Just last week we reported that General Motors was considering building the next-generation Opel Zafira in the United States for export to Europe, and now comes confirmation from Detroit. The production shift will help GM take advantage of the weak U.S. dollar and could alleviate some of the production pressure on GM's European plants.

"Exporting this model to Europe has not been ruled out," Klaus Franz, the head of Opel's workers’ council, told Automobilwoche last week. A recently surfaced UAW document revealed GM's plan to build a seven-seat vehicle at the automaker's Hamtramck, Michigan plant for export.

GM also confirmed that it will produce a Chevrolet version of the Opel Zafira minivan at the same plant beginning in the second quarter of 2009 for the U.S. market. Compared to the Zafira, the Chevrolet version will have a boxier exterior and a unique interior. Prices for the Chevy-branded MPV are expected to start in the high $20,000 range and top out in the low $30,000s.

A Saturn-badged Zafira also remains a possibility, codenamed Global Delta MPV7. "It could be for Saturn, but the first product is for Chevrolet," an inside source told Automotive News. The Saturn version would likely be imported from Europe.

According to Automotive News, the Zafira is currently produced in Bochum, Germany, and Gliwice, Poland.

IcEm4n je napisal/-a:tole bi kvečjemu bil potem naslednik Opel Sintre, ker se mi zafira zdi manjša.

C4V4L13R je napisal/-a:mmm, mi je všeč