HomeCar NewsMary Barra meets PM Modi: Reveals Chevrolet Trailblazer, Spin launch plans and...

Mary Barra meets PM Modi: Reveals Chevrolet Trailblazer, Spin launch plans and new investments

In her second visit to India in less than 12 months, GM CEO, Mary Barra, met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In her meeting with PM Modi, Mary Barra confirmed additional investment of $1 billion (Rs 6,400 crores) in India by 2020. (GM India has already invested $1 billion in the country, this new investment will take their total investment to $2 billion).

Under this new investment, GM India will launch at least 10 new locally made cars in the country. The first of these cars will be the premium SUV – Trailblazer. At the event in Delhi this afternoon, Mary Barra also confirmed that the Chevrolet Trailblazer will be launched in October 2015.

Once launched in India, Trailblazer will rival the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. It is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 23-28 lakhs.

Another car under this new plan to be launched will be the Spin MPV, which will happen early in 2017. This will be a three row 7/8 seater full sized MPV, which will compete with the likes of Maruti Ertiga, Honda Mobilio, and Renault Lodgy. Expect Chevrolet Spin MPV to be priced in the range of Rs 7-11 lakhs.

Chevrolet India will import Trailblazer kits from their unit in Thailand. On the other hand, we expect the Spin MPV to have heavier local content. This is because the company will be shifting their entire tools and equipment from Indonesian plant, which is now shut down.

After this, Chevrolet India will launch at least three new cars on a completely new platform. This will be in the form of a compact hatch, compact sedan and a compact SUV. All these three will be plying on Indian roads by 2020. They will also be exporting these cars to markets abroad, but not to developed countries like the US.

Speaking about their new investment, Mr Arvind Saxena, President and MD, GM India (who also accompanied Mary Barra in the meeting with PM Modi), revealed that this will create around 12,000 new jobs (direct and indirect). The new investment will also be used in improving dealer network, and providing world-class customer service experience.

The biggest chunk of $1 billion investment will go towards re-tooling and upgrading their Talegaon facility near Pune, Maharashtra. From the current 130,000 unit annual production capacity, GM India will increase the capacity to 220,000 units annually by 2025. 30% of this will be marked for exports. GM India will be shutting down their Halol plant near Vadodara, Gujarat by late 2016.

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