General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet brand is preparing to introduce 10 all-new or revised vehicles over the next 20 months, with hopes of increasing sales to three million a year, Associated Press (AP) has reported. Chevrolet, which accounts for more than half of GM's annual volume in the United States, sold 2.6 million vehicles last year, down from 2.7 million in 2001. Its U.S. market share to the end of November was 15.7 percent, up from 15.4 percent for the same period a year ago, AP said. The news agency said Chevrolet on Dec. 18 announced a new advertising campaign dubbed "An American Revolution" to support the launches and the campaign, which debuts on Dec. 19, includes television, print and outdoor advertising. "All of these vehicles provide game-changing design, innovative features and tremendous commitment to quality and technology," Chevrolet general manager Brent Dewar told AP, adding: "'An American Revolution' is about our confidence to produce imaginative, dependable products and compete with the best in the world." According to AP, the first new product is the all-new Malibu Maxx, which began production in December, to be followed early next year by the Colorado pickup, Aveo entry-level car and SSR roadster. Later in the year Chevy will launch the Equinox compact sport utility vehicle, Uplander crossover sport van and sixth-generation Corvette. A new premium small car, the Cobalt, will debut in the fourth quarter of 2004, followed in 2005 by a new Impala and the HHR, a blend of the SSR roadster and the 1949 Suburban, Associated Press added. AP noted that the product offensive at Chevrolet is not unlike GM's aggressive retooling of its luxury Cadillac brand in the past couple of years, an estimated $4 billion endeavour rewarded by sales up 8.3 percent to the end of November from the same period a year ago.
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