Magna wants to build Opels in Canada

[MasterXan]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/we-want-to-build-opel-cars-in-canada/article1161087/

exerpts:

Greg Keenan, Eric Reguly, Bertrand Marotte

TORONTO, ROME and MONTREAL — From Saturday's Globe and Mail, Sunday, May. 31, 2009 09:11PM EDT

.Canada will have a national auto maker now that Magna International Inc. has won the bidding to take over Adam Opel AG.

“We want to build Opel cars in Canada,” Magna chairman Frank Stronach said late Friday from Vienna as he awaited confirmation that the Canadian auto-parts giant had indeed won the backing of the German government for a deal that would give it and its partners a controlling stake.

“Canada should have its own Canadian company … a truly Canadian automobile industry,” he said, although he did not indicate where in Canada the cars would be built.


Mr. Stronach said auto makers can be competitive if management and employees work together and end what he called the confrontational and adversarial structure that has dominated the industry.

“I know we can be competitive, I know we can create jobs in Canada and the United States. If we don’t change the culture, North America’s got no chance to be in the automobile industry, absolutely no chance.”


There are a couple of people on this board who think GM and Chrysler are all we got. Either they are union shills or they just love to burn money.

This situation is proof that failure is a good thing because it allows others who are more competent to take over.

[Engi-Nir]

It is still 35% owned by GM, and both sides have full access to its engineering resources/technology. The new buick regal will be a opel insignia. So he must be building the Astra, or some small car. But I am all for it :)

[macalin]

If we can get cars like these: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/vauxhall-insignia-vxr-sports-tourer-1/2024310/

Then I'm all for it!

[Engi-Nir]

If we can get cars like these: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/vauxhall-insignia-vxr-sports-tourer-1/2024310/

Then I'm all for it!
I doubt they will make that, cause Buick Regal will use the Insignia, and that is a Insignia Hatchback

[Spray]

WTB.

http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/cars/opel/opel_5.jpg

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

The Buick Regal is only for the Chinese market. The North American version is the Lacrosse which is quite different. Different enough that they actually sell it in China as well alongside the Regal.

http://www.buick.com.cn/

[camber]

I'm all for a Canadian car company.

If the japanese & Germans can build cars in their homelands and make a profit selling them in North America, then there is no reason that Canada can't do the same. Canada consistently makes some of the best put together cars in the world and we have top class part suppliers. It's about time we have a Canadian lead car company.

[Engi-Nir]

The Buick Regal is only for the Chinese market. The North American version is the Lacrosse which is quite different. Different enough that they actually sell it in China as well alongside the Regal.

http://www.buick.com.cn/

I am sort of sure, the buick regal is destined here also per GMI.

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

I haven't really been reading GMI since they've all devolved into "SECRET MUSLIM SOCIALIST BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA KILLED MY FIREBIRD" mode after Pontiac was canned. It seems unlikely to me but who knows. The regular Insignia is a 4 cylinder car, only the OPC version has the twin turbo V6. The Chinese Buick Regal is only available with the 4 cylinder engine. I think it would be too slow and gutless for North America.

[SkiD]

The Chinese Buick Regal is only available with the 4 cylinder engine. I think it would be too slow and gutless for North America.

So I guess all the 4 cylinder Toyota Camry & Honda Accords are gutless also and don't sell in numbers to be profitable for their companies?

[Piro21]

Spray, the Saturn Sky is the same car as the one you posted. You can buy it already.

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

So I guess all the 4 cylinder Toyota Camry & Honda Accords are gutless also and don't sell in numbers to be profitable for their companies?

They already sell a 4 cylinder Epsilon II Malibu here. Buick is suppose to compete with Lexus and Audi. Audi can get away with the 2.0T in the A6 because the 2.0T is pretty powerful but even then that's stretching it a bit. Most cars in this class use at least V6 engines.

Spray, the Saturn Sky is the same car as the one you posted. You can buy it already.

That's not a Sky, it's an Opel Speedster/ Vauxhall VX220, it's mid-engined and based on the Lotus Elise.

