Daewoo Leganza: История и особенности корейского седана

The Daewoo Leganza is an executive car (E segment), sometimes classified as luxury large family car (D segment), that was manufactured and marketed by the automobile manufacturer Daewoo. The Leganza was available as a front engine, front wheel drive, four door, five passenger limousine and was succeeded by the Daewoo Magnus (V200) using a new version of the Leganza's platform. The name Leganza was a portmanteau of the Italian words elegante (elegant) and forza (power).

The Leganza (V100), along with Lanos (T100) and Nubira (J100) were central to Daewoo's effort to develop a proprietary range to replace vehicles previously licensed from GM. Daewoo turned to global consultants and suppliers in developing the three new lines. Under design direction of ex Porsche and ex BMW engineering chief Dr. Ulrich Bez, the Leganza was developed in just 30 months, using Daewoo's growing in house R&D network in Korea, Worthing and Munich along with other global consultants. Transmissions were provided by ZF and engines were sourced from GM Australia. The Leganza was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, using the themes developed for Giugiaro's 1990 Jaguar Kensington concept, which also heavily influenced the 1991 Toyota Aristo (sold as the first generation Lexus GS outside of Japan). Styling was also compared to the Maserati Coupé, another of Giugiaro's designs. Bodywork achieved a Cd of 0.32 Cd. Development of the Leganza began at the end of 1993, after work began on the Lanos and the Nubira, delaying the Leganza introduction in some markets. After initial research of the Leganza leading to development of a mid size executive car, further work on the V100 (prototype name) began. Styling took three months, the summer of 1994, aided by ItalDesign's offices in Kensington. Road tests began in May 1995, ended exactly a year later, and the Leganza was ready for production in February 1997.

Launched in 1997, the Leganza replaced both the Espero and larger Prince. Daewoo rapidly expanded their distribution network with the inception of new models, offering the Leganza globally. Daewoo placed special emphasis on developing markets, which involved the assembly of Leganzas in countries like Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Uzbekistan, in plants owned by Daewoo or under license agreements. Nevertheless, this concerned CKD or SKD assembly only. All Leganzas were effectively made at Daewoo's Bupyong plant in Korea. The Leganza was widely marketed as the Daewoo Leganza and as the Doninvest Kondor, a short lived version assembled by the Russian Doninvest corporation on Taganrog's TagAZ. It was poorly equipped compared to other Leganzas, and airbags were not an option. At the time it was launched, the Leganza was a bit longer than most mid size European or Asian cars, and was marketed as an inexpensive executive car in some markets.

In various markets, the base Leganza was offered with a 2.0L 4 cylinder engine, 5 speed manual, hubcaps, cloth trim and all the standard power options. It had an optional 4 speed, hydraulically operated transmission. Ride quality was poor, as was cabin noise intrusion. In 1999, Daewoo made revisions to the model. The automatic transmission was replaced by an electronically controlled automatic transmission. The engine was upgraded to a 2.2 L version (with the 2 litre model remaining in many markets), which boosted power from to , giving better performance, but increasing fuel consumption. The Leganza also gained standard 15 inch alloy wheels, anti theft alarm, and remote central locking. The suspension was revised. In 2001 Daewoo introduced the "Limited Edition" trim level with leather upholstery, faux woodgrain trim, and a power driver's seat. In 2002 offered the trim level again, adding an anti theft alarm, alloy wheels and remote locking.

The Leganza was a front wheel drive car, available with a four door sedan body only. The Leganza was powered by Holden sourced D TEC DOHC 16V I4 engines (two displacements were made using the same block and bore, differing in stroke):
2.0 L (1998 cc) – at 5,400 rpm, at 4,600 rpm of torque – used in models sold in Europe. 2.2 L (2198 cc) – at 5,200 rpm, at 2,800 rpm of torque – used mainly for the American and Australian market. Both engines came with either a 5 speed manual transmission, or a 4 speed automatic.

From 1997 to 1999, several electric and hybrid Leganza's were created in Korea. However, they all remained prototypes. Each of them was painted white. It has been accepted that the following Leganza in the picture is called 'Leganza NGV'. Only one copy was shown at the Seoul Motor Show 1997. The Leganza NGV became the (next to the prototype) Shiraz. The interiors of these Leganza NGV's were also modified and it was possible that they did not have a rear seat. On the larger photo you can see one of the electric Leganza's during an electric car show in Korea. It was a closed show and only a few people could participate in it.

Daewoo increased the wheelbase of the V100 platform by to develop a new model, marketed as the Daewoo Magnus (V200), which launched in 2000. Both models were sold side by side in South Korea, and the Leganza received a small update (front grille) in 2001. The Magnus has not been launched internationally until Leganza's demise in 2002, effectively replacing it. Daewoo ceased North American sales by then, and the V200 was released as the Suzuki Verona in the United States and the Chevrolet Epica in Canada. There was no successor in the United Kingdom or Ireland until the launch of the Daewoo Tosca under the nameplate of Chevrolet Epica in 2007.