GM engine plant to be operational by Nov

General Motors would roll out engines from its Powertrain (Engine) manfuacturing facility at Talegaon in Maharashtra by November second week, a top company official said on Monday.

This is GM's first flexi engine plant where both petrol and diesel small car engines would be manufactured together, General Motors India, vice president, P Balendran, told reporters in Kochi.

GMI had invested Rs 5000 crore (Rs 50 billion) in India so far and was deeply committed to the market, he said. Construction of the 160,000 unit engine plant was in full swing and the engines would be rolled out of the facility by November second week, he said.

The facility is at the Talegaon car manufacturing plant premises. This year Beat liquefied petroleum gas version would be launched and its diesel engine would be rolled out of Talegaon plant, he said.

GMI was targetting to sell over 100,000 units of cars this year nationally against last year's 69,579 units.

During the first six months of this year, already 68,000 units have been sold and the growth this year was over 80 per cent, he said.

In Kerala, the car maker was aiming sales of 3,000 units during August-September this year against last year's Onam festival season sale of 1250 units.

Announcing special schemes during 'Onam', he said the company has tied up with leading financiers, including State Bank of India, HDFC and worked out low EMSs for Chevrolet range of cars.

The Chevrolet Spark is being offered with free maintenance for 3 years, Beat comes with 3 years maintenance of just Rs 5,999, besides an assured gift voucher of Rs 1,000 and a daily draw of 32 inches LCD television for the winner.

About 60 LCDs would be distributed during the festival season in the state besides slashing of prices of various models during the two month period.

GMI produces the Captiva, Optra, Cruze, Aveo, Aveo U-VA, Spark, Beat and Tavera in India from its manfuacturing facilties in Halol in Gujarat and in Talegaon.