GM Invests $1.1 Billion. In Brazil

Marcelo de Vasconcellos
by Marcelo de Vasconcellos

GM is tired of playing third fiddle in the growth market of Brazil. Come on, being outdone by Italians and Germans? Gotta pay to play, so GM do Brasil announced a new investment package for operations in Brazil. That according to car site Webmotors. The money will be pouring in to the tune of R$2 billion or US$1.1b. GM corporate honchos said R$1.4 billion (US$777 million) will go to raise production capacity and modernize its plant in Gravataí, Rio Grande do Sul. The gaúcho plant now produces the Celta and derivatives. The objective, according to the suits, is to (finally!) retire the Celta line in Brazil and other emerging markets and substitute it with the Onyx family line. Will that get GM ahead?

According to my last post, the Celta family line (based on the first generation Corsa) is responsible for GM’s only 2 inclusions in the top 10. The best the only member of the Onyx line so far (the Agile) can muster is the 13th spot. I foresee a lot of cost-cutting (cheapening to be exact) at a moment when GM’s competitors in Brazil are actually improving their cars’ interiors (VeeDub’s new Gol and Fox, Fiat’s new Uno, Renault’s newish Logan, though Ford not so much).

GM predicts that with the new money, the plant will raise production from 230 thousand cars a year to 380 thousand. The rest of the money (R$600 million or US$333 million) will be applied to improvements to the São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo state factory and also to their proving grounds in Indaiatuba, São Paulo state. This investment will help GM renew all of its product line until 2012.

Not a moment too soon if you ask me. Right now, GM is struggling to hold on to its 20 percent market share and facing an onslaught of refreshed or totally new products from all competitors. How much GM will lose until the results of this investment comes true is anybody’s guess. Likewise: Where does GM keep coming up with this kind of money? And don’t let the Germans hear that GM has cash to invest abroad.

Marcelo de Vasconcellos
Marcelo de Vasconcellos

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  • Dr Strangelove Dr Strangelove on Jun 13, 2010

    Seems like the Olde GM is alive and well.

  • Stephen Kovaleski Stephen Kovaleski on Jun 13, 2010

    Add this to another reason I was against bailing out GM....Mismanagement, misrepresent and sell junk, will not admit it's junk and expect you to bail yourself out, ask the government for YOU to bail them out! Pay back our government with little interest, will not correct the problems or build more junk to replace the junk with bad P.R., send your bail out thanks and job overseas!

  • Master Baiter I'm skeptical of any project with government strings attached. I've read that the new CHIPS act which is supposed to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. is so loaded with DEI requirements that companies would rather not even bother trying to set up shop here. Cheaper to keep buying from TSMC.
  • CanadaCraig VOTE NO VW!
  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
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