stronger Opel and Vauxhall — while Chevy moves on to focus on markets with more growth potential. GM also stated they will continue to provide warranty coverage, parts and service for those who bought Chevrolet products.
Though the Chevrolet lineup in Europe — most of which came from a collaboration between Opel and GM Korea — was meant to help move Opel into the premium market while Chevy took over, the end result ultimately exacerbated the overlap issues GM brought upon their European divisions with the Bow Tie. Opel and Vauxhall outsell Chevrolet 6-to-1 in the European market, as Chevrolet was left in an awkward position of not being cheap enough to compete with Dacia, lacking the cachet or brand strength of Skoda and offering similar products to Opel and Vauxhaul, but without the prestige or enough of a pricing differential.
from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment