New Chevrolet in Kazakh is ready
After opening its first Chevrolet assembly line in the country, General Motors plan to launch its first Kazakh-produced Chevrolet onto the Kazakh market next month.
The new assembly plant, together with a partnership between Asia Avto and GM Daewoo, was opened at the Asia Avto plant near the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. The opening ceremony was attended by Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
President Nazarbayev said that the “launch of the Chevrolet production line is a great achievement. These new competitive products will, I hope, both by price and quality win the Kazakh market and make it outside. The plant is a pioneer in the production of light vehicles in Kazakhstan and keeps developing. I support your venture”.
Chevrolet models Lacetti, Epica and Captiva, the first to be assembled by the line, were put on show in the Kazakh capital of Astana last weekend.
The number of units assembled by the line is expected to reach 1300 in 2007 and over 3000 in 2008, which are assembled from parts provided by GM Daewoo.
Kazakhstan’s annual vehicle sales exceeded 60,000 for the first time in 2006. This figure is expected to increase to 250,000 within five years.
Shares of General Motors Corp. rose 94 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $38.35 in afternoon trading.