10.9.2003
New Daewoo Lacetti designed by Giugiaro premieres at IAA

Attractively styled, five-door model in compact segment, spacious interior with above-average rear leg-room and three four-cylinder engines ranging from 92 to 122 hp are the highlights of the new Lacetti.

GM Daewoo will be adding an attractive new model to its compact class line-up. The front-wheel drive, five-door car will reach European showrooms in February 2004. There will be a choice of three engines with manual or automatic transmission (for the 1.6 and 1.8 versions). With its modern Italian design, generous standard equipment and excellent value for money, the Lacetti fits neatly into a fast-growing line-up of new GM Daewoo models.

Dynamic design, compact exterior dimensions, generous interior space
The Lacetti's modern styling was created by Italdesign, the famous Turin studio founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro. This talented team was also responsible for the styling of the Daewoo Matiz, Kalos and Evanda. Almond-shaped, clear-glass headlamps and a new, self-confident radiator grille with the brand emblem integrated into a horizontal chrome strip, dominate the front view of the compact Lacetti (length/width/height: 4,295/1,725/1,445 millimeters).

The long wheelbase (2,600 mm) with short overhangs, the powerful looking wheel arches and the belt-line rising towards the rear combine to create a dynamic side view. The Lacetti's muscular shoulder line extends into a rear design that is no less athletic with eye-catching, wrap-around light units and a strong character line below the rear window.

The new Lacetti is compact only as far as its exterior dimensions are concerned. Because of its excellent space utilization, the amount of room inside is very generous for a vehicle in this class. It has 932 millimeters of legroom in the rear, which puts it top of its category. The trunk volume is 275 liters (VDA standard) and, with the rear bench folded down, it rises to 1,045 liters when loaded to the roof.

High-volume segment, Lacetti tailored to European needs
With around 2.6 million new registrations a year and a current market share of 16.4 percent, the compact car segment is one of the most important in Western and Central Europe. Because of the large number of new models, market researchers are forecasting rising sales figures for this category in the medium term. It is a trend that will certainly benefit GM Daewoo's latest product: "It is crucial for our future growth plans that, with the Lacetti, we will soon have an attractive hatchback in the popular 'C' segment," says Erhard L. (Hardy) Spranger, Executive in Charge of GM Daewoo Europe. "Our almost completely revamped product range with the successfully launched Kalos, Nubira and Evanda has laid the foundation for our company's consolidation. Now, from next year, we will also have the Lacetti, which will appeal to an even larger target group of young, price-conscious buyers in Europe."

The new five-door hatchback meets the demands of this group of buyers perfectly. Over 62 percent of all gasoline engines in this segment, for example, have a capacity of between 1.4 and 1.8 liters, and the three power units available for the Lacetti fit exactly into this template.