GM launches new Chevrolet Aveo U-VA

The engineering centre of General Motors India here is fast becoming a ‘power train hub’ for the entire Asia Pacific operations of the company, GM President and Managing Director Karl Slym said here on Friday. The Bangalore centre has 1,600 staff and 100 of them are engaged in research and development, he said.

Speaking to reporters at the southern launch of the new Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, he said “no jobs are being cut; in fact we may hire 500 more hands before year-end, some for the Bangalore engineering centre”. The company planned to launch a new small car by the end of 2009, he added.

GM had plans to take the investment in India to $1 billion by 2010 and had invested $500 million so far, Mr. Slym said. The staff at Bangalore dealt with designs that matched consumer preferences and Indian road and driving conditions.

GM India’s new plant at Talegaon near Pune would increase the capacity to 1.40 lakh vehicles annually with additional capacity for making engines, he said. The dealer network was also being expanded to reach 200 by the end of 2008. Vice-President P. Balendran said, “Prices are likely to go up for all GM models by January, by 2-3 per cent.

The festival season discounts cannot continue; our bottomline has taken a hit”. The season, which usually saw a 25-30 per cent increase in sales, grew below 10 per cent this year, he added.