General Motors (GM) India will be rolling out its first diesel powertrain from its upcoming Talegaon plant in Pune by the fourth quarter of this year. ?This diesel engine has been specially designed for the Chevrolet Beat. These engines are in the 1.5 litre range and will be both in petrol and diesel variants. We will begin with diesel and follow it up with petrol engines in a week,? Karl Slym, president & managing director, General Motors India, said.
The powertrain plant has a capacity to make 160,000 units per annum. This is the first flexi-engine plant of General Motors worldwide where both petrol and diesel engines will be manufactured together. The company is seriously looking at powertrain exports. The plant will have an overall capacity of 3 lakh engines in the second phase.
Meanwhile, GM has tied up with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to enter the light commercial vehicles (LCV) segment. The first LCV from this partnership is likely to hit the road around 2011. The company would also roll out a passenger car from the same portfolio in 2012. ?In commercial vehicles, we are basically looking at three types. They are the small vans, pick-up vans and multi-purpose vehicles from the SAIC product line up. These vehicles would be in the one-tonne category, Slym said. The LCVs would be made at GM?s Halol plant while the Pune plant will make passenger cars. The company is modifying both the plants and is investing in equipment. In cars, GM SAIC will first launch an 800cc car and an entry-level, mid-size sedan from Wuling?s stable. Wuling is the local partner in GM SAIC?s Chinese operations. While the cars will be sold under the GM brand name, the company is yet to take a call and will decided on the branding based on market feedback for LCVs, P Balendran, vice-president, GM India said.
GM is also readying for the launch of its electric Spark which should be in the market by October.
