Daewoo Damas/Labo (1st Gen) 1991-2005

The Daewoo Damas is a rebadged version of the Suzuki Carry produced by South Korean automaker Daewoo since 1991. It is currently in its second generation and is available in van and pickup body styles, the latter of which is marketed as the Daewoo Labo.

In some export markets, the Daewoo Damas was known as the Daewoo Attivo and since General Motors' takeover of Daewoo it has been known in some markets, such as Central America and Tunisia, as Chevrolet CMV for the passenger van (Damas) and Chevrolet CMP for the pickup truck (Labo).

The Damas and Labo both come with the three-cylinder SOHC 796 cc F8C engine rather than the smaller 660 cc units originally used in Japan, to provide more power and comfort. The engine was originally made for petrol but is recently only available in South Korea as an LPG-powered unit.

The Damas microvan is available as a 7-seat coach, 5-seat coach, or 2-seat cargo van styles and comes with various options based on DLX (deluxe) and SUPER models. The Labo is also available in STD (standard), DLX (deluxe) and SUPER models. Two main choices of the Labo body type are the cube van and the drop-side pickup truck. The pickup has an optional electric tailgate lift.

The Damas is the predominant form of public transport in Uzbekistan – so much so that other busses, such as Mercedes microbuses, are called "Big Damas". In Damas Marshrutkas, generally far more than 7 passengers are crammed.

Both the Damas and Labos are only available with a manual transmission. Air conditioning is optional. But the 0.8-litre engine hasn't got sufficient power to both carry cargo swiftly and deliver cold air from the aircon unit at the same time without struggling. The engine struggles and shakes (potentially leading to a stall) if you try both. However, for its purpose, the car is excellent, reliable, durable and nippy around town and outskirts, as long as speeds over 100 km/h (62 mph) are not required - beyond which the car becomes uncomfortable.

VIDAMCO of Vietnam produces the Damas in complete knock-down kit.

[SIZE="1"]Source: wikipedia.org[/SIZE]