Why must another car company buy Opel. How about spinning it off as a standalone autmobile manufacturer: each GM share gets split into some fraction of GM, some fraction of the new “Opel Motoren AG” (pardon my German).

I’d be happy to see an independent Opel — I could start considering owning such beauties as the new Insignia (ECOTY).

It seems that the ANZUS alliance also extends to the same Goverment bailout scenarios

Specifically for GMH and Ford as the other dealers/manufacturers seem to be ok

I know this old widow that has a few Borgward shares she might be willing to swap.

GME is the global ‘center of expertise’ for chassis Controls and active safety.

GM India is the global center of expertise for HVAC.

GMNA is the global ‘center of expertise for body modules/systems and telematics.

This results in a streamlined development process and eliminates replication of core functionality in multiple regions.

On a similar vein, GME is the development center for midsize and compact car platforms.

GMNA for luxury RWD compact utility and full size truck.

GM Korea for small car and mini car.

And so on for their other regional operations.

Similar for engine families, transmissions, etc.

Each region supports the other regions for their designated center of expertise and each region designs their assigned platforms for the other regions that are applicable for their designated platforms.

The pace of change has been rapid and economies of scale are starting to be realized.

If someone says that GM is like an ocean liner and takes forever to change – they haven’t been intimately involved over the last four years as the rate of change is constantly increasing in velocity.

I think Opel could survive as a stand-alone brand, with its current line-up intact. The German state could bail-out GM:s shares, and sell the shares on the open market.

Should the package be reasonable (another big if), then I see three options:

1) The Chinese. IMHO that would be the end of Opel as well. They’re known to only be after the intelectual property. They’d let Opel die ASAP.

2) BMW

3) Daimler

BMW/Daimler are the only ones who don’t have an overlapping line-up. Every other Automaker is either not in any position for a transaction like this (Chrysler, Tata) or they’re competitors (VW, Fiat, Renault, Peugeot) or both (Ford).

Should BMW or Daimler be willing to “save” Opel, financing would surely not be the problem. The State owned banks would make sure of that.

My guess is however, that the German government will wait and see. If GM goes bust, they’ll try to find an investor who can then get Opel on the cheap. If GM gets bailed-out, Opel won’t need any help anyway (or at least not as much).

Daimler? Well, Opel would be a reasonable “fit” (far better than Chrysler) since they don’t overlap in any markets at all. But, does Daimler have the dough-rey-me? Doubtful.

BMW? Ditto, with the exception of the smallest Opels and the Mini. Does BMW have the cash? Um, maybe.

Porsche? Not so good. They’re already “borg-afying” Volkswagen and trying to “borg” Audi. Aintgonnahappendotcom.

What about Europeans over Canadians?

Fiat? Well – it might be possible but it makes little sense since they’re direct competitors and Fiat already has plenty of excess brands.

PSA (Peugeot-Citroen)? Doubtful. See Fiat.

How about a complete wild-card?

Suzuki and Mitsubishi merge (easily done at one level since they share a national home) and then buy up Opel. This would make for the #4 auto producer in the world, with a decent “presence” everywhere (except the increasingly irrelevent North American market in which Suzuki-Mitsubishi would be a minor player, albeit one with both a Canadian and US manufacturing base to grow from when things improve here). Suzuki and Opel already collaborate, Suzuki has some factories already in Eastern Europe, Mitsubishi has a Nedcar factory in Holland, both are building plants in Russia, and Suzuki owns part of GMDaewoo which supplies Chevrolet branded cars to Europe.

Here’s a wild-assed rumor: Magna.

And what of the “badged Opel” Vauxhall brand, in the UK?

What about the sales of GMDaewoo cars sold as Chevrolets in Europe?

It’s like saying “our deceased great-grandparents should have been divorced and now we’re going to break up the family and decide who gets what, 3 generations later.” Yikes.

Needless to say, this is a real warning bell for GM, since it’s obvious that GM Europe has some vitality left, and is attached like two siamese twins, to a nearly dead brother (GM North America) and leaving the two attached will kill GMEurope.

Unsure if GMDaewoo would survive but I think so, since GM don’t own a majority interest.

GMHolden of Australia, however, is wholly owned by GMNA. So if GM goes under, GMHolden gets sucked down down down too. Unless the Aussies want to try to but it off of GM.

But with a total auto market the size of New York City’s, Australia probably can’t realistically manage to keep GMHolden, Ford and Toyota going. Mitsubishi just pulled the plug on the ex-Chrysler auto manufacturing operations in Australia last spring.