<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/opel/" rel="tag">Opel</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/peugeot/" rel="tag">Peugeot</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/" rel="tag">FIAT</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/opel-logo-580x.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />General Motors is <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/12/henderson-buyer-for-opel-picked-by-end-of-month/">very close</a> to selling its Opel unit, with <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/fiat-and-magna-emerge-as-serious-bidders-for-opel/">Canadian supplier Magna and Italian automaker Fiat </a>among the suitors. If Magna and its Russian partners <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/12/gaz-confirms-interest-in-opel/">Gaz</a> and Sberbank scores the winning bid for Opel, the parts supplier has big plans for the German brand and its factories. <em>Automotive News Europe</em> and German newspaper <em>Welt am Sonntag</em> both have quoted sources within Magna stating that the supplier could produce vehicles for other automakers. Furthermore, both Ford and Peugeot are reportedly interested in using the factory space, which makes sense considering the cost of opening new facilities.<br /><br />While GM will have the final say regarding an Opel sale, the German government will have considerable sway in the matter. After all, the German government is likely providing up to <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/06/germany-not-pleased-with-opels-inadequate-rescue-plan/">3.3 billion euros</a> in financial support to keep Opel afloat. That may give Magna an advantage, since Fiat has said that it would close the Opel factory in Kaiserslautern, Germany, while Magna doesn't plan to close any German facilities.<br /><br />[Souce: <a href="http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1477648.php/Magna_bid_foresees_Opel_as_subcontractor_reports_say_">Monsters and Critics</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/19/report-magna-could-use-opel-to-produce-vehicles-for-other-autom/">REPORT: Magna could use Opel to produce vehicles for other automakers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 19 May 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1477648.php/Magna_bid_foresees_Opel_as_subcontractor_reports_say_>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/19/report-magna-could-use-opel-to-produce-vehicles-for-other-autom/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1548710/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/19/report-magna-could-use-opel-to-produce-vehicles-for-other-autom/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...
More...