GMDAT Denies Plans to Re-Badge Daewoos as Chevrolets

A GM Daewoo Auto and Technology Co. senior spokesman denies a media report the auto maker plans to scrap the current Daewoo badge on domestic vehicles and replace it with the Chevrolet bowtie.

The Korean daily newspaper Joongang Ilbo says GMDAT will change branding for vehicles sold within South Korea as early as 2011.

The newspaper quotes Rick Labelle, GMDAT vice president-sales, marketing and aftersales, as saying 40% of GMDAT customers are retrofitting the Chevrolet badge to their new vehicles at their own expense, and there is no longer a need to continue the Daewoo brand.

Jay Cooney, GMDAT vice president-corporate affairs, says that while the Joongang Ilbo reporter had indeed interviewed Labelle, the report is untrue.

“There are no current plans to change the GM Daewoo logo to Chevrolet,” Cooney tells Ward’s.

“We continue to study the possibility of bringing the Chevrolet brand to Korea, but no final decision has been made. There is no new news on this to announce.”

Cooney was referring to a roundtable discussion with Korean reporters last year, when it was announced General Motors Co. was considering marketing selected Chevrolet models in South Korea.