GM may bring back Opel for a niche drive

NEW DELHI: General Motors India is considering bringing back its Opel brand in the niche segment, months after it slammed brakes on local manufacturing of products of the marque early this year. The thinking comes in the wake of a possible revival of fortunes of German technology here with the entry of players like BMW and Volkswagen.

“There is a possibility of re-introducing the Opel badge in the niche segment,” a source said.

GM, which had shifted its focus to the Chevrolet brand after the global acquisition of erstwhile Daewoo, has found the latter’s technology not only cost-efficient but much more suitable to the Indian market.

“If and when the company brings back any Opel badge, it would definitely be not in the lower end of the market,” the source added.

Earlier this year, General Motors India had announced stopping of local production of the mid-sized sedan Corsa, the last of the Opel badge to be produced in India.

However, General Motors India president and managing director Rajeev Chaba said the company has no plans to bring the Opel brand back in India right now, despite an ambitious target of selling two lakh vehicles annually by 2010.

“We are looking at the total sales coming from the Chevrolet brand only,” Chaba said.