Daewoo To Launch Premium Car By 1999

Daewoo Motor is planning the launch of its premium car - the Leganza with 1800cc to 2000 cc engine capacity - and the Nubira - which has a 1500cc to 1700cc engine in the country by 1999.

The launch of these two models will follow that of its much-talked about 796cc small car - unveiled as DArts at the Frankfurt Motor Show - which is proposed to be launched within eight to ten months from now.

A senior executive disclosed that with these models the company proposes to be in the four segments of the passenger car industry in the country by 1999.

 

While Leganza will be its premier model, positioned just below the Mercedes Benz cars in terms of price and customer perception, the Nubira will tap the segment between the luxury cars and the Opel Astra.

The existing model, Cielo, will come next in the hierarchy, while the last in Daewoos India lineup will be the small car, for which the company is finalising a name for the domestic market.

In a presentation to the press at its Surajpur plant yesterday, Daewoo Motors stated the company would launch some of the models among Lanos, Nubira and the Leganza.

However, Korean executives at Daewoo Motors expressed doubt about the launch of the 1300cc-1500cc Lanos, a compact version of the Cielo, in India based on the market feedback which has shown Lanos to be underpowered and not suitable for the Indian market.

Managing director, S G Awasthi, clarified that Lanos would not necessarily be an unsuitable model for India, and the company was still undecided about its launch.

He added the completion of phase 1 investment plan has been delayed by six months and will now be completed in December this year. This will see the company expanding its annual manufacturing capacity from 72,000 to 1,50,000 cars, and begin export of engine and transmission sets to Korea.

Subsequently the capacity will be increased to 2,25,000 cars and will complete Daewoos $1 billion investment plan by 1999.