General Motors India recently presented three new cars to be launched in India under the Chevrolet brand between February and June. The vehicles are the premium hatchback Aveo U-VA, premium sedan Aveo and Optra SRV (sports recreational vehicle).

GMI, which is the Indian subsidiary of world's largest auto company General Motors, has less than 3 % of the Indian market and will be hoping that the new models will significantly increase their market share. It’s hoped that he Aveo U-VA will be GM’s main hero. In India it competes in the same segment as the home-grown Maruti Swift and Hyundai Getz. Mid-size sedan Aveo will compete with the Honda City.

The company said it was looking to corner 10 per cent share of the Indian market by 2010, when the size of the market is projected to double to 2 million. GMI is expanding capacity at its Halol plant in Gujarat from 60,000 units to 85,000 units with an investment of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion). One hundred Indian rupees is equivalent to approximately $2.26 US.

GMI did not reveal the price or the technical specifications of the new models but said all three would come in petrol engine versions to start with, having engine capacities in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 litre.