GM scaling back PSA alliance; may develop future Opels independently

The company says it doesn’t need the help of France's ailing PSA Peugeot Citroen to reverse its flagging performance in the European market.

The loosening of the alliance with Peugeot signals GM's commitment to manage its European comeback independently, following in rival Ford's footsteps.

According to a report by Reuters, which spoke with GM executives and US suppliers familiar with the car maker's plans, the move towards independence marks an ongoing initiative to overhaul and leverage GM’s global vehicle platforms.

That program, the suppliers said, will enable GM to develop and build future Opel products on its own.

PSA confirmed this week that the partners were scaling back the alliance formed in early 2012, meaning GM will most likely be pulling the pin on plans to build its next-generation Opel Corsa city car on a shared PSA platform.

GM confirmed, however, that replacements for two compact Opel vans, the Meriva and Zafira, both expected in 2017, would continue as scheduled on jointly developed PSA platforms.

GM executives have also confirmed that a heavily revised Opel Corsa, still based on an old Fiat platform from 2007, would be introduced in 2014.

The next-generation of that car, due in 2018, is likely to be built on a version of GM’s own small car platform, dubbed Global Gamma or G2XX, according to the suppliers.

The same platform is also expected to underpin the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Sonic and Opel Mokka.