GM Expands Korea Design Center As Part Of Automaker's Small-Car Strategy
Over the weekend, General Motors opened their newly expanded GM Korea Design Center in Incheon, South Korea, doubling in size to prepare for new tasks related to the automaker’s overall plans for the small-car market via its Korean global hub.
Automotive News reports the $40 million investment — part of an overall $7.4 billion investment in GM Korea over the next four years — now boasts a larger virtual reality studio for greater networking with all 10 of GM’s global design centers, more studio space and clay modelling mills, an outdoor viewing area with three turntables for displaying new and potential vehicles, and new capabilities in interior and exterior design, including full upholstery facilities.
As a result of the expansion, the GM Korea Design Center is now the third-largest studio in GM’s portfolio behind those in the United States and Brazil. The aim behind the expansion is to help bring more international style to designs emanating out of Korea.
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Makes sense to put it there, there's a lot of heavy industry and manufacturing in Incheon. Koreans from other cities look down upon Incheon as dirty.
Funny how these things are. GM's design center and the technology they use in Brazil is, like the article said, second only to the US one. Now that the Koreans are getting more in this regard, it could be that there won't be the need for so much back and forth between Korea and Brazil for the development of small cars. FWIW, GM do Brasil is doing quite well with its new line of mainly GM Korea car line. So much so that by some accounts, taking out the light commercial vehicles, GM would be in first place in the Brazilian car market. I also see movement in the expansion of GM's motor plants. Could be that the old "Monzatech" engine, at least in the 1.8 version, is on the way out. Doing that, GM's cars in Brazil would become that more attractive.
Just another data point to bring up when someone defends the GM bailout as saving American jobs. How much did South Korean taxpayers kick in to the bailout?
You will find more and more GM jobs and investment will be going to Asia in general. A rapidly growing region.