The Hindu Business Line : GM India to launch `mini car' next year

General Motors India will introduce a "mini car", to be called the `Chevrolet Spark', in the first half of next year. The `B' Segment car will be "two generations ahead of the Matiz," and will be positioned alongside the Wagon R and Hyundai Santro and will be priced competitively, Mr Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director of General Motors India, told newspersons after inaugurating the company's second dealership outlet here in city.

Mr Chaba said the company had just launched the Aveo, which is the first Chevrolet product to debut in India in the first six months of 2006. The Aveo will be joined by the Optra SRV (Sports Recreational Vehicle) and the Aveo U-VA within the next few months. Towards this end, the capacity of the company's manufacturing facility in Halol, Gujarat, was being ramped up from 60,000 units at present to 85,000 units annually. While a total of Rs 1,200 crore has been invested in the Halol plant, an additional Rs 100 crore each was being spent on the introduction of the Aveo range and the capacity ramp-up at the plant.

GM vision

According to him, it was General Motors India's "vision" to manufacture and sell 200,000 units across its product offerings in 2010. In 2006, the company has set for itself a sales target of 50,000 units — 20,000 each of the Tavera and Aveo and 10,000 units of the Optra. In 2005, General Motors India sold 30,000 vehicles manufactured by the company.

Mr Chaba said that to be able to manufacture 200,000 vehicles, the company would have to expand its manufacturing footprint. A decision in this regard would have to be taken in the months ahead..

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