General Motors Egypt
Encyclopedia
General Motors Egypt S.A.E. is a car and motor vehicle manufacturer based in Maadi
, Cairo
, Egypt
. The company's car factory is located in the 6th of October City and is one of the direct neighbors of the Egyptian German Automotive Company
. Despite its name, the company is not a part of the General Motors Company
, but only a joint venture
with the local importer and car dealer Al-Monsour Automotive Company
. Al-Monsour is the largest shareholder and with more than 1,000 workers the official owner and operator of the plant.
After eight years of successful cooperation with the U.S. American
General Motors starting in 1975, the dealer made a proposal to build a production plant in Egypt. So the company was founded in the same year. One year later, the plant was opened in an internal opening ceremony. At the official plant opening in 1985 the first cars rolled off the company's production line. The opening speech was given by his Excellency
and State President
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak
. In 1987, continuous production finally started. The company was at this time only active as an automotive supplier. The first product was the chassis for the Isuzu TF
which was assembled locally by another car assembler as the Chevrolet T Series
. In their own plant, production of the Chevrolet Mini Bus began, which was based on the same platform. In 1993, the Mini Bus was replaced by the Opel Vectra. In the following year, GM Egypt began the assembling of the CKD imported Opel Corsa.
In 1996 the 100,000th vehicle left the production plant. In the same year, GM Egypt was honored by General Motors as the best producer of Opel
vehicles worldwide, on account of the production quality of the vehicles. In the following year, the company achieved an annual production capacity of 24,225 units.
In 1998, two models were replaced by their newer generation. The old Isuzu TF was replaced by the new Isuzu Rodeo and the Chevrolet T Series was replaced by the identical Chevrolet Frontera. After 72 months of manufacturing of the successful Opel Vectra, GM Egypt improved the quality of the model and hoped this would achieve higher sales. The old model was now only faced as the new generation. For the exhibited posters and TV commercials participating in the American University Annual Advertising Competition, the GME was awarded with the bronze medal. ISO 9002 certification followed in 1992. In 2000 the Opel Astra was adopted to the model lineup which was an CKD assembled model also. A short time later, the production of the 200,000th vehicle was celebrated. In 2001, GME received its second certification to ensure a safe and healthy working environment in accordance with ISO 14001. In the same year the contract with the Al-Monsour Automotive Company
expired which was subsequently replaced by a new contract.
General Motors Egypt began the full manufacturing of the Opel Astra Sedan and Opel Corsa Sedan in 2002. The Opel Vectra was renewed to its current generation at this time. As import models the Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Optra was launched in the Egyptian market in 2005. New vehicles manufactured by GME are the models Chevrolet Crew Cab
and the identical Chevrolet T Series
. Their own production of the Chevrolet Aveo began in 2007 at the GME plant. One year later GME began manufacturing the Chevrolet Lanos in different luxury versions parallel to the sporty model versions from the Speranza
manufacturing. In 2009 GME began making the Chevrolet Captiva
, Chevrolet Cruze and the Chevrolet N200. The last of these is exported to South America
n markets. The import models since 2009 are the Chevrolet N Series
and the Opel Astra.
Maadi
Maadi is a wealthy suburb south of Cairo, Egypt. The town is home to the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Cairo American College , Lycée Français du Caire , Misr American College , Maadi British International School , the Cairo Rugby Club, and the national Egyptian Geological Museum.-...
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The company's car factory is located in the 6th of October City and is one of the direct neighbors of the Egyptian German Automotive Company
Egyptian German Automotive Company
The Egyptian German Automotive Company, or short EGA, is an Egyptian car assembler who is located in the 6th of October City. It is founded from engineer Mr. Samy Hanna and the former Daimler-Benz CEO Jürgen Erich Schrempp as an joint-venture to assemble vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz brand...
. Despite its name, the company is not a part of the General Motors Company
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, but only a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with the local importer and car dealer Al-Monsour Automotive Company
Al-Monsour Automotive
The Al-Monsour Automotive Company and Monsour Group is an importer and car dealer located in Alexandria, Egypt. The company was founded by Mr. Lotfi Mansour in 1975. The current company owners are the brothers Yusuf Monsour and Yassin Mansour. Yassin is the official Egyptian Minister of Transport...
. Al-Monsour is the largest shareholder and with more than 1,000 workers the official owner and operator of the plant.
