The new Chevy Spark Music. Did they really have to stick on those pink-and-blue graphics on the car for it to be considered ‘cool’…?

General Motors India (GMI) has launched a new variant of its small hatchback, the Spark. Called the Spark Music, the new variant is priced at Rs 3.27 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and comes with a 2-DIN, 4-speaker music system, new seat fabric, remote keyless entry, body-colour door handles, turn indicators integrated into the outside rear-view mirrors and some stick-on graphics…

GMI, which is looking at launching the Cruze sedan and a bigger hatchback that would take on the Maruti Swift and Hyundai i20 in India over the next few months, is not restricting its India game plan to cars alone...

GMI wants to bring the Cadillac CTS to India, to compete with the Germans

While General Motors India (GMI) did not have much success with the Opel brand in India, with Opel ultimately being displaced by Chevrolet, the company is now all set to try its hand at the luxury segment once again. No, Opel isn’t coming back. Instead, GMI is looking at launching cars from the Cadillac lineup.

GMI, which says it’s now also going to compete in the luxury cars segment in India, has shelved its earlier plans of bringing in Hummer SUVs and is now looking at cars like the Cadillac CTS, which would compete against vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz E-class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and other cars in that price range.

If it comes to India, the Cadillac CTS would be priced at around Rs 50 lakh ...

General Motors India has launched a new variant of its SUV, the Chevrolet Captiva. The vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox and is priced at Rs 20.30 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

With its 150bhp, 2.0-litre common-rail diesel engine and automatic all-wheel-drive (AWD), the new Captiva will take on SUVs like the Honda CR-V, Ford Endeavour and the Mitsubishi Outlander. GMI sold around 2,500 units of the Captiva last year and hopes to better than number in 2009.

On a greener note, GMI is also preparing to launch more LPG / CNG powered variants of some of its vehicles, the first of which is expected to be out in the market in the first half of this year.

General Motors India (GMI) plans to launch its used cars business – to be branded ‘Chevrolet OK’ – by the 15th of January next year. This will initially start with only 10 outlets, which will be part of existing GMI dealerships, across metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

‘We will provide customers with certified used cars guaranteed by Chevrolet. The cars will undergo a 110-point check-up and certification,’ says Karl Slym, President and MD, GMI. The organised used car market is growing in India, with many carmakers setting up their own used car business divisions.

Apart from launching Chevrolet OK, GMI will be introducing an LPG-powered variant of the Spark hatchback and a CNG-powered variant of the Aveo sedan between April-June 2009...

In stark contrast to its US operations, which seem to be serious trouble right now, General Motor’s Indian arm seems to be doing at least reasonably well. General Motors India, which has announced new investments of up to US$500 million in the country, is working towards setting up new car and powertrain manufacturing facilities, and hopes to be hiring 500 new employees in the second half of 2009.

General Motors has, in fact, decided to make India its powertrains development hub for the Asia Pacific region and given that this region covers countries like Australia, China and Korea, the decision seems pretty significant.

GMI, which already employs around 1,600 people at its engineering and R&D centre in Bangalore, will be adding more manpower and enhancing its technology-related...