Daewoo Maepsy retired. Claimed power for the earlier 1.5 was now only as South Korea had switched to using DIN ratings, but when the XQ arrived Daewoo once again used SAE gross and claimed . Between 1982 and 1989, 400,000 Maepsys and Maepsy-Nas were built. Production of the regular sedan ended in July 1986 when the Racer/LeMans was introduced although a version intended for taxi usage continued to be produced until 1989. A pickup truck version was also offered initially as the Saehan Max and later as the Daewoo Max from August 1979 to 1988. These have the 1.5-liter four, although Opel's
Daewoo Motors was launched, the first Daewoo model to be produced in their then new Kunsan motor plant. It was designed by the Italian-based I.DE.A Institute. In March 1997, the mid-sized Leganza followed, also designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, borrowing some styling cues from the existing 1990 Jaguar Kensington concept car. In 1998 one of Daewoo's best known cars was introduced, the Matiz. The design was again signed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on his 1992 "Lucciola" concept car, which was initially imagined as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento. This car became Daewoo Motor's best-seller for the next four years. In 1999,