(Adds Sberbank statement.)

MOSCOW (AFP)--Russia's biggest lender, state-run Sberbank (SBER.RS), confirmed Friday it was bidding together with Canada's Magna International Inc. (MGA) and Russia's GAZ (GAZA.RS) to buy up German car maker Opel from U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp. (GM).

"Sberbank confirms its interest in taking part in the consortium to buy a part of the Opel car maker and is currently in consultations with its partners and the German government," read a statement quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.