[arm2000]

If we can get cars like these: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/vauxhall-insignia-vxr-sports-tourer-1/2024310/

Then I'm all for it!

Seems to me like a slightly re-styled Magnum. What's so exciting about it?

[look30]

Seems to me like a slightly re-styled Magnum. What's so exciting about it?

U GOT TO BE KIDDING !!! It's like saying , yeah Ferraris are just re-styled Camaro's...

[mangoman]

I don't like overly large cars but if I needed one to cart around a large family, I'd go for this Vauxhall which looks more like an Audi than a Magnum. The Vauxhall looks way more upscale (can't comment on the engine itself).

Seems to me like a slightly re-styled Magnum. What's so exciting about it?

[William W]

Since GM still owns Opel, and I'm sure like others have said, any new Opel will continue to share parts, engineering, design with other GM products. Therefore, does it really make sense to bring any Opel product on to this side of the Atlantic.

One can argues that Opel products can fill the void that will be left by Saturn (if no one come and pick up the name plate). OTOH, will the US government run GM allow Frank Stonarch to bring the Opel to Canada and the US, I'm sure someone will question that move as it will be like killing one brand and introducing a completely new brand in the same market?

Therefore, I'm not holding my breath for Opel to be coming in to the North American market any time soon. But we have seen Frank Stonarch done other crazier things like trying to consolidate the horse racing industry by buying up any race tracks that comes up for sale. So who knows what he will do.

[arm2000]

U GOT TO BE KIDDING !!! It's like saying , yeah Ferraris are just re-styled Camaro's...

They are for the most part but your mileage is surely very different than mine.

[mr_raider]

WTB.

http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/cars/opel/opel_5.jpg

Is it just me or does the Opel brand logo look like it belongs on the chest of some Saturday morning cartoon character?

[mangoman]

Looks like there's a clause preventing Opel cars coming to the US for the near future (not sure if that applies to Canada but I'm guessing without the US market base, it wouldn't be worth it to bring the GM-related products here).


UPDATE 1-Magna says can't sell Opel cars in U.S., China


* GM protects US market from Opel, protects China for now

* Magna says little appetite for buying Saturn and Saab

* Sees Opel breaking even in three years, profit in four (Adds remarks on China, Saturn and Saab)

OTTAWA, June 2 (Reuters) - Magna International Inc (MGa.TO) is prevented by an agreement with General Motors Corp (GMGMQ.PK) from selling Opel cars in the United States and also, for now, in China, Magna Chairman Frank Stronach said on Tuesday.

"The agreement with General Motors does prevent us from selling Opel in the United States," Stronach told reporters. A Magna-led consortium has agreed to buy European automaker Opel from GM.

Asked if the agreement applies to China too, he said, "Yes, for the moment, but keep in mind that General Motors -- we've been working together for 50 years, we've been great partners, and they still own 35 percent (of Opel)."

He suggested the prohibition on Opel sales in China might be malleable. "If it makes economic sense you might persuade people to change something."

The Obama administration said on Monday that it had not imposed any such commercial restrictions on Opel, and that any limits would be business decisions by GM.

Stronach said he expects Opel to break even in three years, and to turn a profit in four.

Now that Magna has agreed to take on Opel, Stronach displayed little appetite for buying Saturn and Saab from GM, which is trying to unload those brands.

"We have to digest Opel now, and we have got a mouthful, so we'll see how quickly that will take place," he said. (Reporting by Randall Palmer and Louise Egan, writing by John McCrank; editing by Peter Galloway)

[QUOTE=William W;8835093

One can argues that Opel products can fill the void that will be left by Saturn (if no one come and pick up the name plate). OTOH, will the US government run GM allow Frank Stonarch to bring the Opel to Canada and the US, I'm sure someone will question that move as it will be like killing one brand and introducing a completely new brand in the same market?

Therefore, I'm not holding my breath for Opel to be coming in to the North American market any time soon. But we have seen Frank Stonarch done other crazier things like trying to consolidate the horse racing industry by buying up any race tracks that comes up for sale. So who knows what he will do.[/QUOTE]