GloboCars / The Next Century : Well Connected: GM’s Ties to the World’s Auto Makers*
The No. 1 auto maker, General Motors Corp. reaches around the globe under a network of equity holdings, joint ventures, parts-and-components supply deals and marketing and distribution arrangements. It sends technology to Taiwan, parts to Japan and shares ownership in a rental car company in Australia. The GM brand spans every continent but Antarctica.
1. AVTOVAZ Country: Russia GM supplies fuel injection, ignition and emission systems wiring for Avtovaz.
2. BERTONE Country: Italy Builds a convertible version of the Opel Astra car.
3. CHINESE AUTOMOBILE Country: Taiwan Assembles Opel Astras and markets GM and Opel cars.
4. CHRYSLER Country: U.S. GM has joint venture with Chrysler for research projects and another to make manual transmissions and four-wheel-drive components.
5. FIAT Country: Italy Provides some aluminum heads for some North American GM engines.
6. FSO Country: Poland Under joint venture, will begin assembling Astras later this year. Target capacity is 30,000 a year.
7. FORD Country: U.S. GM has joint venture with Ford for research projects, and with Ford, Toyota and Nissan owns 50% of Budget Rent-A-Car Systems in Australia.
8. FUJI Country: Japan GM supplies Fuji with battery cables used in vehicles built in Japan and the U.S.
9. HONDA Country: Japan Supplies auto bumper molds to GM in Australia. GM supplies parts to Honda, including batteries.
10. ISUZU Country: Japan GM own 37.5% of Isuzu. Each provides vehicles for the other to distribute. Isuzu stopped selling North American-built GM cars in Japan in 1993. A joint venture in Britain, IBC Vehicles Ltd., produces commercial vehicles and light trucks, some market throughout Europe by GM.
11. MITSUBISHI Country: Japan GM is supplying parts.
12. NISSAN Country: Japan GM supplies parts to Nissan.
13. RABA Country: Hungary GM holds 67% of the stock in a joint venture with Raba Magyar Vagon es Gepgyar. Astra assembly started in March, 1992.
14. RENAULT Country: France GM supplies axles and other components to Renault. GM sells Argentine-built Renault Trafic vans in Brazil, and Renault sells Brazilian-built GM models in Argentina.
15. ROVER Country: Germany GM’s joint venture with Chrysler, New Venture Gear Inc., has supplied five-speed manual transmissions to Rover.
16. SAAB-SCANIA Country: Sweden GM owns 50% of Saab Automobile. Also supplies some parts GM dealerships sell Saabs in Canada and Brazil.
17. SUZUKI Country: Japan GM owns 3.5% equity in Suzuki, and the two co-own a Canadian assembly venture. CAMI Automotive that supplies multi-purpose vehicles and small cars for sale in North America. Both companies assemble Suzuki’s Swift car in Venezuela.
18. TOYOTA Country: Japan GM and Toyota have two 50-50 joint ventures. In the U.S., New United Motor Mfg. Inc. assembles Corolla derivatives for each to market in North America NUMMI also builds Toyota pickup trucks. GM supplies parts to the venture. In Australia, the two companies established United Australian automotive Industries Ltd. to produce Corollas and Camrys and Holden’s Commodore cars for sale by each partner.
19. VOLVO Country: Sweden Joint venture combines Volvo’s North American heavy-truck operations with GM’s North American truck business. GM owns 24%. GM: (Includes Opel, Vauxhall, Lotus, Holden’s, Saturn)
* Excludes some smaller ventures and company relationships. Source: Ward’s Automotive International
