GM Daewoo has launched it’s first Sports Utility Vehicle, the Daewoo Winstorm. Most of you may recognise this beautiful SUV as the Chevrolet Captiva. The 7-seater small SUV comes with a 2-litre 150 horsepower turbodiesel engine. The Daewoo Winstorm’s development took 2.5 years, and will be manufactured in Korea. It was first shown as the Chevrolet S3X Concept.
Analysts say this is a bad move for Daewoo as surging gasoline prices have dented SUV sales around the world. The Korean government is also moving to increase taxes for SUVs, which are currently not as high as passanger cars because SUVs were classified as commercial vehicles. On the other hand, some other analysts are of the opinion that the model will achieve success because the rising oil prices have hurt medium and large sized SUVs, not small ones.
The Daewoo Winstorm will also be available under the Chevrolet badge as the Chevrolet Captiva. Models under the Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn badges are also planned. All will be built in Korea. Other than the 150hp 2.0 turbodiesel, there are also news of a 133hp 2.4 litre and a 225hp 3.2 V6 petrol models.
DRB-HICOM’s unit Hicomobil distributes Chevrolet vehicles in Malaysia, and does not have an SUV in it’s line-up. It is possible that the Chevrolet Captiva might end up on our local shores.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Lookin great !
from the front, look like VW suv
from the side, look like Cayane ?
I doubt Bling-mobils match the Malaysian taste.
Damn..wrong comment box…=) How was Civic drive?
looks expensive-
petrol price goin up !
"Speculation" for Petrol increase is as early as July 06!
SUV is a commercial Vehicle?? why? Well, is Daewoo planning to fight market shares with Ssang Yong Kyron? cos recently Ssyang Yong just launched its Kyron which looks similar to this one, also a diesel if not mistaken… but this design is a bit better looking than the Kyron I think.
the kyron front end is horrendous. this one looks tonnes better.
paul, the kyron's rear is worse… >.
Well, Ssang Yong always hv strange design, but for the interior, I think its not very bad…
karheng: it was awesome. will be posting my experience next week.
well..its such a cool suv design..a really breath of fresh air coz this past few years they hasnt been one new suv model being launched..plz dun start wit the outlander mistsu fans..its just the american version of the airtrek…im seriusly fed up of updated version by honda and toyota on their crv's and rav4's…..its basically the same thing!….daring moved for them i must say…if it eve comes here im surely placin a bookin even b4's launched…..
btw…no off3ence to ssang yong fans but firstly their designs's are crap…..they rely too much on the poor man's mercedes…..they lack and sort of engineering finnese…they just blueprint wateva they find in germany and develop weird designs to sell to us …..i must admire their great quality control and bulid quality…..if not for that..i cant see much diffrence between them and our malaysian carmakers….
Paul: i'm not a big civic fan but i think that car has something about it….i just don't know what…looks wise…stunning but only at the beginning…the more i look at it…the more boring it gets somehow….it's not something which grows on me…….i duno la…u were the one who test drove it….be fair with your comments! ehhehe…
karheng, i agree with u. I am bored already until i saw one with Mugen bodykit. It just refresh me eyes… but after awhile i will feel bored again. haha.. ( REFERING TO CIVIC )
ok refering back to this car above. The design was nice, i drove a few chevy-rebadged-daewoo cars and believe me, they are under powered. They are not delivering to my expectation when i foot the pedal. So does Hyundais… KIAs…. damd.
strong car