GM Argentina
Written by Bill Bowman
General Motors Argentina, S.A. was established in 1925 in Buenos Aires to assemble GM vehicles using components shipped from North America. Initially, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Oakland passenger cars and Chevrolet trucks were assembled. By the summer of 1925, the plant was producing 1,250 units per month and in 1926, the 10,000th vehicle was assembled.
In 1929, the Barracas plant in Buenos Aires, was inaugurated and began producing Chevrolet, GMC, Opel, and Vauxhall trucks along with Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Oakland, Pontiac, Marquette, Buick, LaSalle, Cadillac, Opel, and Vauxhall passenger cars. In 1940, a new plant was opened in San Martin and besides cars, Frigidaire cabinets, batteries, metal truck cabs, and suspension components were produced. By 1941, approximately 250,000 vehicles had been assembled.
In 1947, vehicle assembly facilities were added at San Martin and, in 1959, construction began on an engine plant, press shop and administration building. In 1977, approximately 21,000 vehicles were produced by GM Argentina. Its peak production year was 1970 when 32,800 units were built.
GM announced in 1978 that it would discontinue vehicle production in Argentina and closed GM Argentina. In 1984, GM Overseas Distribution Corporation and Sevel Argentina, an Argentine manufacture owned by Fiat and Peugot, signed an agreement under which Sevel would assemble the Chevrolet C-10 pickup in Argentina using components supplied by General Motors as well as locally made parts. The pickup was introduced in the Argentine market the following year.
In 1994, GM formed a joint venture with Ciadea (An Argentine-controlled producer of Renault vehicles) to produce C/K pickups from CKDs (complete knock downs). In 1997, a new plant was opened in Rosario. GM acquired 100% ownership of Ciadea in July 1999, closed its Cordoba plant and transferred production to its Rosario Argentina and São Caetano do Sul, Brazil plants. Also in 1999, GMA and Suzuki Motor Corporation signed an industrial and commercial alliance whereby GMA distributes all Suzuki automotive products via the GM dealer network.
In 2003, the Rosario facility produced 45,166 vehicles. In 2006, the total reached 75,000. In the first half of 2007 General Motors Argentina’s sales were up 16%.
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