OREANDA-NEWS. August 31, 2010. GM Uzbekistan joint venture presented its new car Chevrolet Spark on 25 August at Uzexpocenter in Tashkent.

Spark is the seventh model launched at GM Uzbekistan’s automobile plant in Asaka, Andijan region. The production capacity of the new car is 50,000 per year, part of which will be exported.
GM Uzbekistan and General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology (South Korea) signed a contract on supply of equipment and machinery for the launch of Spark production in September 2008. In January 2009, the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan passed a resolution on the launch of the production of the new model in Asaka.

Despite the world economic crisis, Uzavtosanoat company, which unites Uzbek cars and parts manufacturing enterprises, and General Motors had decided to move forward with the new model, given the stable demand for low-cost cars and with the aim to expand the range of production.

Chevrolet Spark is a modern car with modernized exterior and interior. Its sharp forms break the traditional notion on the design of the city car, the producers say.

With safety bags and highly durable steel in the construction, Spark received the highest safety mark in its segment. The car received four stars during crash tests according to European standards EuroNCAP.

At the presentation of the Spark, GM Uzbekistan director general Shuhrat Yusupov said the national automobile industry, created on the initiative of the country’s President Islam Karimov, has become the symbol of the creative potential of the Uzbek economy.

Starting with models Damas, Tico and Nexia, Uzbekistan then launched production of Matiz and Lacetti, followed by upgraded Damas and Nexia. In 2008, the Uzbek car industry started working with a new partner and investor – General Motors. Production of Lacetti, Captiva and Epica cars under the Chevrolet brand was started.

The Uzbek automobiles enjoy high popularity both within the country and in foreign states. GM Uzbekistan exports cars to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. GM Uzbekistan dealers operate in 104 cities of the CIS. In May 2010, a new distribution center of GM Uzbekistan was opened in the Afghan city of Mazari-Sharif.

Uzavtosanoat representatives said they hoped the Spark would be especially popular among the young people, which prefer convenient and functional options of the economic class.