GM looking at keeping Opel, raising $4.3 bln-FT

DETROIT Aug 24 (Reuters) - General Motors Co [GM.UL] is considering keeping its Opel business in Europe instead of selling it by winning billions of dollars in aid from the U.S. and European governments, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

Under one potential plan, GM would abandon the German government brokered sale of Opel and raise about 3 billion euros ($4.3 billion) for Opel and its British Vauxhall brand, the FT reported.

The U.S. government, and European governments including Britain and Spain, would be the targets of the potential financial support for the investment, the FT reported.

GM representatives were not immediately available for comment.

GM's board of directors failed to name a winning bidder for Opel on Friday, leaving the future of the troubled unit undecided after months of negotiations with the German government.

Berlin has thrown its support behind Canadian automotive company Magna International but GM executives have said the alternative bid from Brussels-based bidder RHJ International (RHJI.BR) was easier to implement.

(Reporting by Soyoung Kim; Editing by Richard Chang)