General Motors are looking to capitalize on Thailand’s thirst for pick-ups by introducing the production of a new mid-sized Chevrolet truck in our neighbouring country. There are even plans to export said model to Europe and parts of South East Asia.
Accomplishing this, GM has secured loans from three Thai banks, though the company refused to say exactly how much it was, to boost production of its Rayong plant in Thailand.
The plant that already makes current Chevrolet Colarado pickups and Aveo variants, will boost output at the factory to more than 80,000 units according to Martin Apfel, executive director for GM’s Southeast Asian operations. This new pickup truck might be the new pickup that was found in patent filing recently (refer to photo above).
“The logical consequence is to build where the customer wants it, as that keeps your costs down. Thailand and Brazil are the two centres of gravity for mid-sized trucks,” Apfel said.
Manufacturing of the new model will start once a deal to assemble trucks with Isuzu Motors Ltd expires. While they wait for that to happen, plans to build new diesel engine plant in eastern Rayong province are on track. The new plant will produce engines for the new truck. The plant is supposedly in its last stages of completion. Unfortunately Afpel declined to provide an exact timeline.
Truck production is part of GM’s plans of investing $467 million in Thailand while the Detroit automaker plans to sell 100,000 units of the new truck in the first year, with global production concentrated in Thailand and Brazil. Other plans for GM in our region include the reinstatement of a factory in Bekasi, near Jakarta which has been idle for five years. This would be for the production of a seven seat vehicle for local market consumption which would require about $100 million in investment.
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where was theopilus, do sumthin NOW;)
wOW, I am actually amazed by Chevrolet….
Actually there are many competitors in the market ranging from Japanese make like Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi….With players like ISUZU???
And now Chevrolet wants to compete as well…I foresee that the next few years….More 4×4 trucks will be released…..
Good. Chevrolet Colorado already beaten Toyota Hilux in Thailand sales. Now a mid-size pick-up truck, Navara will be the target.
The Chevrolet Colorado is the lowest-selling pickup in Thailand, and always has been.
The top spot is always a fight between Toyota and Isuzu, with Mistubishi and Nissan fighting it our for 3rd/4th, a Chev a daylight last place.
Great work our National Automotive Policy is doing……..
Last week was Nissan, today Chevy…….
We will expect more to come to Thailand or in the way round, to “cabut” from or not to come to Malaysia.
NAP again the very succesfull policy..indeed..
Nice Design!
But, something is missing !
Cool design.
What is advantage of new pickup trucks?
Which new system inbuilt in this new pickup trucks?