GM Uzbekistan car output down 50% on year in Jan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- GM Uzbekistan, a joint venture of US$ automaker General Motors (GM) and Uzbek automaker Uzavtoprom, decreased its car output 49.8% on the year to 5,200 units in January, the state statistics committee reported Tuesday.

Of the total, GM Uzbekistan produced 2,382 Nexia cars, down 53% on the year; 1,696 Matiz compact cars, down 52% on the year; 470 Damas minivans, down 65% on the year; 175 Epica cars, up 16.7% on the year, and 25 Captiva SUVs, down from 200 units in January 2008. GM Uzbekistan also produced 452 Lacetti cars in January 2009; it did not produce Lacetti cars in January 2008.

In 2008, GM Uzbekistan’s car output increased 13.5% on the year to 195,038 units, it said earlier.

GM Uzbekistan was set up in 2008. GM holds 25% plus one share in the joint venture and has an option to increase its stake in the company to 40%. Uzavtoprom holds other 75%.