When will GM be bringing their 1.9L CDTI engines to the US?

Engines certified for the European market must be adapted and re-certified before they can be sold in the US. In particular, CA emissions standard are significantly stricter, especially for diesel. Afaik, GM has not announced any plans to bring small-displacement diesel engines to market in the US, presumably because of the high cost of Tier 2 Bin 5 NOx aftertreatment systems.

There has, however, been a substantial shift in attitude in GM product management. Instead of designing a "world engine" in the US and expecting the rest of the world to jump for joy, there is now a global powertrain division with 85,000 employees.

Even so, customer expectations don't change overnight. Germans put up with the higher noise and vibrations levels of inline fours because their annual vehicle license fee is based on engine displacement to depress the market for gas guzzlers (Germany has no domestic oil fields). Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are also high priorities for consumers. By contrast, American consumers expect to pay much less for their cars, their license fees are based on residual value and their fuel is dirt-cheap compared to Europe. Therefore, an engine option that is popular in one geography may not be in the other.

GM's previously rather weak Pontiac and Saturn brands are currently leveraging Opel platforms as a shortcut to revamping their model line-up. Regular car development had become something of an ugly stepchild in the US organization, which had focussed on higher-margin trucks and SUVs and got caught flat-footed when gas prices almost doubled. Unfortunately, GM is still saddled with inflexible truck production lines in the US and its beancounters are loath to write them off prematurely. Expect GM to proceed with some caution.

The US operations of Ford and Chrysler are in a similar position, albeit weaker. Mercedes has not announced any plans to bring its A- and B-class models to North America. Ford may yet end up talking to Renault-Nissan, in which case you could see some French flair in a future line-up.

The Astra (imported from Europe) for México is available with 2 engine options: a 1.8 L, 125 HP normally aspirated and a 2.0 L, 200 HP Turbo.
Previously GM México was selling here a different Astra imported from Brazil, but GM México received many complains from customers because of the poor quality assembly of the brazilian models.

Rafael:

Yearly license fee in US/Canada is about 50 bucks a year and is calculated as expenses of motor vehicle officials to maintain vehicle registration (differs from state to state). Residual value of vehicle is detrimental for comprehensive vehicle insurance, no more. Cars and trucks are considered to be a necessity for normal existence, not a luxury. For example, most states have provision to allow for severe drinking-driving offenders to have limited ability to drive to/from working place to earn a living.

Up level Opel Astra is well-respected performance car all around the world, notably in Australia. It is inherently safer (as being front-wheel drive), more agile, and fun to drive vehicle than 1.5 ton RWD (with traction control!) begemots fed to American market mainly by DC and BMW. And all the fun for half the price and half the fuel consumption.

I believe that GM made a strategic mistake for not introducing such car – already developed and accepted worldwide – to US market. Yes, it would not be a universal fit, but the same could be said about small GM econoboxes as current Chevy Aveo, widely sold in US/Ca. All in all, it is quarter billion vehicles market, and even a small niche could account for couple of millions of Astra’s.

Supposedly, Ford saved billions developing a bunch of their cars, crossovers, and car based SUVs on the CD3 and upcoming CD3-2 platform.

GM has been importing questionalble quality small cars to regain local market share. It did not work. They can't compete with Honda and Toyota (and many others) in that market sector.

Saturn has never realy taken off. Very few people will buy a second one. Improving its persistently pale image with Astra platforms and engines may and may not work. People associate Saturn with poor quality, especially the engines. Why not sell the Astra under its own name and do away with Saturn, if it doesn't sell. GM has too many cars for their diminishing market share.

Moving a major part of their production activities to China (and other low labour cost countries) and closing most USA plants may be a way to survive (if it is not already too late). The status quo would take them into receivership within 2 or 3 years.

Rafael:

I agree with you on most of what you said with one exception. Competition will come from China and India, not so much from Japan, except for the short term (10 or 15 years)

Historically China and India had the largest population and the largest share of the world Gross Product (WGP).

Two thousand years ago and up to around 1500, those 2 countries had 60% of the world gross product (WGP).

By 1870, with 48% of the world population their economic share had droped to about 30% of the gross world product (WGP)(British Empire etc)

By 2005 they had droped to 6.8% (market price) or about 23% (adjusted for buying power) (American Empire etc)

With yearly economic growth rates between 8% and 10%, China and India will regain their rightful economic place by 2050 or before.

By 2025 they may produce the majority of the vehicle batteries, PHEVs and BEVs. Their economy may represent as much as 35% of the world's total.

China + India markets may surpass Europe + USA markets sometime between 2025 and 2050.

For GM to move the major part of their porduction activities to China and/or India may not be such a bad idea, especially if the major market growth is there.

"When will GM be bringing their 1.9L CDTI engines to the US?"
When monkeys fly out of my butt.

"the VW Golf RS32 features a 1.4L gasoline engine"
NO. R32 has a 3.2 VR6. You are thinking of the Golf GT.

Vauxhall/Opel/Holden Astra is sold here ... as a Chevrolet Cobalt / Pontiac Pursuit. It's the same thing underneath.

As freeze pointed out the R32 has a 3.2 V6. The GT has the 1.4 twin charged 4cyl with 170hp (not 200).