Daewoo, the third-largest South Korean automobile manufacturer, is part of the General Motors Company. Daewoo’s ancestry dates back to the former Daewoo Group which went bankrupt in 1999. The carmaker has five manufacturing facilities in Korea as well as an assembly plant in Vietnam. Daewoo also supplies market and brand-specific vehicle kits for assembly at GM facilities in China, Thailand, India, Colombia and Venezuela.

Daewoo sold in Korea and exported more than 1.9 million units in 2008. Daewoo now manufactures kits and vehicles for Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Opel, Suzuki and Vauxhall that are sold in more than 150 markets on six continents.

The 1986 Daewoo LeMans, based on the Opel Kadett E, was the first Daewoo addition. The vehicle was an international ambition for GM. It was sold around the world as the Pontiac LeMans, Passport Optima or Asüna GT and SE. As one of Daewoo Motor’s supreme triumphs, the car was manufactured until February 1997. Daewoo offered a badge-engineered edition of Nissan's Vanette in 1986.

Daewoo’s joint-venture with GM ended in 1992, leaving Daewoo Motor as an independent company. Two years later, Daewoo started importing the second-generation Honda Legend to replace its terminated star Imperial with the name: Arcadia. The LeMans received a minor restoration and each of its variations started being sold under the Cielo moniker.

The original true Daewoo Motor creating – the Lanos – was launched in late 1996. The car’s styling was a collaboration with Italdesign and Giorgetto Giugiaro. One of its chief features was an original three-part corporate grill, reminding consumers of the Daewoo Motor emblem, and which was going to be used on many Daewoo cars to come.

The launching of the original Lacetti Premier in late 2008 and early 2009 was a huge time for Daewoo. The Premier is based on the Chevrolet Cruze, an especially vital car for GM worldwide. The latest Daewoo product is the innovative Matiz Creative, a third generation of the Matiz mini car.