Small Saturn
Next Opel Corsa to be sold in U.S.
By DAVID SEDGWICK | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 10/02/06, 7:57 am et
PARIS -- In a startling affirmation of America's embrace of small cars, General Motors has decided to sell the next-generation Opel Corsa in the United States.
The small car "will very definitely go to the United States," Bob Lutz, GM's global product chief, said in an interview last week at the Paris auto show. GM plans to badge it as a Saturn.
But it will be awhile before the Corsa arrives. GM has just introduced a redesigned Corsa in Europe, so it will be five years or so before the next-generation Corsa enters showrooms. Because of currency fluctuations, GM would have to produce it in North America. Lutz said GM is planning for 80,000 to 100,000 units annually.
The Saturn brand already features several Opel-designed cars. The Corsa fits Saturn's image as a brand that features modestly priced, fuel-efficient vehicles.
But just a few years ago, most industry observers would have dismissed the Corsa as too small for Americans.
That attitude began to change after the successful introductions of the Mini, Scion xB, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. The Corsa will fit that fast-growing segment, Lutz says.
The next-generation Corsa likely will be about the size of the current one, which is smaller than the Yaris.
"The U.S. market has undergone a huge change," explained Lutz, who has championed the sale of Opel-designed vehicles in the United States.
GM hasn't chosen a production site yet. But because the low-priced Corsa carries tight profit margins, Mexico seems likely.