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| Get, set, go |
Calcutta, Jan. 30: General Motors India (GMI) will give a special thrust on its multi-utility model ? the Tavera ? following an encouraging response in the first seven months of its launch. Over 1000 vehicles were sold every month since June 2004.
The General Motors top brass hopes to garner a larger market share for the Tavera following the plans of Toyota Kirloskar Motor to phase out the Qualis in the same segment.
GMI has finalised plans to sell 22,000 Tavera units in 2005, a nearly three-fold increase from 8,417 vehicles sold during the seven months of 2004.
Apart from certain exclusive features, fuel efficiency of the Tavera, which clocked between 14 kms and 16 kms per litre of diesel during a 100-km test drive from Calcutta to Raichak, would be its unique selling proposition.
P. Balendran, vice-president (corporate affairs) of GMI, said the Tavera is the most fuel-efficient car in the MUV segment and is carefully designed and engineered for Indian roads. The model already has over 90 per cent domestic components.
The capacity expansion project of the company?s plant at Halol in Gujarat is almost complete. The plant will be able to make 60,000 vehicles annually on a two-shift basis from February against the existing capacity of 30,000. ?Depending on the market response, the plant capacity could be raised to roll out even 80,000 vehicles on a three-shift basis,? Balendran said.
GMI, which has already invested Rs 1,300 crore in plant and machinery, has clocked an operating profit in 2004. During the year, the company?s car sales grew by 73 per cent to 26,166 units against 15,155 units in 2003. The company has plans to spend Rs 80 crore in the next two months, Balendran said.
According to Balendran, GMI has set a target to sell 40,000 vehicles in 2005. While the Tavera constitutes more than half of the total vehicle sales plan at 22,000, the balance 18,000 will be equally shared by the Chevrolet Optra and the Open Corsa, Balendran added.