General Motors Corp.'s (GM) European division said Wednesday it expects to receive at least three bids from potential investors by 1600 GMT today for the group's European division.

A company spokesman declined to elaborate on any names of potential investors.

Italian automaker Fiat SpA (F.MI) plans to integrate GM's European, Latin American and South African operations into a global alliance with its own auto unit and Chrysler LLC.

Austrian-Canadian auto parts supplier Magna International Inc. (MGA) has also signaled its interest in GM Europe, but hasn't provided further details on its plan so far.

GM Europe comprises the core German Opel brand, as well as Vauxhall in the U.K. and Saab in Sweden.

A person familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that RHJ International (RHJI.BT), a European buyout firm with holdings in the auto-parts industry, has also emerged as a suitor for GM Europe.

German Economy Ministry spokesman Steffen Moritz said that Commerzbank AG's (CBK.XE) DresdnerKleinwort unit will collect the bids.

German chancellor Angela Merkel, and several ministers, didn't comment on potential investors following a meeting in the chancellery, having agreed not to talk to the press.

The German government is scheduled to hold a press conference at 1130 GMT.

Company Web site: www.gm.com

-By Katharina Becker, Christoph Rauwald and Andrea Thomas, Dow Jones Newswires; +49 69 29 725 512; christoph.rauwald@dowjones.com