After eight years of successful cooperation with the U.S. American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
General Motors starting in 1975, the dealer made a proposal to build a production plant in Egypt. So the company was founded in the same year. One year later, the plant was opened in an internal opening ceremony. At the official plant opening in 1985 the first cars rolled off the company's production line. The opening speech was given by his Excellency
Excellency
Excellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...
and State President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
. In 1987, continuous production finally started. The company was at this time only active as an automotive supplier. The first product was the chassis for the Isuzu TF
Isuzu TF
The Isuzu Rodeo is an automotive nameplate that was used by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu between 1988 and 2004. Isuzu has utilized the "Rodeo" name on two different vehicles—a compact pickup truck sold in Japan—and a compact SUV offered in North America.Prior to its establishment as a...
which was assembled locally by another car assembler as the Chevrolet T Series
Chevrolet LUV
The Chevrolet LUV is a pickup truck marketed in the Americas since 1972 by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors . All generations of the LUV pickup have been Japanese Isuzu designs...
. In their own plant, production of the Chevrolet Mini Bus began, which was based on the same platform. In 1993, the Mini Bus was replaced by the Opel Vectra. In the following year, GM Egypt began the assembling of the CKD imported Opel Corsa.
In 1996 the 100,000th vehicle left the production plant. In the same year, GM Egypt was honored by General Motors as the best producer of Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
vehicles worldwide, on account of the production quality of the vehicles. In the following year, the company achieved an annual production capacity of 24,225 units.
In 1998, two models were replaced by their newer generation. The old Isuzu TF was replaced by the new Isuzu Rodeo and the Chevrolet T Series was replaced by the identical Chevrolet Frontera. After 72 months of manufacturing of the successful Opel Vectra, GM Egypt improved the quality of the model and hoped this would achieve higher sales. The old model was now only faced as the new generation. For the exhibited posters and TV commercials participating in the American University Annual Advertising Competition, the GME was awarded with the bronze medal. ISO 9002 certification followed in 1992. In 2000 the Opel Astra was adopted to the model lineup which was an CKD assembled model also. A short time later, the production of the 200,000th vehicle was celebrated. In 2001, GME received its second certification to ensure a safe and healthy working environment in accordance with ISO 14001. In the same year the contract with the Al-Monsour Automotive Company
Al-Monsour Automotive
The Al-Monsour Automotive Company and Monsour Group is an importer and car dealer located in Alexandria, Egypt. The company was founded by Mr. Lotfi Mansour in 1975. The current company owners are the brothers Yusuf Monsour and Yassin Mansour. Yassin is the official Egyptian Minister of Transport...
expired which was subsequently replaced by a new contract.
General Motors Egypt began the full manufacturing of the Opel Astra Sedan and Opel Corsa Sedan in 2002. The Opel Vectra was renewed to its current generation at this time. As import models the Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Optra was launched in the Egyptian market in 2005. New vehicles manufactured by GME are the models Chevrolet Crew Cab
Isuzu D-Max
Isuzu D-Max is a pickup truck made by Isuzu. It shares the same platform with several General Motors mid-size trucks in the United States. These being the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and Isuzu i-Series. The Chevrolet Colorado name is also applied to a rebadged version of the D-Max in the Middle...
and the identical Chevrolet T Series
Isuzu D-Max
Isuzu D-Max is a pickup truck made by Isuzu. It shares the same platform with several General Motors mid-size trucks in the United States. These being the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and Isuzu i-Series. The Chevrolet Colorado name is also applied to a rebadged version of the D-Max in the Middle...
. Their own production of the Chevrolet Aveo began in 2007 at the GME plant. One year later GME began manufacturing the Chevrolet Lanos in different luxury versions parallel to the sporty model versions from the Speranza
Speranza Chery
Speranza Motors, Ltd is an Egyptian auto manufacturer based in Maadi, Cairo. It is a part of the Daewoo Motor Egypt which itself belongs to the Aboul Fotouh Group. The factory is located in the 6th of October City....
manufacturing. In 2009 GME began making the Chevrolet Captiva
Daewoo Winstorm
- 2006–2011 :Designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, the Captiva was launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta...
, Chevrolet Cruze and the Chevrolet N200. The last of these is exported to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n markets. The import models since 2009 are the Chevrolet N Series
Isuzu Elf
The is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu. Outside Japan it is known as N-series.The range was primarily available in Japan, Hong Kong and some other Asian countries, and since the late 1980s, also in the United States, Chile, Colombia , and Peru The is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu....
and the Opel Astra.