• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Sankar Radhakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan. 21

AUTOMOBILE major, General Motors Corp is to establish a research and development (R&D) and design centre in India very shortly. Disclosing this to Business Line, Mr P. Balendran, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, General Motors India (GMI), said the facility would, most probably, be located in Bangalore.

Mr Balendran, who was in the city for the launch of the new Opel Vectra, said the design centre in the new facility would use computer aided technology to develop solutions for the company's global operations. The new R&D centre, possibly the company's first such unit in Asia, will be a 100 per cent export oriented unit, he added. The company examined nine locations across the country, before taking a decision, he added.

He said more details of the project would be announced in a few weeks, including details of the likely investment in the project. The auto major already sources around $20 million worth of components from India every year, he added.

The company will also launch two or three more cars in India over the next few months, he said, declining to reveal further details.

When asked whether the new launches will feature other brands from the parent company's stable, Mr Balendran replied that the company is open to looking at all options. "You will hear about it soon," he declared. It is also working on a multi-utility vehicle, he added.

India is a very important market for the company, he said, pointing to the parent company's decision to invest around Rs 600 core in the Indian operations over the next few years.

The fact that India is the third country, after Germany and Japan, where the Opel Vectra has been launched is also testimony to the importance the company places on its Indian operations, he pointed out.

Commenting on the launch of the Opel Vectra in Kerala, Mr Balendran said the company hopes to sell around 50 units in the State in the course of the year.

There have already been several enquiries, he added. Marketing efforts for the new car, which is in the `D' segment, will be focused on television commercials, a few print ads and some road shows, he explained.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
GM to set up R&D facility in India

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line