GM India's New Engine Factory Completed

GM’s new Flexi-Engine engine plant in Talegaon, India, went into production on November 12th. This is the first GM plant in the world that can produce both gasoline and diesel engines. The plant costs 230 million U.S. dollars, and its initial annual production capacity is 160,000 units, and it can meet future expansion needs. The first production engines will be used in the small passenger car produced by General Motors in India.

General Motors India President and Managing Director Karl? Karl Slym said: "This initiative has opened up a new era for the development of General Motors in India. The new plant will be put into use to increase our competitiveness and meet the growing demand for GM. About two years ago, After we mass-produced the Chevrolet Spark and Chevrolet Beat mini-cars at the Talegaon plant, GM’s sales in India soared.”

On August 28, 2008, General Motors and the government of Maharashtra signed an agreement to build a new engine plant near the automobile factory. The plant broke ground in December 2008 and began trial operation in March 2010. The new engine plant complements GM’s automotive manufacturing plants in the Talegaon and Halol districts of Gujarat and the General Motors Technology Center.

General Motors India has been operating successfully for 14 years and has launched more and more Chevrolet brand models. Since the introduction of the Indian market in 2003, Chevrolet has become one of the fastest growing automotive brands in the country. In addition to the Chevrolet Spark and Beat, General Motors India currently produces several models, including the Chevrolet Captiva, Optra, Cruze, Aveo and Tavera.

GM is currently the fifth-largest automaker in India. In the first 10 months of 2010, General Motors India's sales volume hit another record, reaching 93,960 vehicles, an increase of 73% year-on-year. General Motors has set up 209 sales points and 205 service points in 178 cities in India. In order to further stimulate sales, GM began to expand the rural market in India. In February 2010, GM partnered with a Chinese partner SAIC Motor to set up a joint venture in India to co-produce and sell automobiles.