The news about PSA Group in talks with General Motors over the purchase of the latter’s European business surfaced last week. Size and scale must be on the mind of the French looking to take over Opel and Vauxhall, and Europe’s overcapacity is a known issue. Should the takeover succeed, surely some factories will have to be sacrificed?
Well, according to reports, Opel’s German factories will survive. German Sunday paper Bild am Sonntag reported that the PSA Group, which makes Peugeot and Citroen cars, has pledged to the German government to continue operating all four of Opel’s plants in the country.
It said that PSA’s general counsel Olivier Bourges told two deputy ministers and an adviser to Chancellor Angela Merkel that Opel would continue as a separate entity within the group and that no German sites would be closed. No sources were specified. The publication added that the takeover deal will likely be signed by March 9 at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
However, things do not look so good for Opel’s sister brand Vauxhall, which is based in the UK. Two sources close to PSA have told Reuters that job and plant cuts were part of the PSA-GM talks, with the two British sites of Vauxhall in the front line. PSA’s CEO will meet British PM Theresa May to discuss the deal amid concern that Brexit could put Vauxhall sites at a disadvantage to Opel’s.
The wire service points out that Germany accounts for about half of GM Europe’s 38,000 staff, while there are 4,500 staff in Britain. Spain and Poland also host Opel factories. A PSA spokesman confirmed that a meeting between PSA reps and German officials had taken place last week. Opel declined comment.
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Easy. Abandoned Vauxhall and let Proton collaborate. We may see Suprima as the Vauxhall Astra. But Vauxhall will surely will want to change the dashboard design which is like 15 years ago design
Ever wonder why PSA is FAST to tie-up this deal compare with P1. Kunta, please borrow your expertise in this comment. TQ.
now why would you imagine that? trolling p1/p2 into other articles, its getting stale…
LKK, your reply are worst than stale. U have use the one liner over & over again without even border to put in some concerted effort to change your comment.
Don’t be lazy & start making real comment if U can. Am sure U know PSA is one of the shortlisted candidate to partner P1 & WHO is bringing P2 into this equation ?!
tolonglah ambil proton kami rakyat susah dengan adanya proton sebab kereta lain jadi manyak mahal lo
afraid Vauxhall having same fate as SAAB auto soon. sigh
Union Unite demands UK assurance to Vauxhall workers no job cut
both also got image problem.