Is anyone interested in buying Opel and does General Motors actually want to sell its European unit? Last week it was Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne who quashed rumours that the Italian carmaker was going to make a bid – this week it is the turn of the Hyundai Group to say it is not interested in Opel.
It does, however, plan to boost car sales in Europe by nearly 40% within the next two years.
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German media reported earlier this month that GM was considering putting Opel back up for sale, with Volkswagen and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding (BAIC) also tipped as possible buyers.
GM has yet to comment on the reports.
The South Koreans reckon they can go it alone without buying Opel. Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia have secured the top position in sales among Asian carmakers in Europe, outstripping Toyota.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, Hyundai-Kia sold 58,585 vehicles in 28 European countries in May, taking 4.7% of the market.
Though the two affiliated companies saw their market share inch down 0.5 of a percentage point from a month before, they still passed Toyota including its premium brand Lexus.
Between January and May, sales of Hyundai-Kia and Toyota-Lexus came to 283,506 and 256,935, respectively.
Earlier this month, Hyundai became a full member of the European industry lobby group ACEA which company officials said would help boost Hyundai’s image and sales in the region.
Hyundai aims to boost vehicle sales in Europe by 10% to 400,000 units this year and to half a million by 2013. Hyundai Europe chief operating officer Allan Rushforth has said the company also wants to achieve a 5% market share by 2015.
Hyundai forecast the overall European market to decline, but plans to boost production at its plant in Nosovice, Czech Republic, to about 300,000 units by year’s end.
Last month, VW topped the European market with market share of 23.9%, followed by PSA Peugeot-Citroen with 13.5%, Renault, 8.9%, GM 8.8% and Ford 8%.
Hyundai-Kia ranked ninth, behind Fiat, BMW and Daimler.
