GM talking to Zastava Automobili about building Opels in Serbia

[CaMIRO]

This deal has been talked about for two years, and it looks like it may finally see fruition. Demand for Chevrolets and Opels in Eastern Europe is growing by leaps and bounds, with GM shortly to open a third plant in Russia to build the Chevy Captiva. Chevrolet sales grew by 33% in Europe, to more than 100,000, in the first quarter of 2007. It is the best-selling brand in Macedonia.

Opel is Croatia's best-selling brand, Croatia bordering with Serbia and both of these being former republics of Yugoslavia. With Zastava having invested more than 15 million euros recently in new presses and machinery to build its new Zastava 10 (effectively Fiat's Punto), the company has begun exporting again. GM may be about to take advantage.

It appears Zastava's plant will assemble Opel Astra Classics.

http://www.autoberza.info/autobrief/?lng=e...d=585&rid=0

General Motors Corp., the world's largest automaker, is negotiating a deal with Serbia's Zastava Automobili for the import and local production, in Serbia, of its Opel vehicles, a spokesman for GM in Serbia said on Tuesday.

Fifty-four years old, Zastava was once the pride of the former Yugoslavia, making more than 200,000 cars annually, and exporting over 130,000 cars to the United States between 1985 and 1991. The Yugoslav Civil War has taken its toll on the company, however.

Other links on Zastava:

Zastava 10: The Savior?

http://www.autoberza.info/autobrief/?lng=e...d=423&rid=5

2007 Zastava 10 Euro 4

http://www.autoberza.info/autobrief/?lng=e...d=578&rid=5

Zastava Florida IN TDC

http://www.autoberza.info/autobrief/?lng=e...d=565&rid=5

Edited April 12, 2007 by CaMIRO

[Oracle of Delphi]

Anything that is good for Opel, is good for me.

[thegriffon]

Yugo was the export name used on Zasatava's cars, not a subsidiary. "Zastava 10: The Savior?" Provides a detailed history.

See also http://zastava-automobili.com/sr/ and http://www.zastava10.com/

While based on Fiat designs from the '70s, most Zastavas now offer more modern Peugeot engines (albeit old versions no longer used by Peugeot) with EFI.

[CaMIRO]

Yugo was the export name used on Zasatava's cars, not a subsidiary.

Right. Sorry - Yugo of America's parent company would have been more correct (Zastava took over the distributor in 1988/89).

The entire Zastava factory was known as "Yugo" at some point in the '80s, with all Zastava models - domestic included - renamed as "Yugo" products. The logo changed back from the "Y" to "Z" about a decade ago.

Regarding GM/ Zastava - it looks like the deal will go through.

Opel and Zastava agree to joint venture

After two years of will they, won't they, it appears that Serbian automaker Zastava Automobili and General Motors German arm Opel AG have finally agreed to a joint venture.

Astra Classic II's clean, Bertone lines have yet to date. When Zastava begins assembling the Astra II, the company must hope to get its base price as close as possible to that of a loaded Dacia Logan or Lada Kalina - say, 10,000 euros. Zastava's specialty has always been budget motoring, and at this price, buyers across the region would be hard-pressed to find a more elegant (yet practical) design. Certainly, Dacia's Logan seems visually crude by comparison.

http://www.autoberza.info/autobrief/?lng=e...d=593&rid=0