GM to roll out CNG-fuelled 'Optra' in ten days

Chennai, Jul 6: Auto giant General Motors (GM) will roll-out CNG-fuelled 'Optra' in the Indian market in ten days, GM India Vice President P Balendran said today.

The CNG version would be initially launched in New Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat, he said at the launch of 'Chevrolet SRV,' a premium sportsback.

Eyeing the potential of compact car market in the country, he said the GM would come out with a ''mini'' car 'Aveo New,' comparable to Maruti Swift and Hyundai Getz, by March 2007. The 'Aveo New' would be initially manufactured at the company's facility at Halol in Gujarat.

Mr Balendran said the diesel version of Optra would also be brought out by the end of this year.

Stating that the GM was aiming at capturing ten per cent of market share by 2010, he said as part of the strategy, the company was planning to increase its capacity from 60,000 to 85,000 units by the end of March 2007.

He also said the company, which had a manufacturing facility in Gujarat, was looking at the possibility of setting up a new plant in some other state.

UNI