GM to break even in Asia

GM to break even in Asia

DETROIT (Reuters): General Motors Corp., which lost US$243
million in Asia-Pacific in 1998, expects to break even there in
2000, Rudolph Schlais, the automaker's president of operations in
the region, said on Friday.

Stronger sales in Thailand, South Korea and Australia will
help the region bounce back, Schlais said during an appearance on
the weekly public television program Autoline Detroit.

He said South Korea is coming back the fastest, and Indonesia
should strengthen following presidential elections later this
year. Japan remains a question mark, he added.

Sales of Buick sedans, which started rolling off the line in
April at the new Shanghai assembly plant, have totaled 3,000 so
far and are running ahead of schedule, he said.

The Shanghai plant will begin manufacturing a minivan based on
the Pontiac TranSport next year called the W-Wagon. And in
Thailand, GM will begin manufacturing about 40,000 Opel Zafiras
next May.

GM's Holden subsidiary in Australia is working with Isuzu
Motors Motors Ltd. to develop a small car exclusively for the
Asian market, he said.