General Motors may build Chevy Spark in idle factory
Ailing automaker General Motors just announced plans to build a future small car in the United States, utilizing an idled UAW-GM factory. This new sub-compact model will slot in under the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze.
The re-tooled plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually, which can be a combination of both small and compact vehicles. The General has not yet decided which of their newly-idled plants will be used for the new model.
It is speculated that, with the new popularity of fuel-efficient small cars, the Chevrolet Spark will be the likely shoe-in for the line-up vacancy. The Spark is a mainstay in Asian markets, and is currently nearing the launch of an all-new version. A U.S. Spark will likely appear in late 2010 as a 2011 model.
Currently, about 67% of GM cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are built in the U.S. With this announcement, GM anticipates that U.S. production levels will increase beyond 70 percent by 2013.
