GM Will Inaugurate Talegon Engine Plant

General Motors

will inaugurate its newly built engine plant at Talegon on November12th 2010. The new flexi-engine plant, is the first of its kind and can produce both petrol and diesel engines. The commercial production of the New Talegon Engine Plant will commence on November 1st of this year. GM has invested $230 million in this plant which has the annual capacity of 1.6 lakh engines.

GM's new engine plant will manufacture four engine variants. The first engine variant will be a 1 L engine that will power GM's Beat car. Beat will be the first car model to get a locally made diesel engine from GM. Chevrolet Beat diesel will be launched during the first quarter of next year. GM is planning to roll out a CNG-powered Beat in a couple of months.

According to P Balendran, VP, GM India, the company is yet to finalize the date for the launch of a diesel Spark. He added that the new GM Talegon Engine Factory will start producing 1 petrol and 1 diesel engine initially, which will likely be the 1.2 L petrol and the 1.4 L diesel. GM India has plans to launch 3 commercial vehicles and two passenger cars in the coming years.

One India