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Daewoo Nexia
Manufacturer	Daewoo Motors
Also called	Daewoo Cielo Daewoo LeMans Daewoo Racer
Class	Subcompact
Body style(s)	3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback 4-door sedan
Platform	Daewoo T platform
Related	Opel Kadett (1984-1991) Pontiac LeMans (1988-1994) Daewoo LeMans

Nexia 5-door hatchback

The Daewoo Nexia (known worldwide variously as the Nexia, Cielo, Racer, Maepsy) was one of the first cars manufactured by Daewoo to be sold in Europe. It was also sold as the Asuna SE and Asuna GT in Canada, and sold as Cielo in India.

Launched in November 1994, the Nexia was available as a hatchback or sedan with a 1.5 8-valve or a 1.5 16-valve engine. There were various trim levels available; in the United Kingdom these were GLi (8-valve) and GLXi (16-valve) for the general public, with a 'Base' model available for large contracts, one notable buyer being the Scottish NHS. Unlike the Opel Astra, there was never an estate version available. European markets got 'lifestyle' trim levels; the Spain and Portugal badged their GLi/GLXi equivalents "Chess"; the Benelux countries kept the GLi/GLXi trim levels. It was also sold as the Daewoo/Pontiac Lemans in Korea and the USA from 1986 to 1994. FSO and Daewoo Automobile Romania still manufacture the Cielo.

Daewoo used the Opel Kadett 'E' (i.e. the 1984-1991 model, also sold as the second-generation Vauxhall Astra) as the basis of their Nexia. Before the Nexia/Cielo was introduced in 1995, Daewoo sold in the Australasian market the Daewoo 1.5i, which was a Kadett 'E' with only slight changes. The Cielo was thus (in effect) a facelift of this model.

The GLi had an average performance with a 0-60 time of 11.3 seconds and 85 bhp (63 kW). However, the GLXi upped the power to 90 bhp (67 kW) and the 0-60 time was reduced to 10.5 seconds.

The Nexia/Cielo ceased production in 1997, replaced by the Lanos and the Nubira. However, some stocks were available into early 1998 for some Continental markets.

• Opel Kadett