Russian car maker OAO GAZ Group (GAZA.RS) will be an "industrial partner" in Magna International Inc.'s (MGA) bid for Germany's Opel, a GAZ spokeswoman said Thursday.

The spokeswoman said the group isn't taking part in the bid, but that its Nizhny Novogord-based plant could be used for assembling Opel models.

On Wednesday, General Motors Europe named Magna (MGA), RHJ International Ltd. (RHJI.BT) and Italy's Fiat (F.MI) as the three companies in the running to take over its Opel unit.

GAZ Group is Russia's largest maker of vans and minibuses and is based around 400 kilometers south east of Moscow.

It is controlled by Basic Element, tycoon Oleg Deripaska's investment holding.

Company Web site: www.eng.gazgroup.ru

-By Will Bland, Dow Jones Newswires; +7 495 937 8445; william.bland@dowjones.com