As market share falls, Opel must get rid of dealers.

Opel will fire 400 German dealers as it tries to compensate for a lower market share.

The General Motors subsidiary will trim dealer bodies in other European countries where it is experiencing market share declines, said Jim Moloney, director of dealer network development at General Motors Europe in Zurich.

About 225 German dealers will be cut under Opel's Olympia turnaround plan initiated by CEO Carl-Peter Forster. That is in addition to 175 German dealers given two-year termination notices in 2000 and who will go this autumn.

Opel is cutting dealer numbers to bring its ...