REPORT: GAZ confirms interest in Opel

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin himself has said that at the behest of Magna, Russia's GAZ conglomerate is considering taking a 30% interest in Opel. GAZ, though, has made it clear that it does not want to run or own Opel – what it really seems to want is to have cars to produce at its factory in Nizhny Novgorod. Under such a proposal, Automotive News reports that Magna would take 20% of Opel.

The German authorities are now weighing the offers from Magna/GAZ and Fiat. GM is said to prefer a single bidder, in the guise of Fiat, while Germany was recently said to prefer Magna's proposal because of promises to keep production in Germany. If, however, GAZ's real desire is to increase its Russian production abilities, if it were to take a larger stake in Opel than Magna, there will undoubtedly be conflicts to resolve. And that's before the remaining 50% partners' needs and wishes are taken into account.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

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