GM Poland: Chevrolet’s Possible European Production Hub

General Motors aims to set up a manufacturing base of Chevrolet cars in Europe to meet continuously increasing demand, Rzeczpospolita daily reports, citing GM CEO Dan Ackerson. The company is reportedly considering to invest €60 million at its existing plant in Gliwice in southwestern Poland, to produce Chewrolet Cruze cars using the same production line where the fourth-generation Opel Astra is built. Both models share the front-wheel drive GM Delta II platform.

In the first half of the year, Chevrolet sales in Europe increased 8% to 252 thousand units, while annual sales volume is expected to reach one million units by 2016.

The Gliwice plant was built in a record time of just 22 months and began producing components in April 1998. Just four months later, production expanded to assembling cars and when the first Astra Classic rolled off the line. It currently produces Astra H and Astra J cars.