New Delhi, Jan 19, 2006 (Business
Standard): General Motors India
today presented three new cars to be launched
in India under the Chevrolet brand between
February and June this year. They are: premium
hatchback Aveo U-VA, premium sedan Aveo
and Optra SRV (sports recreational vehicle).
GMI, which is the Indian subsidiary of
world's largest auto company General Motors,
has under 3 percent of the Indian market
and will be hoping that the new models will
bring in volumes, especially the Aveo U-VA,
which willbe in the burgeoning segment populated
by the likes of Maruti's Swift and Hyundai's
Getz. Midsize sedan Aveo will compete with
the Honda City.
The company said it was looking to corner
10 percent share of the Indian market by
2010, when the size of the market projected
to double to 2 million. GMI is expanding
capacity at its Halol plant in Gujarat from
60,000 units to 85,000 units with an investment
of Rs100 crore.
GMI did not reveal the price or the technical
specifications of the new models but said
all three would come in petrol engine versions
to start with, having engine capacities
in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 litre.
Among the existing range of products in
the market under the GMI banner, the only
volume driven model is its utility vehicle,
the Chevrolet Tavera, that sells a little
less than 2000 units a month.