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GM Holden today announced plans to export Global V6 engines to China. Two versions of the Global V6 engines will be fitted in the new Buick Park Avenue being built by Shanghai General Motors. The new engine export program is expected to be worth several hundred million dollars to GM Holden over the next few years.

The Buick Park Avenue, unveiled to media in Shanghai last night, will utilise both the 3.6L V6 engine and a unique 2.8L V6, both being built at the GM Holden’s state-of-the-art Engine Operations plant in Victoria.

The new Buick - which will be built at Shanghai GM’s Jinqiao plant - is the first vehicle to go into production outside Australia utilising the global rear-wheel drive architecture developed by GM Holden. The vehicle will have an exterior based on the Holden Statesman with the interior completely redesigned by GM China to suit the local market.

GM Holden’s specialist rear wheel drive engineering expertise has also been called upon to engineer the car to serve as a luxury limousine for rear seat passengers as distinct from the sports luxury, driver-orientated vehicle produced in Australia for domestic and export markets.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney, said, “The Buick Park Avenue is another exciting step in the worldwide adoption of the global rear-wheel drive architecture developed here in Australia and is a valuable export program for GM Holden in the world’s fastest growing auto market.

“Our engine export program generated over $570 million in revenue in 2006 alone and this will be a further boost to this key area of our business.

“With today’s announcement of these engine exports to Shanghai GM, our engine production plant in Victoria is supplying customers in markets as diverse as Italy, South Korea, Germany, Thailand, South Africa, Sweden and China.

“Australia’s role in the forthcoming Chevrolet Camaro for the US market, and now the Buick Park Avenue for China, underlines how Australian design and engineering expertise is playing a lead role in General Motor’s worldwide vehicle production.”