1997 Daewoo Nubira Sedan 2.0L 5MT (133 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The Korean automaker Daewoo tried to breach into an upper car segment with the Nubira, a car designed and engineered for Europe in three body versions.

After it had produced GM-licensed products for its home and export markets since 1986, the Korean automaker considered it up for a new evolution in its career. It employed the Italian design institute I.DE.A to design an attractive, compact-sized vehicle for European customers. Furthermore, it garnished it with all the best parts in its stocks, starting with the engines and continuing with the gearboxes. In addition, the 1997 Daewoo Nubira was fitted as standard with amenities that were only available as extra on other brands. Furthermore, the platform was new, unrelated to the one obtained from General Motors used to make the Daewoo Racer/Nexia, mostly a re-badged version of the 1989 Pontiac LeMans or the European Opel Kadett.

Right off the bat, it was clear that the Nubira played in a higher league than the Nexia. Its rounded front clip featured narrow headlights that flanked a grille adorned by chromed oblique slats. Below them, the automaker installed a wrapped-around plastic bumper with a center air intake on the lower side flanked by a pair of side scoops. As an option, customers could get the car with a pair of fog lamps.

The design team didn’t want to create a muscular or aggressive-looking sedan, trying to fit it into the bio-design trend that conquered the automotive arena. From its profile, the Nubira I featured a slightly ascending waistline that connected the headlights with the short rear deck. At the back, the triangular, corner-mounted taillights had rounded corners and flanked the trunk’s lid. Daewoo made the Nubira with a wrapped-around plastic bumper extended downwards with an apron and a lip spoiler featuring an exhaust cut.

Inside, the 1997 Daewoo Nubira was available in various trims, but even the lowest grade featured air conditioning, which was something unique in its price segment. At the front, the bucket seats had mild bolstered areas and were covered in velour. Fronting the driver was a rounded-shaped instrument panel that showed large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, plus the gauges for the coolant temperature and the one for the fuel level. The center stack featured top-mounted center vents followed on the lower side by the stereo and the HVAC control panel. Between the front seats, the automaker placed a center console that housed the gear stick (or the gear selector), a small storage space, and the handbrake. In the back, the bench seat could accommodate up to three passengers, although legroom was nothing to write home about.

Under the hood, depending on the country, the 1997 Daewoo Nubira was available with a choice of two gasoline engines: a 1.6- and a 2.0-liter, both paired as standard with a five-speed manual transmission. However, the Korean automaker offered the car with a four-speed automatic gearbox carried over from General Motors for selected markets.