Daewoo Motor America bought vehicles in the US for the 1999 by way of 2002 mannequin years, and there have been however three fashions provided: the Leganza midsize luxury sedan, the Lanos subcompact and the Nubira compact. We have coated the primary two in pretty current Junkyard Gems, and in the present day we’ll look at a final-year Nubira sedan present in a Northern California wrecking yard.
The primary Daewoo-built automotive mannequin bought in the US was the 1988-1993 Pontiac LeMans. After that, Daewoo Group CEO Kim Woo-choong determined that American automotive customers can be keen to purchase new vehicles bearing Daewoo badging.
The primary Lanoses, Nubiras and Leganzas confirmed up as 1999 fashions … proper in regards to the time that Mr. Kim fled South Korea and went on the lam with a view to evade fraud and embezzlement expenses (he ended up behind bars later on). This wasn’t an amazing search for Daewoo Motor America, however the vehicles have been temptingly priced.
The 2002 Nubira SE sedan had an MSRP of simply $11,699, which quantities to one thing like $20,747 in 2024 {dollars}. That undercut the worth of the cheapest possible 2002 Toyota Corolla sedan ($13,370) in addition to that of probably the most inexpensive 2002 Chevy Cavalier sedan ($14,035). In truth, the Nubira did not value a complete lot greater than the price of the a lot smaller and equally South Korean Hyundai Accent sedan ($10,649).
The Nubira was out there as a four-door sedan and as a four-door wagon.
This one has the non-compulsory four-speed automated transmission, which added $800 to the associated fee ($1,419 in in the present day’s cash). The 2002 Corolla CE’s non-compulsory automated was a three-speed, one of the very last cars so equipped sold in North America, so this is a method wherein the Nubira truthfully out-featured the same-year Corolla.
It additionally has the $850 air-con ($1,507 now), which jogged my memory that taking pictures junked vehicles in 105°F Central Valley warmth may be difficult.
The engine is a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder rated at 129 horsepower.
Daewoo went bankrupt in 2000, so it took a courageous purchaser to buy a 2002 mannequin. Throughout that interval, GM ended up shopping for all of Daewoo’s car-building operations that it did not already personal (but not Daewoo Motor America).
This automotive by no means even reached 100,000 miles throughout its life (except the speedometer cable broke at 87,070), which is typical of the junked Daewoos I’ve documented (although IÂ have discovered a Lanos that made it past the 200,000-mile mark).
The top of Daewoo-badged vehicles right here did not imply People can be disadvantaged of Daewoo equipment. The subsequent-generation Lanos turned the Chevrolet Aveo, the upgraded Nubira appeared right here as the Suzuki Reno and the revised Leganza confirmed up as the Suzuki Verona.
Some suspension of disbelief required.
Even extra suspension of disbelief required.
Severe hallucinogens required.