GM Commences Production Of Chevrolet Enjoy MPV In India
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On Monday February 4th, a Super Red Chevrolet Enjoy MPV rolled off the line at GM’s Halol manufacturing plant in India, marking the beginning of regular production of the previously-announced vehicle in the country.
But even though the Enjoy — which was expected to launch in India before the end of 2012 — wears a Chevy badge and will be sold in Chevrolet dealerships, it’s not really a Chevrolet and has no General Motors pedigree. Instead, it’s a rebadged Wuling Hongguang — a vehicle that enjoys moderate popularity in China. Wuling is one of GM’s Chinese joint venture partners in the Land of the Red Dragon.
The Enjoy follows the Chevrolet Sail (sedan & hatchback, replacing the old Aveo) as the second new nameplate introduced by General Motors to the Indian market in the last several months.
The GM Authority Take
On the one hand, selling a Wuling-engineered and Wuling-designed vehicle under the Chevrolet brand might seem like a smart business move that allows The General to enter new segments in India. Conversely, the practice might be viewed as sacrilege by brand purists (and those who have a preference for quality products, which the Hongguang is not).
How do you view the move? Talk to us in the comments below.
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This reminds me a lot of the Chevrolet Spin, developed by GM do Brasil, and which shall be manufactured also in Indonesia.
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/06/this-is-the-new-chevrolet-spin/
How much are both cars related?
As far as I know, the Spin and the Enjoy aren’t related. The former is 100% GM, the latter is 100% Wuling.
Once a brand sells junk in any country, ( remember the early days of Hyundai? Kia? ) it
takes 5-10 years for that stigma to wear off. I don’t think it’s a good move by GM and
I think they’ll regret it. Obviously, today China is the HOT market, and GM does
what it does to pacify the Communists. That told, I think GM can take a stronger
stance in China to force a more favorable result. People think we neeeeeeeed China –
but China also needs us very badly.
India is an emerging country – only a short way from it’s caste-system past
( and present still ) and traditional religious hangups. India’s economy is humming –
they are growing a middle class and with a population of 1 billion, it’ll be
a treasure trove for tiny cars first, and then some real profit-makers. Think light trucks,
small SUVs and even some compact-sized sedans.
Tata is king over there and just look at the sorry excuse for cars and trucks Tata
is selling. I don’t think anyone here could park a couple in their driveway and
expect some guy to shout gleefully, ” HEY, NICE TATAS! “….. OK, I went a long
way for that joke – but I think you know what I’m driving at.
Maybe one day all cars will be imported from all over the world, although to do so quality must improve. One market that has been untapped in Europe at least is the Kei car market that Japan & other countries such as India have, the marques would have to be carefully chosen (no upmarket brands) however budget brands could quite easily sell say a small hatch, mini MPV type, mini boxy MPV type & high MPV type (Suzuki Palatette) & many more styles & shapes. With Skoda upmarket & Lada, FSO & Yugo gone I feel there is a niche to set up manufacturing these in a developing European county under a European brand at a budget price.
Europe has wealthy countries such as England & Germany, yet also has middle & poor countries, with this in mind and also the worlds ageing population Kei cars make ideal transport for the infirm & elderly who may not care too much for image & performance. Obviously in order not to harm the prestige marque it needs to be kept a separate identity, but with the right budget brand, would surly sell.
This thing gets the new Chevy face but the SS doesn’t? What’s up with that?
Technically speaking, the Corvette and Camaro don’t have the traditional “Chevy face” either… given that the SS is part of that unique performance group, it doesn’t either.
The Chevrolet SS is a product of Holden, wholly owned subsidiary of GM company in Australia (see http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/02/holden-debuts-2014-vf-commodore-ss-v-might-as-well-call-it-chevrolet-ss/ ) and Holden is not yet fully aligned as badge-engineering mirror of Chevrolet, but its management seems to think of Holden as the source of the best cars in the world.
Think of the stories in the news last August about changes, ” that Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson apparently hopes will shift the maker to a more global focus – and help it eliminate the sort of ‘fiefdoms’ that have long stymied its efforts to become more efficient and competitive.”
See:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/08/forecasts-of-another-major-gm-reorganizing-suggest-a-more-global-focus/
@Observer7 With the exception of Ute and VF Sportwagon, Holden now is most definitely the “badge engineered mirror of Chevrolet”. It shares GM’s design and engineering functions on a global level, but for all intents and purposes, it is Australia’s Chevrolet. For instance:
Holden Barina Spark = Chevrolet Spark
Holden Barina = Chevrolet Sonic/new Aveo
Holden Cruze = Chevrolet Cruze
Holden Malibu = Chevrolet Malibu
Holden Commodore Sedan = Chevrolet SS Performance Sedan
Holden Caprice = Chevrolet Caprice PPV
Holden Trax = Chevrolet Trax
Holden Captiva 5/7 = Chevrolet Captiva (Sport/”regular”)
Holden Colorado = Chevrolet Colorado
Holden Colorado 7 = Chevrolet TrailBlazer
Holden Volt = Chevrolet Volt
That leaves the Ute and Sportwagon as the only models not available as Chevrolets outside of Oceania/Australia, but these may not live on past the VF generation of the Commodore range.
@ V8 Jon – ALRIGHT! LOL – Let’s go for that elderly and infirm market! 🙂
@ V8 Jon – I don’t think there’s enough profit in Kei – style cars for a
major U.S. brand to try to force it’s way into that still small market. In
Asia, established auto and motorcycle brands seem to have this
segment all sewn up – there’s already lots of competition. I can’t see
GM opening up some small Kei car manufacturing facility in Yugoslavia
or Slovenia and dealing with all the production shortages and labor
issues just to get into a tiny 550-650cc auto market.
There may be upside, but remember, Kei car damand is mostly in
Asian and developing countries – there’s not a lot of profit involved
and that’s what American ( or any large ) car company is interested
in. Daimler’s SMART division tried to sell a Kei-engineered SMART
in Japan as the only imported brand to offer one. They got their
butt handed to them and it became the worst selling import in
Japanese history!
No – I don’t think there’s any upside to anticipating a big ( tiny car )
demand in Europe and meeting it. Tata built the Nano, the world’s
most affordable car – and I think already established marques in
those countrys ( like India ) stand the best chance of succeeding.
The tuk tuk market seems strongly established there :).
I do think the slightly upmarket small sedan area is open for
competition in emerging markets like India and China. Go up one
-and-a-half levels from a Kei car ( not to be confused with Chrysler’s
“K Cars” of the 1980s ) with an affordable Corolla-type sedan.
U.S. companies can do over there what the VW Beetle, and then
Toyota ( “Toyopet” ) did in North America in the 1960s. In other
words, become the cheap, reliable four or five seat everycar
for those Chinese and Indian families who are getting a first
car. China and India do not just have needs for city cars as they,
like the USA and Canada, have large expanses to cover. As more
people over there experience prosperity ( they make nearly all our
goods ), they should move into markets where they feel a need
for a small reliable transport that, unlike a Kei car, can cover longer
stretches of road. Perhaps Chinese and Indian GM factories can
concentrate on that. ( ? )