The vehicle would be limited to emerging markets such as Russia, India, eastern and central Europe, South America and possibly even China. Engineering and production is to be handled by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. in Korea or GM’s division in Brazil. There are no plans whatsoever to bring the budget car to the US or other western markets.
Renault and its Dacia brand has been enjoying great success with its entry-level Logan, selling 248,000 units since its introduction in 2004. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn expects the annual sales rate to jump to one million units by 2009, a figure GM cannot afford to ignore. Toyota is also entering the low-cost car market, as is India's Tata, who plans to market a car for under US$2500.
Pictured above is a Toyota Endo with Chevy badging, our own highly inaccurate rendering of what a GM small car could look like. Or probably not.
Reader Comments
Fri Feb 23 2007 7:52 PM
NaBUru38 says
Current South American Chevrolet Celta is a redesigned Corsa B, which means it's ridiculously antique. This new global car is a serious need, the same way as Volkswagen, PSA, Fiat and Ford. VW is said to be developing one in China, PSA doesn't seem to point at this market with specific models but rather with old 206s, Fiat is waiting too much to replace the then-perfect but now-outdated Palio (with the 500 too small), and Ford is due to release a five-door long-wheelbase Ka for the South American market, which might be inadequate as well.
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