Intro: After the Iron Curtain fell, General Motors first tried to enter Russia via a local JV in 1996, when assembly of Chevrolet Blazer SUVs began at the ElAz truck factory in 1996. Later Opel Vectra assembly was also tried but to no avail.
A joint venture with AvtoVAZ, resulted in the creation of GM-Avtovaz, which launched production of the Chevrolet Niva, a modernized Lada Niva in 2003. Later on a separate deal was made with Avtotor on local SKD assembly of various GM products from USA and South Korea.
In 2006 General Motors launched construction of its very own plant. While it is being constructed a smaller SKD operation was launched in September, 2006. The new plant will be completed in 2008. |
