General Motors announced on Friday that it will begin production of its Opel Astra at the company’s Ruesselsheim, Germany production facility. The Astra is GM’s most popular European model and is currently built in Bochum, Germany; Gleiwitz, Poland and Ellesmere Port in the UK.
Production of the Astra in Ruesselsheim will begin sometime in 2010.
The Astra is sold here in the U.S. under the Saturn brand, but there is no word on U.S. production. However, due to the poor exchange rate, it’s quite possible General Motors could soon announce North American Astra production, possibly at the company’s doomed Oshawa, Ontario truck plant.
In the same release, GM also shot down rumors that the next-gen Saab 9-3 would be built in Ruesselsheim, saying that production would remain in Trollhaettan, Sweden.
06/20, 4:48 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
What do they mean possibly, it would be stupid to not build the Saturn versions here due to the exchange rate.
06/20, 6:41 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
The Astra is now built in Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Poland, Ukraine and Russia, as well as being assembled in CKD kits in other countries. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Astra)
Not only in three countries as reported by LLN. The North American model is built in Belgium.
06/20, 7:14 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
I thought production was going to eventually move to GM’s Spring Hill, TN, plant for the Saturn version.
06/20, 8:11 PM
posted by:
TomF
If the currency trade rates stay like this, they should be building Opels in Tennessee and shipping them back to Europe.
06/23, 7:10 AM
posted by:
Tosta Mista
They also make the Astra in my backyard…
06/23, 5:21 PM
posted by:
ktulu
a hard-looking woman