Daewoo LeMans | |
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Pontiac LeMans 5-door (New Zealand)
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Daewoo |
Production | 1986–1997 (South Korea) 1995–present (license-built models) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Compact car |
Body style | 3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door hatchback |
Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
Platform | GM T platform |
Related | Opel Kadett E |
Chronology | |
Predecessor |
Daewoo Maepsy Pontiac Acadian Pontiac T-1000 Pontiac Sunburst (Canada) |
Successor |
Daewoo Lanos Daewoo Nubira |
Daewoo LeMans | |
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1988 Pontiac LeMans sedan (United States)
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Overview | |
Also called | Asüna GT (Canada, 1991–1993 hatchback) Asüna SE (Canada, 1991–1993 sedan) Daewoo 1.5i (Australia, 1994–1995) Daewoo Fantasy (Thailand) Daewoo Racer Daewoo Pointer Passport Optima (Canada, 1988–1991) Pontiac LeMans |
Production | 1986–1994 |
Body and chassis | |
Platform | GM T platform |
Powertrain | |
Engine | |
Transmission | 4/5-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,520 mm (99.2 in) |
Width | 1,662 mm (65.4 in) |
Height | 1,393 mm (54.8 in) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Daewoo Maepsy-Na |
Successor | Daewoo Cielo |
Daewoo Cielo | |
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1995-1997 Daewoo Cielo GLX 3-door
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Overview | |
Also called | Daewoo Cielo Daewoo Heaven Daewoo Nexia Daewoo Racer Daewoo Super Racer Chevrolet Nexia |
Production | 1994–1997 (South Korea) 1995–2002 (Vietnam) 1996–2008 (Egypt) 1996–2007 (Romania) 1996–2016 (Uzbekistan) |
Assembly |
Bupyeong, South Korea Cairo, Egypt (Daewoo Motors Egypt) Asaka, Uzbekistan (UzDaewoo) Craiova, Romania (Rodae) Lublin, Poland (DMP) Hanoi, Vietnam (VIDAMCO) Kerman, Iran {{(Kerman Motor)|date=March 2012}} |
Powertrain | |
Engine | |
Transmission | |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,520 mm (99 in) |
Length | 4,482 mm (176 in) (sedan) 4,256 mm (168 in) (hatchback) |
Width | 1,662 mm (65 in) |
Height | 1,393 mm (55 in) |
Chronology | |
Successor | Daewoo Lanos |
The Daewoo LeMans is a compact car, first manufactured by Daewoo in South Korea between 1986 and 1994, and between 1994 and 1997 as Daewoo Cielo—a car mechanically identical to the LeMans, differentiated only by its modified styling cues. Like all Daewoos preceding it, the LeMans took its underpinnings from a European Opel design. In the case of the LeMans, the GM T platform-based Opel Kadett E was the donor vehicle, essentially just badge engineered into the form of the LeMans, and later as the Cielo after a second more thorough facelift.
In markets outside of South Korea, the original version of the car bore the Asüna GT, Asüna SE, Daewoo 1.5i, Daewoo Fantasy, Daewoo Pointer, Daewoo Racer, Passport Optima and Pontiac LeMans names. The "LeMans" nameplate was not used at all for the facelifted model. Five-door hatchback models exported to Europe were badged Daewoo Nexia with the Daewoo Racer name used seemingly at random on various bodystyles. The Daewoo Heaven name has also been used.
The Cielo was subsequently replaced by the subcompact Daewoo Lanos and the compact Nubira in 1997, except in some Central Asian markets for which production of the four-door continues in Uzbekistan.
The original series Daewoo LeMans was available as a three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan when introduced in July 1986. Sales of the LeMans in North America began in 1988, where it was sold as the Pontiac LeMans. The LeMans was one of the first aerodynamically designed cars to be sold in South Korea, and the first to feature a digital dashboard.
For the 1989 model year in the US, more models were released: the new lineup included a sportier Pontiac LeMans GSE, positioned similarly to the Opel Kadett GSi, equipped with a 96 hp (72 kW) 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The GSE was available in a monochromatic paint scheme in red, white or silver with 14 inch alloy wheels, fog lights and a rear spoiler. The GSE also received the Recaro-style seats of the Kadett. A Pontiac LeMans SE sedan with upgraded equipment from the base and LE models also had the 96 hp (72 kW) 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, also used in the Pontiac Sunbird. In North America, poor quality tarnished sales and the Pontiac LeMans and Asüna SE/GT were discontinued after 1993 with no replacement. Later that year, the Asüna brand was discontinued altogether.