The Detroit based car manufacturing giant, General Motors Corporation, will sell cars in Japan under the GM banner for the first time ever. The decision came following sluggish sales of its cars in the country. To give a boost to GM car sales in Japan, the company has decided to recast its retail network in the country.Starting this week, GM will sell every Saturn model and some of its Chevrolet models through GM autoworld dealerships, according to Mr Mitsuru Sato, president, General Motors Japan Ltd.
GM will start with 13 autoworld showrooms and will expand the network to 100 showrooms nationwide in four years time. For the past 85 years, the company has sold almost all of its Cadillacs, Chevrolets and other GM-brand cars through Yanase & Co., a local distributor and has sold its Saturn sedans through a separate network.
In the revamped sales network, the US parent will have a greater control through which GM expects to boost its name recognition in Japan. GM's sales in Japan have been stuck in low gear for years amid complaints by US automakers that Japan blocks imports through excessive regulation.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.