Andy Scott is a prime...
Andy Scott is a prime example. He works in product development for the Japanese manufacturer, but leads a double life as race engineer for James Kaye, Synchro"s driver in the Independents" Cup of the Green Flag British Touring Car Championship. He told us: "Sacrifices have to be made. It requires a lot of commitment, and we recruit people at the beginning of each season. But the number of volunteers tails off as it progresses." Most of the enthusiasts have been involved for a number of years, but according to Andy, there are no restrictions on who can and can"t join in. "Some people are pen-pushers at work," he explained. "It"s not so much about ability as a willingness to learn." The team is made up of around 15 people, but there"s none of the luxury trappings often associated with motorsport for them.
And the deal couldn"t...
And the deal couldn"t have got off to a better start - Chevy will unveil this stylish new SUV, the S3X, at the Paris Motor Show this week. A seven-seater with a cabin layout adapted from the Vauxhall Zafira"s, it will be available in 2.0-litre diesel and as-yet-unknown petrol guise from early 2006.
A concept version of the new Matiz, the M3X, is also at the exhibition, and Daewoo"s UK boss Andy Carroll said these models were the start of a product blitz. However, he also pointed out that current Daewoo customers would not lose out . The badge swap, codenamed Project Midas, will see Chevrolet signs appear at garages in the next few months, and ends frenzied speculation. Auto Express reported how top brass at GM were pushing for the change in January (issue 789).
The official date for the switch is 1 January, 2005. And although the initial move to turn Chevrolet into GM"s main value-for-money brand was made by senior US executives, there wasn"t much resistance in the UK. One insider revealed that the Daewoo name had been terminally damaged by the Korean marque"s bankruptcy, and that the company and cars had gone as far as they could under the Daewoo moniker.
What The Change Means...
What happens to existing Daewoo owners?
Andy Carroll: "Chevrolet is taking over the warranty and servicing obligations for Daewoos. After 1 January, any Chevrolet dealer or authorised repairer will offer the service Daewoo customers expect. Owners will deal with the same people. There are 87 Daewoo agents at present; this time next year there"ll be over 100 Chevrolet dealers."
Will it mean more cars in the line-up?
AC: "We want to expand the range. There"s the SUV, and we"re looking at other cars. We can cherry-pick Chevrolets from other markets."
Are diesels on the way?
AC: "Diesels are a top priority. There"s a new engine factory being built in Korea, and we"ll see them across the range in 2006."
Why swap to Chevrolet?
AC: "We had to use it when we launched in eastern Europe, but we feel there"s good awareness of Chevrolet here. It has credibility."
Who are your rivals and what are your sales expectations?
AC: "We"re aiming at the likes of SEAT, Mazda, Hyundai and Skoda, and are hoping to sell 35,000-plus cars a year." (At the end of August, Daewoo"s total UK sales for 2004 stood at 11,017.)