A person familiar with General Motors’ plans to utilize one of its idled plants to build a new small car in the United States has revealed that the automaker will announce today that it will reopen its Orion Township, Michigan, assembly plant. GM had previously announced that it would idle the plant, which builds the Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Malibu, by September.
However, both the state of Michigan and the township, located about 40 miles north of downtown Detroit, have heavily lobbied GM to build the small Chevrolet Spark-based car at the plant.
The Associated Press cited a person briefed on the situation when it reported that GM will announce the decision to build up to 160,000 small cars at the plant annually, rather than at the automaker’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Janesville, Wisconsin, assembly plants.
06/26, 9:32 AM
posted by:
AutoCritical
I guess great for the job situation in the US – so where it is being built within is not too much of an issue?
06/26, 10:32 AM
posted by:
bdizzlefizzle
TN isn’t being as hard hit as MI, so this is a better overall situation for the US, but it’s a valid point. Someone had to lose here, so at least the plant isn’t in Mexico, Canada or Korea (where the rest of their small cars are being built).
06/26, 11:26 AM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
Oh wait, they’re actually going to build these cars in the US?
Is it sad that this fact shocks me?
06/26, 11:36 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
No, sad is the fact that this car should have been in showrooms yesterday and this is where they’re at.
06/26, 12:17 PM
posted by:
SHOspeed
We need this in michigan more then any other state in the country. This is very good new for us. I just makes since because the parts suppliers are here in Michigan. Im glad this is happening.
06/26, 12:20 PM
posted by:
Bubs Solo
Wow. Really Wow. This will be the only car from it’s class built in the USA. You can’t name another.
This may also be the most expensive car in it’s class as a result.
06/26, 5:09 PM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
I’ll give you that one johnny.
06/29, 11:32 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
If its as good or better than the Chevrolet Aveo then GM will have another dominating entry that will put another nail in the coffin of Toyota and Honda. Niether of which will ever compete with GM in engineering prowess. In a year or two the Civic, Corolla, Fit and Yaris cars will be in the junkyard and those owners looking for quality and relibility who have been suckered into buying junk from Japan will have an ideal vehicle to turn to. One that will last hundreds of thousands more miles than the POS import they just dumped.
GM. An American Revolution
06/29, 6:24 PM
posted by:
Ring-Taxi
Rental car companies are licking their cops! Thanks GM!