FACTBOX - Key facts of Fiat, Magna and BAIC Opel bids

(Reuters) - Germany on Tuesday called for the three bidders for General Motors' Opel unit to improve their offers, ahead of a meeting on Wednesday at which the government was expected to make a decision on its preferred bidder.

Italian automaker Fiat and Canadian-Austrian auto parts maker Magna are seen as front-runners to take over the unit of the floundering U.S. carmaker, with Belgium-listed private equity investor RHJ International also in the running.

On Tuesday, details emerged of a bid by China's BAIC.

Below are some key elements of their plans:

FIAT

Fresh from signing an agreement with Chrysler, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed plans to create a European auto giant. Marchionne has spoken out about Fiat's need to find a partner to gain the scale needed to survive the crisis.

Under the "Phoenix" plan, Fiat -- Europe's sixth-largest carmaker by sales in 2008 -- wants to combine GM Europe's Opel, Vauxhall and Saab brands, GM Mercosul (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) and GM South Africa with Fiat group brands Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and LCV.

Combined proforma revenue could grow to 58 billion euros (51 billion pounds) in 2010, and 65.3 billion by 2014, with recurring savings of 1.4 billion euros after 2015.

Fiat says the combined entity will need funding of about 7 billion euros over the next two years, assuming no cash or financial debt contributions from Fiat or GM. The plan will mean finding "another production mission within Fiat Group" for its Termini Imerese plant, and "another mission" for the Luton plant in the UK.