For Release: 19 March 2014
Chevrolet Trailblazer finds new roads in Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa markets to welcome 2014 Chevrolet Trailblazer
19 March 2014 – General Motors (GM) announces the arrival of the 2014
Chevrolet Trailblazer to African markets. The Trailblazer, which is manufactured in
Thailand and is sold in key markets globally, is now available in Angola, Gabon,
Kenya and Nigeria for the very first time. In Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
the updated 2014 Trailblazer model range is being introduced with upgraded
specifications and enhanced engines to present an even more all-encompassing
SUV option.
Turning attention to Africa
Says Ian Nicholls, Vice President of Operations for GM South Africa and SubSaharan Africa: “In 2013 our African operations saw 167 000 new vehicles enter
the market, with the highest volumes seen in Egypt and South Africa. In Egypt, and
despite the challenging political and economic environment, we sold over 56 000
vehicles, accounting to a market share of 24.6% and representing a 3.6% growth
in volumes versus the previous year.”
The South African market yielded just under 63 000 vehicles in 2013, accounting
for a 9.6% share of the overall market and 19.5% share of the light commercial
vehicle market.
Continues Nicholls: “In our Sub-Saharan Africa region – those markets outside of
the South African Customs Union – our sales volume grew by 9.5% in 2013 versus
those of 2012, with growth seen in Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
Kenya, where we have 26% market share. Demand for new vehicles in Africa is on
the rise, the size of the automotive market forecast to grow from 1.7-million
vehicles in 2013 to well over 2-million by 2016. This will be driven by increased
urbanisation, a growing middle class and significant infrastructure investment.”
2014 is set to be an important year for General Motors in Sub-Saharan Africa
markets. 2013 saw the introduction of the new Isuzu pick-up – which is assembled
in South Africa – to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius, and in
February it reached left-hand drive markets including Angola.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer now follows hot on its heels, it being a key product for GM
given the growing demand by customers for SUV products. Trailblazer aims to build
on GM’s track record for serving local market needs with quality products, alongside
well-established supply and distribution networks, putting GM in a strong position
for substantial expansion across the continent from solid manufacturing bases in
South Africa, Kenya and Egypt – who serve over 300 dealer outlets on the
continent. All the players are positioned around ensuring that our customers get an
outstanding ownership experience.
“The investment of more than US$ 140-million into African operations since 2010 is
a clear signal that major opportunities have been identified and that we are
committed to building our business in Africa. There is no doubt that we are taking
the opportunity to grow our business on this continent very seriously, based not on
current market conditions but on future potential growth opportunities. Now is the
time to capitalise on this, and today’s launch of the 2014 Chevrolet Trailblazer send
out a strong message about our future intentions in Africa,” concludes Nicholls.
Ends
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30
countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastestgrowing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles
under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and
Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a
global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at
http://www.gm.com
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CONTACT:
Nandi N. Matomela
Sub-Saharan Communications Co-ordinator
General Motors Africa
+27 41 403 9215 (tel)
+27 83 929 8785 (mobile)
Email: nandi.matomela@gm.com
Website: www.gmsa.com