Daewoo model may not have gained prominence in their short stint in major markets, but unknown to most car buyers, several popular marques in the market are rebadged Daewoos. Some of these are Chevrolet’s Captiva (Daewoo Winstorm), Epica (Daewoo Tosca), Aveo (Daewoo Lanos), and Spark (Daewoo Matiz).
Before it sold its assets to GM in 2001 due to financial difficulties, Daewoo was one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea, second only to the Hyundai Group. One of the first cars it built was the Daewoo LeMans – later introduced in Australia as Daewoo 1.5i in 1994 and Daewoo Cielo the following year.
The LeMans, aka 1.5i and Cielo, is a segment-C or compact car, built as 3-door or 5-door hatchbacks and 4-door sedans with a transverse front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The LeMans itself is badge-engineered from Opel Kadett E. Daewoo, utilizing GM’s T platform but Daewoo restyled it and built a distinct body for it.
First Generation: Daewoo LeMans/Daewoo 1.5i (1986-1994)
Daewoo first exported the LeMans in North America in 1988 as a three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan and marketed it under the Pontiac LeMans nameplate. In Korea, the car pioneered the aerodynamic design and digital dashboard that were new automotive features back then. This generation reached Canada in 1988 as Passport Optima (renamed Asüna GT/SE in 1991) and Australia in 1994 as Daewoo 1.5i.
In its introduction as Daewoo 1.5i in Australia, it was powered by a 1.5-litre GM Family 1 4-cylinder petrol engine, which generated up to 57 kW of power and 127 Nm torque, channelling this power through either a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption ranged from 6.7L to 7.45L per 100km, depending on the transmission system used.
The hatchbacks were available in both three and five-door options. The three-door hatch featured a radio-cassette with four speakers, while the five-door option and sedan had power steering in addition to what the three-door hatch offered. All body styles have a sitting capacity of five.
The 1.5i’s independent front suspension was handled by MacPherson struts, coil springs and stabilizer bar, while the rear used a compound crank with coil springs and stabilizer bar. In the US, the versions had a bigger engine and a sportier exterior, featuring 14-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a rear spoiler, and Recaro-style seats.
Second Generation: Daewoo Cielo (1994-2016)
The LeMans or 1.5i car in the previous generation evolved into the Daewoo Cielo in 1994. Both are mechanically the same, except for some restyling in the second generation. Daewoo offered the same body styles but with an updated 1.5-litre GM Family 1 engine. Several trims were available but which varied between regions, with GL and GLX trims marketed in Australia. The lower-spec GL was offered for both the 3-door hatch and 4-door sedan body type but only in automatic transmission. The GLX, on the other hand, was provided for all body styles and in both automatic transmission and manual gearbox.
Range of Cielo variants:
- GL – 3-door hatchback; 1.5-litre G15MF 8V 4-cyl petrol engine (55 kW, 123 Nm, 7.25L/100km) paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission; featured a radio cassette with four speakers
- GL – 4-door sedan; 1.5-litre G15MF 8V 4-cyl petrol engine (55 kW, 123 Nm, 7.25L/100km) paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission; featured a radio cassette with four speakers and power steering
- GLX – 3-door or 5-door hatchback; 1.5-litre A15MF 16V 4-cyl petrol engine (66 kW, 137 Nm, 6.9L-7.1L/100km) paired with either 4-speed GM 4T40E automatic transmission or 5-speed manual gearbox; came with GL features plus alloy wheels, CD player, central locking, front fog lights, power steering, power windows (front), rear spoiler
- GLX – 4-door sedan; 1.5-litre A15MF 16V 4-cyl petrol engine (66 kW, 137 Nm, 6.9L-7.1L/100km) paired with either 4-speed auto or 5-speed manual gearbox; came with GL sedan features plus CD player, central locking, front fog lights, power windows (front), rear spoiler
The GL models have an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h of 12.5 seconds, while the GLX has a slightly-improved time of 12.2 seconds. As to their emissions, the GL models were all non-Euro compliant, while all the GLX's were Euro 2 compliant.
Awards, Recalls, Discontinuation
The Cielo, also called Nexia in Europe and the UK, won awards in the categories of Best in Class and Favourite Model in the 1997 Cornhill Insurance Motor Test.
In 1996, there was a recall for the Daewoo Nexia due to misrouted wiring harness engine bay. It also received a medley of criticisms, including its outdated mechanicals, dull styling, electrical issues, spare parts that were not easy to find, and an ABS control mod that was too expensive to replace.
In Australia, the Cielo went on to sell until 1998 alongside its successor, the compact Daewoo Nubira, and the sub-compact Daewoo Lanos, which have both entered the market in 1997.
Spare parts for the Cielo had always been a problem even when it was still in production, and more so today, twenty years after its phase-out. If you still have these models or other secondhand cars or auto parts that you would like to sell and dispose of, you may send us an email at hello@carpart.com.au, and we'd be right there to help you. Our platform operates Australia-wide, and we're inviting you to use it to your advantage to reach more buyers for the auto parts you're selling. For details, contact us now!
-JMSL