Agreement with GM prevents Magna from selling Opel cars in the U.S.

Posted: Jun 02, 2009
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According to the chairman of Magna International, the Canadian auto parts company is banned from selling Opel cars in the U.S. and China.

“The agreement with General Motors does prevent us from selling Opel in the United States,” Frank Stronach told reporters at a news conference in Ottawa.

Prohibition on selling Opels in China might be flexible in the future if it makes economic sense.

Stronach said that Magna has been talking to the Canadian government for funding a project to produce electric-systems for electric-vehicles that it may produce in the near future.

“I’m very confident that Magna will be amongst the leaders in selling and building electric cars,” Stronach told reports.

No word on whether Magna will electrify Opel with a lineup of electric-cars; although, we wouldn’t doubt it.

- By: Kap Shah

Source: Reuters


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  • zermatt

    I saw this coming once the Obama administration declared that Chinese vehicles made by GM would not be allowed in the country.

    All of those Saturn dealers will not have the Opel products to fill their show rooms – what will the surviving dealers sell?

  • Enn Norak

    Logo alone does not a car make but I always liked the Opel logo better than the Chevy logo or the Saturn logo for that matter. I hope this flaw in the Opel acquisition agreement does not prevent the sale of Opel cars in Canada.

  • neil

    Be interesting to see how long the agreement lasts and if it includes Platform engineering

    The Epsilon (insignia/Aura) and Delta (Astra) platforms are why Magna, Fiat and others wanted Opel, if Magna also buys Saturn or sells the engineering to Penske-Saturn they are not technically selling Opels in the US.

  • zermatt

    This is the first step of protecting those UAW jobs. Step two will be to keep Alfas and Fiats out of the US, as well.

  • Enn Norak

    Logo alone does not a car make but I always liked the Opel logo better than the Chevy logo or the Saturn logo for that matter. I hope this flaw in the Opel acquisition agreement does not prevent the sale of Opel cars in Canada.

  • neil

    Be interesting to see how long the agreement lasts and if it includes Platform engineering

    The Epsilon (insignia/Aura) and Delta (Astra) platforms are why Magna, Fiat and others wanted Opel, if Magna also buys Saturn or sells the engineering to Penske-Saturn they are not technically selling Opels in the US.

  • zermatt

    This is the first step of protecting those UAW jobs. Step two will be to keep Alfas and Fiats out of the US, as well.