GM plans to bring Opel up-market in order to be more competitive against VW, while Chevy will remain the budget brand.
In a presentation to Detroit analysts, GM unveiled its new brand strategy in Europe for Opel and Chevrolet.
GM claims it wants to bring Opel up-market in Europe, and compete with VW in the German domestic market.
Chevrolet Europe will strive to be an entry-level brand that offers value for customers who are looking for quality.
Joel Ewanick, Chief Marketing Officer at GM, and Dan Akerson, GM CEO were present.
Ewanick stated that Opel because of its German heritage and because it is a German brand, will be a viable option for customers searching for a car in Germany. This gives us the opportunity to compete on their home turf with our Volkswagen rival, Volkswagen.
Since 2005, GM has had this strategy in place (replacing the Korean Daewoo logo on many models). GM must now clarify the roles of Opel, Chevrolet and Chevrolet in Europe. This is due to GM Europe’s lagging margins and lack of profitability.