Daewoo LeMans

Daewoo LeMans

1994–1995 Daewoo 1.5i sedan (Australia).
Manufacturer	Daewoo Motors
Production	1986–1997 1997–present (Uzbekistan)
Assembly	Bupyeong-gu, South Korea Craiova, Romania Asaka, Uzbekistan
Predecessor	Daewoo Maepsy Pontiac Acadian Pontiac Firefly (Canada, 1992) Pontiac T-1000 Pontiac Sunburst (Canada)
Successor	Daewoo Lanos Daewoo Nubira
Class	Subcompact
Body style(s)	3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door hatchback
Layout	FF layout
Platform	GM T platform
Related	Opel Kadett E

The Daewoo LeMans is a subcompact car, first manufactured by Daewoo Motors in South Korea between 1986 and 1994. It was replaced by the facelifted Daewoo Cielo—a car mechanically identical to the LeMans, differentiated only by its modified styling cues. The Cielo was subsequently replaced by the subcompact Daewoo Lanos and compact Nubira in 1997, except in some Central Asia markets where production of the four-door continues be manufactured in Uzbekistan.

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 the facelifted Cielo.

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 was updated in 1994 and renamed the Daewoo Cielo in South Korea and some other international markets; 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 four-door sedan sometimes holding the Daewoo Racer name. The Daewoo Heaven name was also used.

1986–1994: Daewoo LeMans

First generation

Also called	Asüna GT (Canada 1991–1993 hatchback) Asüna SE (Canada 1991–1993 sedan) Daewoo 1.5i (Australia) Daewoo Fantasy (Thailand) Daewoo Racer Daewoo Pointer Passport Optima (Canada 1989–1991) Pontiac LeMans
Production	1986–1992
Successor	Pontiac Firefly (Canada)
Engine(s)	1.5 L I4 1.6 L I4 2.0 L I4
Transmission(s)	4-speed manual 5-speed manual 3-speed automatic

The original series Daewoo LeMans was available as a three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan when introduced in 1986. Sales of the LeMans began in 1988 in North America where it was sold as the Pontiac LeMans.

Facelifted LeMans in the form of the 1991–1993 Asüna GT hatchback (Canada).

Facelifted LeMans in the form of the Daewoo Fantasy sedan (Thailand).

In 1989 more models were released including a sportier Pontiac LeMans GSE based on the Opel Kadett GSi, 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 had 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.

The five-door hatchback body style was known as the Daewoo LeMans Penta5 in South Korea.

1994–1997: Daewoo Cielo

Second generation

Also called	Daewoo Cielo Daewoo Heaven Daewoo Nexia Daewoo Racer Daewoo Super Racer
Production	1994–1997
Engine(s)	1.5 L I4
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic 3-speed automatic

The second generation LeMans launched in 1994, available as a three- and five-door hatchback and four-door sedan with a 1.5 litre eight-valve or a 1.5 litre 16-valve engine. These new models were still based on the Opel Kadett E, underpinned by the "T-car" platform. There were various trim levels available; in the United Kingdom, where the car sold as the Daewoo Nexia, these were GLi (eight-valve) and GLXi (16-valve) for the general public, with a "base" model available for large contracts. Unlike the Kadett, there was never a station wagon version available. Some European markets got the "Lifestyle" trim level; Spain and Portugal badged their GLi/GLXi equivalents "Chess"; the Benelux countries kept the GLi/GLXi trim levels. The GLi has an average performance with a 0-100 km/h time of 11.3 seconds and 85 hp (63 kW). However, the GLXi upped the power to 90 hp (67 kW) and the 0-100 km/h time was reduced to 10.5 seconds.

Uzbekistan (1996–present)

In Uzbekistan, UzDaewooAuto continues to manufacture the four-door sedan version of the Nexia, of which production began in June 1996.^[1] A number of other Daewoo/Chevrolet models are produced and sold in Uzbekistan and neighbouring Kazakhstan, Russia, Moldavia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Nowadays it is available with three engines: a 1.5 litre SOHC (56 kilowatts (75 hp)), 1.5 litre DOHC (62 kilowatts (83 hp)) and 1.6 litre DOHC (81 kilowatts (109 hp)). The 1.6 version has more powerful brakes and transmission with additional long main gear. A facelift of the car, known as the Nexia II was presented at Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2008. It was designed and build with cooperation of GM-Uzbekistan. In the Uzbekistani market, the Nexia II is sold under the Chevrolet, as opposed to under the Daewoo brand, while some export markets continue to receive the car as the "Daewoo Nexia".

References

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