Chevrolet will leave Europe in 2016

General Motors surprised us all this morning when it announced the major overhaul it has decided to make to its long-term corporate strategy. Nothing less than eliminating Chevrolet from Europe in order to focus sales on Opel and gradually bring Cadillac into the market.

That’s right, starting in January 2016 we will stop seeing the brand’s conventional models: Orlando, Cruze, Trax… and only the iconic Corvette and Camaro will be available for purchase. The main reason for this decision is to directly eliminate the competition between Opel and Chevrolet, which had been doing so much damage to both brands.

Therefore, from 2016 onward, Europe will have Opel as GM’s main brand, along with its British variant called Vauxhall, while Chevrolet will focus on the Russian market and some of the Commonwealth countries. To reassure recent buyers of Chevrolet models, GM has confirmed that, since most dealerships distribute both brands, after-sales and maintenance services are guaranteed.

On the other hand, alongside the sad news of Chevrolet’s exit from the European market, a new Cadillac expansion plan has also been announced in order to attract premium customers that will allow higher profit margins. Time will tell whether this decision by GM is the right one for the current situation. But can’t Opel and Chevrolet really coexist in Europe?

Source | Expansión