Fevered speculation surrounding any potential disposal by General Motors of its Opel division was “probably” raised at this week’s meeting between UK Business Secretary Vince Cable and GM CEO Dan Akerson.
The UK Secretary of State for Business met the GM chief in Detroit as part of a wider visit to both Ford and Ricardo but it will have been the future of Opel and its UK division Vauxhall, that will have been highest on Cable’s agenda.
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Rumours have circulated all week concerning any possible sale of loss-making Opel – with the automaker’s Works Council chairman Klaus Franz telling just-auto the speculation was “terrible” although he was at pains to point out it was only rumours.
“GM has said it [disposal] is speculation – off-loading Opel,” a spokeswoman for Cable’s Department for Business, Innovation & Skills in London told just-auto.
“I don’t know for definite, but it probably did get raised and he was probably told it was speculation.”
The spokeswoman also confirmed Cable promoted the UK to Akerson as a potential manufacturer of the European Ampera at Vauxhall’s North West England plant of Ellesmere Port, highlighting recent extensions of contracts from Nissan and BMW.
“The Secretary of State would have used the opportunity to press the case for Ellesmere Port,” said the spokeswoman. “Obviously with the recent announcements from Nissan and BMW, it is showing a great vote of confidence in the UK automotive [sector].
“He [Cable] met Ford as well and Ricardo – clearly Ricardo with its base in Shoreham [South England] – it has a big role to play in the low carbon spectrum.”
