Can someone with more time on their hands provide an TLDR?
[thanks for all the answers, it's super helpful :D )
[thanks for all the answers, it's super helpful :D )
- Can't meet the Japanese buying experience.
- Vehicle size.
- No American kei cars.
However, US is arguing that removing some market barriers would help them increase their market share.
So that's a small 'American' car, small enough to be a Kei car
According to this there's also Pontiac and Holden branding :sigh: [1]
[0] when I think about Chevrolet, I think Chevvy V8s, 'Vettes, El Caminos, Camaros, big (1970s big) American pickups, and just general Americana, car culture, etc. NONE of those things are embodied in the Matiz.
> So that's a small 'American' car, small enough to be a Kei car
Nope, that's history for some years now. Chevrolet decided late 2013 to cut the mentioned small car business with former Daewoo in Europe and leave this field to their older (and now also sold) brands Opel and Vauxhall.
The only Chevrolets now sold in Europe are their so called "Iconic Cars" Camaro and Corvette.
If your objection is to my use of the present tense, maybe? The Daewoo Matiz is no more, and is now currently known as the Chevrolet Matiz? I'm starting to talk myself out if it now though :)
I did try and send them a bill for my armchair strategising back when the change was announced, they never got back to me though.....
South Korea, where the Matiz originated, has its own rules for gyeongcha (same meaning as Kei car) that allow cars up to 1000cc and 3.6m. The Matiz/Spark was designed for these rules, not the much stricter Japanese rules.
Sounds like the Japanese have it figured out.
Tesla had to deal this kind of stuff in many states, in order to be able to sell directly to their users.