Posted by Rachel
This week, Lamborghini opened its first Brazilian dealership, located in São Paulo. The dealership is managed by Via Italia Group, a Brazilian-based company that specializes in luxury and sports cars. The company opened a showroom on Avenida Europa in downtown, and will also open a service and parts facility nearby.
Lamborghini cited São Paulo as the ideal location for its first Brazilian dealership because it is “one of the most modern and luxurious cities in South America,” and decided to enter the Brazilian market as a part of its global network strategy.
Via Italia Group was founded in São Paulo in 1996 and has become one of Brazil’s most notable sports car dealerships. They also sell Ferraris and Maseratis.
Posted by Rachel
Despite the fact that GM declared bankruptcy and is now partially owned by the US government, it will invest US$1 billion to create two new models of cars in Brazil, which will help create 1,000 jobs.
The Brazilian government recently reduced taxes on automobiles, which lowered the price of GM cars and led to a large increase in sales. The Brazilian part of GM is not owned by the US government, nor will the Brazilian-produced cars use American parts. Also, funding for the new project will be split between the company and Brazil-based loans. Though car sales in the US are lagging, June was the best-selling month ever for cars in Brazil, and auto companies are expecting high sales for the rest of the year.
The company plans to create new small and mid-sized cars at the Gravatai plant in Rio Grande do Sul, and production will begin in 2012. Though the majority of the cars will be for domestic sales, they may also export them to Mercosur countries and possibly other developing countries.
The investment is the largest GM has ever made in Brazil, as the company seeks to expand in growing markets. In 2008, GM sold 580,000 cars in Brazil, and company executives expect to sell 600,000 in 2009.
Posted by admin
There’s a lot in the news about cars in Brazil this week, so let’s take a look:
- Reuters reported yesterday that Toyota’s chief executive for the Mercosur region met with President Lula this week to discuss the opening of yet another Toyota factory in Brazil. Due to increased demand, the Japanese auto maker will open a new factory in Sorocaba, São Paulo, and will invest between $600 and $700 million in the project.
- The BBC reported last week that wealthy Brazilians have been snapping up bulletproof cars as a reaction to urban violence and theft. There are now an estimated 50,000 carros blindados, or bulletproof cars, in use in Brazil. It costs between $25,000 and $45,000 to outfit a car with this type of protection, and despite falling crime levels, 7,500 bulletproof cars were sold in the last half of 2007 alone.
- O Globo reported today that Brazilian consumers will soon be able to choose what car to buy based on how much carbon dioxide it emits. Based on a plan forged by President Lula’s new Environmental Minister, Carlos Minc, beginning in October every new car will have a sticker showing the levels of CO2 emissions from the particular make of car.
For full stories, click the links above.
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