Andrew Hamilton looks at Daewoo's competitively priced small car - the Kalos
Daewoo's new 1.4-litre small car - the Kalos - is arriving here at a propitious time, just as General Motors has announced the completion of its takeover of Daewoo. Acquiring the troubled Korean car maker was a long-drawn out affair that began in May 2001.
Gerard O'Toole, executive chairman of Daewoo Ireland, says it's now full steam ahead after worry and uncertainty. "We plan to grow our network of 21 dedicated dealers to 35 within the next two years and to get market share of 5 per cent within three years. There will be a comprehensive marketing campaign investing over €1 million promoting the GM Daewoo marque in Ireland."
Kalos, like all Daewoo cars, is being promoted as value-for-money but Daewoo also claims European flair and Asian reliability. On the value-for-money aspect, Tom McQuerins, managing director of Daewoo Ireland, claims categorically that Kalos has "the best-value saloon on the Irish market".
It sells both as hatchback and saloon and he says the four-door SE saloon at €13,795 ex-works cannot be beaten on price. Irish prices actually start at €12,995 ex-works for the five-door SE while the higher spec five-door SX is €1,000 more.
The front-wheel-drive Kalos has European influences - like styling by Giugiaro in Turin and chassis refinement at the MIRA proving ground in Britain. The 1.4-litre unit develops 83bhp, has a top speed of 105 mph and a claimed overall consumption of 37.7mpg
All small cars have an emphasis on space and packaging and, with the Kalos five-door, it has been accentuated by a high roofline and a long wheelbase. As well as the standard 60/40 split, the rear seats can be folded and secured behind the front seats, giving a huge 735 litres of load space.
Daewoo is expecting 2,000 Kalos sales next year. It replaces the Lanos which was one of Daewoo's top sellers here. The Kalos is positioned above the Matiz and below the Nubira family car range.