Opel goes it alone

General Motors last year decided to keep its European Opel/Vauxhall operations rather than sell them to Magna and sought help from national governments with loan guarantees. After being turned down flat by Germany, it has decided to self-fund.

GERMANY: GM to fund all Opel needs

16 June 2010

Opel/Vauxhall's decision to withdraw all applications for government loan guarantees across Europe will now see the automaker fund all requirements internally.

COMMENT: GM blinks first

16 June 2010

German economics minister Rainer Bruderle might be forgiven for permitting himself a wry smile this afternoon (16 June).

GERMANY: Länder rule out grants, mull Opel guarantees

16 June 2010

German Länder involved in potentially providing Opel with assistance have ruled out direct financial grants, but are mulling loan guarantees.

COMMENT: Creative thinking to aid Opel

11 June 2010

A casual obsever of Germany's Länder (or regional states) government system could be forgiven for thinking it involved labyrinthine layers of complexity and duplication.

GERMANY: Länder support prompts Opel talks

11 June 2010

Opel will now look to establish concrete talks with four German Länder following confirmation the regions will support the GM division.

GERMANY: Opel talks to EIB for funding

11 June 2010

Opel has approached the European Investment Bank (EIB) with the potential to secure up to EUR800m (US$971m) in loans.

GERMANY: European unions slam Opel decision

10 June 2010

Representatives of European metalworkers' unions have slammed Germany's decision to deny GM's Opel division EUR1.3bn (US$1.6bn) in loan guarantees as evidence of an "absolutely divided" coalition government.

GERMANY: Länder due to address Opel issue today

10 June 2010

Opel said it expects Germany's Länder (regional states) to comment later today (10 June) on the decision by the country's economic ministry to turn down a request for loan guarantees.

GERMANY [updated 21:05BST]: Government loan guarantee rejection frustrates Opel

9 June 2010

Germany has refused to guarantee a EUR1.3bn loan for General Motors European unit Opel whose CEO expressed frustration at the decision.

GERMANY: Opel to look now to Lander for help

9 June 2010

General Motors' Opel division said it would now have to approach regional authorities after today's (9 June) news the German government had refused to grant it EUR1.3bn (US$1.6bn) in loan guarantees.

TIMELINE: Opel's road to disappointment

9 June 2010

A summary of recent just-auto coverage leading up to today's (Wednesday 9 June) decision by the German government not to guarantee a EUR1.3bn loan sought by General Motors European unit Opel.

GERMANY [updated 16:50BST]: Opel deal on knife edge after loan decision

9 June 2010

Opel's restructuring deal with its unions could collapse this later today (9 June) if Germany's economics steering committee decides to refuse a EUR1.3m (US$1.6bn) loan guarantee.

COMMENT: Does Opel have a plan C?

8 June 2010

News that Germany's economic steering committee is to meet tomorrow (9 June) to discuss - again - Opel's request for EUR1.3bn (US$1.6bn) in loan guarantees - has not exactly generated great hope the deal will be approved.

SPAIN: Opel silent on EUR160m regional loan guarantee

8 June 2010

General Motors in Spain is remaining tight-lipped as to whether it has secured EUR160m (US$191m) in financial guarantees from the Aragon regional government.

GERMANY: Opel aid committee to meet again

7 June 2010

Germany's economic steering committee at the economics ministry is due to meet this week to discuss Opel's request for EUR1.3bn (US$1.6bn) in loan guarantees.

COMMENT: Don't bank on GM securing loan guarantees

4 June 2010

GM is putting a brave face on it, but its much-cherished request for Opel loan guarantees across its major European manufacturing bases is starting to become a little shaky.