The new engine export programme is expected to be worth several hundred million dollars to GM Holden over the next few years.

The Buick Park Avenue, unveiled in Shanghai last week, 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 programme for GM Holden in the world’s fastest growing auto market."

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

Mr. Mooney went on to say “our engine production plant in Victoria is supplying customers in markets as diverse as Italy, South Korea, Germany, Thailand, South Africa, Sweden and China."