The president of GM Latin America, Jaime Ardila, confirmed production in 2018 in Brazil of a small SUV to replace the Chevrolet Tracker, while talking to reporters at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, regional outlets report. The new SUV will be based on the same platform as the Onix, reports say. The SUV replaces the Chevrolet Tracker, which had been imported from Mexico. However, GM believes sales can be higher with local production not limited by the quota on vehicles imported from Mexico to Brazil.
Significance: IHS Automotive forecasts the B-segment SUV will be produced at the company’s Sao Caetano do Sul facility, beginning in 2017. The plant already produces the Cobalt, Cruze, Montana and Spin. We forecast the model will see production reach 29,000 units in 2018. The plant’s output reached 169,000 units in 2014, though IHS also forecasts production will decline throughout the decade, as the Cruze is phased out. Despite the difficult climate in Brazil, GM committed to USD2.8 billion in investment by 2018, and in October said that the investment will exceed the original amount). We expect 2014 sales of the prior tracker reached about 14,000 units in 2014.
