Daewoo brand to be replaced by Chevrolet

US car brand Chevrolet is to make its first appearance in Ireland later this year.

The cars will be sold through the 30-strong Daewoo dealer network from November and the move will see the Daewoo brand being replaced by Chevrolet.

Ireland will be the first country to sell Daewoo cars under the Chevrolet brand, but other countries will follow from early next year. Both brands are part of General Motors, the US giant whose marques also include Opel and Vauxhall. Owners of Daewoo cars will continue to be serviced at the same outlets as before.

Daewoo Ireland executive chairman Gerard O’Toole said the move was an opportunity to allow the Daewoo operation here to become part of a worldwide operation. Chevrolet “is an extremely successful global car marquee, with sales of 3.6 million vehicles in 2003, and we are delighted to bring this exciting new brand to Ireland,” he said.

General Motors Europe vice president of sales and marketing Jonathan Browning said the Chevrolet brand accounted for 42% of its total sales and was well known in more than 70 countries.

The new range of Chevrolet cars will be aimed at the small to midsize market. The cars will be manufactured in South Korea, but future models will be sourced from other General Motors facilities around the world.