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Vauxhall sans Opel could reallign with GM Daewoo, Holden

Chevrolet Aveo, a.k.a Chevrolet Kalos/Daewoo Gentra/Holden Barina/Pontiac Wave - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Eyebrows raised at reports that General Motors could hold on to its British subsidiary Vauxhall even if - or, more likely, when - its German counterpart Opel would leave the family. With the model ranges of the two European GM divisions intertwined, a Vauxhall without Opel would seem like an empty shell. New reports suggest, however, that instead of re-plastering Opels with the griffin badge, the British marque could instead continue operations under GM ownership by importing products made by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology.

You can buy the grown-up, road-legal Little Tikes car

The lifesize, road-legal Little Tikes Cozy Coupe that English mechanic John Bitmead and his brother Geoff built in November 2013 – and the BBC made famous a few months later – is up for sale on eBay UK. They sacrificed a 2000 Daewoo Matiz in order to create it, taking 1,000 hours over sixteen weeks to fabricate a custom red body and yellow roof and then place it atop the Korean minicar's bones. It is registered and ready for action, with lights, airbags, and a top speed of 70 miles per hour. The brothers drove it around England to charity events, which accounts for 5,000 miles of the total 65,000 miles on the odometer. The "classified ad" price on eBay UK is 21,500 pounds ($33,167 US), which is a fortune for a 15-year-old Daewoo but supposedly a bargain for this Cozy Coupe: the brothers said a professionally appraiser valued it at $46,000. Attitude Autos, the shop the brothers run in Bicester, England specializes in classic vehicle restoration and glossy props like Formula One show cars, so they're no strangers to making adult toys. Due to all that "genuine road use" the description says "the car has little marks, cracks and defects but nothing particularly dramatic." This being a sale and not an auction, it looks like it'll be listed until the brothers sell it or take it down. Head over to eBay to take a closer look, or simply watch the BBC news piece above for a big red reminder of childhood. News Source: eBay UK via Mashable Auto News Toys/Games Auctions Daewoo

Junkyard Gem: 2001 Daewoo Nubira CDX Sedan

From 1988 to 1993, North American car shoppers were able to buy a new Daewoo from Pontiac dealers: the LeMans, a South Korean-built version of the Opel Kadett E. It wasn't until the 1999 model year, however, that Daewoo-badged cars became available in the United States, with the debut of the Lanos, Leganza, and Nubira. The descendant of the Lanos lives on here (as the Chevrolet Sonic), but the Daewoo name departed these shores in 2002. You won't see many Daewoos on American roads today, but I was able to photograph this very rare top-trim-level 2001 Nubira sedan in a Colorado self-service wrecking yard. These cars were a bit cheaper than their Japanese rivals, but most American car buyers didn't feel so confident about an off-brand marque that they— correctly— felt would disappear in a few years. The CDX was the top trim level of the Nubira, and it came standard with such features as cruise control and a CD player. MSRP for the CDX sedan was $14,199, which didn't look like a bad deal next to the $14,995 Chevrolet Cavalier LS or the $16,910 Honda Civic EX. Daewoo found few takers, though. This one got well past 150,000 miles, so it appears to have held together well enough for its 17 years on the road. The melted, dog-hair-covered rubber lizard on the dash must have cut its resale value by at least half, when the Nubira's final owner was contemplating calling the wrecking yard. The engine came right out of the GM Global Parts Bin, a 2.0-liter Opel-designed DOHC four-banger, built in Australia by Holden and rated at 129 entirely adequate horsepower. Much more reliable in the South Korean Mojave than a 1980s Celica! Featured Gallery Junked 2001 Daewoo Nubira CDX View 16 Photos Auto News Daewoo Automotive History Sedan