Daewoo Nubira - Overview

Overview

The first generation car, model J100, was released to the market in 1997 as Daewoo Nubira, and was sold until 1999. It was developed as a replacement for the GM T platform-based Daewoo Nexia and designed by Italian I.DE.A Institute. Engineering was carried out at Daewoo's now defunct Worthing Technical Centre in the United Kingdom. Sedan, hatchback and station wagon models were available. The name Nubira (누비라) is the command form of the Korean verb Nubida (누비다), meaning to crisscross. Thus the name was chosen to convey the aspiration that this car would sell so well that Nubiras would be seen crisscrossing every corner of the globe.

In 2000, the first generation underwent over 90 improvements and was re-released as model J150 Daewoo Nubira. In the Korean market, J150 was marketed as Daewoo Nubira II. Examples of these include an increase in passenger space and a decrease in noise, harshness and vibration, particularly from the engine by adding a fourth engine mount and by tuning the intake resonators. In addition, the exterior design was reworked by Daewoo's Worthing Technical Centre in the United Kingdom, creating a more dynamic but less distinct look.

In 2004, the European Nubira was replaced by the Daewoo Lacetti (model J200), a new Pininfarina-designed sedan, was unveiled, and the expansion of the lineup followed by a presentation of the new station wagon in 2005. However, in some European markets, the Nubira name was kept for the sedans and the station wagons.

The Nubira, along with Daewoo's Lanos and Leganza, was sold in the United States and Canada starting from 1999. For the 1999 model year, the J100 model was sold, but from 2000 to 2002 the revised second-generation J150 became available. Daewoo had a difficult time trying to enter the US auto market, and by 2001, the fledgling Daewoo Motor America was in trouble. After the 2002 model year, Daewoo's short stint in the United States was over. The many remaining Nubiras were auctioned-off to willing dealerships, where some sat for as long as three years before being sold-off. Because Daewoo never made it very far in America, the cars are relatively obscure, if not rare, and finding parts for them can be difficult. In 2004, the Suzuki Forenza replaced the Nubira in the US.

The Daewoo Nubira was sold as a 4-door sedan, 5-door hatchback, and a station wagon. Buyers could opt for either the base "SE" models or the premium "CDX". The CDX had many improvements over the SE, such as ABS, heated mirrors, and an in-dash CD player. Both trims had the manual transmission as a standard feature, with the option of a 4-speed auto.

United States Nubira models came equipped with a Dual-overhead cam 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4 General Motors "D-Tec" gasoline engine paired with either a GM 4T40-E 4-speed automatic or a Daewoo-designed D-20 five-speed manual transaxle. This 2.0 L engine could produce up to 136 lb·ft (184 N·m) torque at 4,400 rpm, had a 3.4" stroke and a 3.4" bore and at 5,400 rpm could produce 129 bhp (96 kW; 131 PS). International market Nubiras had a choice of 1.6, 1.8 or 2.0-litre inline-four gasoline engines: no diesel version was ever offered, although the Worthing Technical Centre installed Renault's F8 1.9-litre engine in a small number of test vehicles, under a development programme known as J151.

The Nubira was briefly produced from CKD kits on Taganrog, Russia TagAZ factory; it was marketed as the Doninvest Orion. Until 2008, Daewoo Nubira was produced in Romania in a former Daewoo factory which had the licence from GM Daewoo. The Daewoo Nubira was still produced in Egypt in 2008, in a former Daewoo factory which has the licence from GM Daewoo.

In 2002, the Nubira was replaced with the Daewoo Lacetti, which was sold in some European markets as the Chevrolet Nubira.