Opel Pursues Growth in Russia, Turkey

General Motors Co.'s Opel unit is seeking to boost sales by expanding in Russian and Turkey to offset shrinking European volume, Bild reports.

GM CEO Dan Akerson tells the German newspaper that Russia is important because the car market there is expected to surpass Germany's within a few years.

Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann notes to Bild that the brand's German heritage gives it a premium image in Russia, where Opel sold more than 80,000 vehicles last year. He adds that the make has similar advantages in Turkey, where it sold about 50,000 units in 2012.

Opel isn't aiming to boost volume in China, which Neumann says would be too expensive. But he adds that Opel's export campaign, which launched sales in Australia, Chile and Singapore last year, will take the brand to the United Arab Emirates this year.

GM said last week it would spend €4 billion to develop and debut a host of new Opel vehicles and powertrains by 2016. Akerson calls the investment a "crystal clear" declaration of the company's commitment to stand by its European unit, according to Bild.