Friday, May 29, 2009

GM to build small car in U.S.



Well, looky here. So GM has issued a press release saying it's going to build a small car in the U.S. So much for another Korean-built Daewoo product, eh? Then again, how small is small? Are we talking Aveo sized? Cobalt Sized? Perhaps this is finally the news we're getting the Spark?

Below is the press release.

GM Announces Plans to Build Small Car in U.S.

* GM to utilize and retool idled assembly and stamping facility for future production.

* Additional production will help the company deliver outstanding new vehicles to the compact and small car markets and meet future fuel efficiency regulations.

DETROIT, Mich. -- General Motors Corporation (NYSE:GM) announced today it plans to build a future small car in the United States utilizing an idled UAW-GM facility. This vehicle adds to GM's growing portfolio of U.S.-built, highly fuel efficient cars including the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt.

"Small cars represent one of the fastest growing segments in both the U.S. and around the world," said Fritz Henderson, General Motors President and CEO. "We believe this car will be a winner with our current and future customers in the U.S."

The re-tooled plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually, which can be a combination of both small and compact vehicles. Selection of the site will be determined in the future.

"I would like to personally thank the UAW for agreeing to work with us to ensure our overall manufacturing competitiveness in the United States," said Henderson. "This vehicle segment, while important today and expected to be more so in the future, is extremely challenging. It takes a special effort by everyone to bring a domestically produced small car to market in a cost-competitive and profitable way - but that is what we are going to do together."

GM already has a strong manufacturing presence in the United States. Currently, about 67 percent of GM cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are built in the U.S. With this announcement, GM anticipates that U.S. production levels will increase beyond 70 percent by 2013, augmenting its already automotive industry-leading U.S. manufacturing footprint.


3 comments:

D2M said...

Question: Would they actually SELL the small care in the US of A? It seems to me a lot of the great little cars that are actually made by GM and Ford are sold exclusively in Europe and/or Asia. :-/

nlpnt said...

This could be the Spark; this story that I've seen in a few other places says it's a car that was originally slated to be imported from China.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/uaw_chief_says_gm_will_make_su.html

D2M said...

Yeah, I read about this in my newspaper today. They were saying it might be the Spark too. Well, if the dollar stays weak again other currencies it might be a good idea. ^^;