Opel is not allowed to sell cars in the US and China

[Bram Hengeveld]

Earlier this week president Obama stated that the new owned Opel didnt had any restrictions in selling cars in the US.

Today it seems that the thruth is slightly different. Magny boss Stonach said that they are not allowed to sell cars in the US and China.

Nice competition

 

[Kevin Ascher]

And.. why?

 

[Trebor901]

i shouldnt think they sold many cars in US anyway cos Americans have Chevrolet Astra's, Vectra's etc.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Isnt Saturn the american counterpart of Opel? Not sure if they are part of the deal with the sale to Magna

 

[Trebor901]

Isnt Saturn the american counterpart of Opel? Not sure if they are part of the deal with the sale to Magna

dont think so, Saturn's just a part of GM isnt it?

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

Saturn's going down the drain as well, I think GM's shutting the division down.

 

[kalniel]

And.. why?

It's because they don't want Ford to have any serious competitors Opel were Ford's biggest competitors in Europe and now that Ford have starting bringing the European models to the US Opel would have been the best placed to give them some competition.

That and America is the land of free competition and wouldn't ever dream of restricting trade

 

[Trebor901]

It's because they don't want Ford to have any serious competitors Opel were Ford's biggest competitors in Europe and now that Ford have starting bringing the European models to the US Opel would have been the best placed to give them some competition.

That and America is the land of free competition and wouldn't ever dream of restricting trade

shouldnt think it would give Ford that much competition because Fords latest cars here in Europe are really bad for reliability. My dad has got a 2007 Focus and he bought it brand new and before that we had a 2003 Focus with no problems at all, then this one has been in the garage more times than any other car my dad has owned. And even then Ford dont fix it.

 

[kalniel]

That's interesting - a few recalls aside they've got a pretty good rep I thought. Certainly the Focus is still Britain's biggest selling car (followed by Vx Corsa).

 

[Kyle Evers]

There's hardly any Opels in the US anyway.

 

[Sean Vohs]

Saturn is an American badged Opel/Vauxhaul. They're shutting Saturn down this year.

 

[William Yunck]

There's hardly any Opels in the US anyway.

Well thats because they aren't sold here. It is a GM owned counterpart being sold in Europe and like Bram said we have some of the same models by the Saturn name here in the US. Although it seems the Opels are getting new model years before the Saturns since the 2008 Saturn Astra is based almost exactly on the 2006 Opel Astra.
Rhys is right though - Saturn is getting cut, so I don't understand why we couldn't get Opels here, unless GM is planning on using the Opel designs for the basis of future Chevrolets.