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In the beginning, the activities were in the assembly of vehicles imported from the United States. After five years, GMB officially opened in 1930, its first plant in São Caetano do Sul � São Paulo. In 1958 began operating a second factory in Sao Jose dos Campos � São Paulo, officially inaugurated a year later by the then State President Juscelino Kubitschek. Decided to expand its product line, GMB launched in 1968 the first car of its Chevrolet brand in the country, the Opala, which closed its life cycle after 24 years, with more than 1 million units sold. Since then, it has stopped more than make successes of sales. In 1973 launched the Chevette, which has accumulated sales exceeding 1.2 million units, to be replaced by the Corsa in 1994, the first vehicle popular with electronic fuel injection. In July 2000 launched the Industrial Complex of Gravataí in Rio Grande do Sul, one of the world's most modern factories, where the line is produced and Celta, which receives visits from experts in manufacturing of vehicles from around the world who want to know the system's assembly model, which is done in partnership with suppliers of systems, installed within the industrial complex. The Celta was also the pioneer in the Brazilian market in the area of electronic commerce, becoming the best-selling model in the world via the Internet. Currently, the GMB sells the entire line Corsa, Meriva and Montana to truck in this way. In 2005, GM of Brazil in the Brazilian market sold a total of 365,259 vehicles, with a participation of 21.3% in Brazilian market. In specific segments in which it produces vehicles, SUV's, utilities and commercial light, their participation was a little higher, from 22.6%. The company's total production reached 559,345 units, considering the vehicles ready for the domestic market and exports and also the vehicles "CKD (completely dismantled). Exports of GM of Brazil in 2005 represented new record, reaching a value of US$ 1.6 billion, for the shipment of 114,994 units in "CKD" and 125,678 vehicles ready for some 40 countries around the world. The main market in the area of exports was Mexico, followed by Argentina, Venezuela, South Africa and other Latin American countries. Most gasoline powered vehicles in the Brazilian Chevrolet are flexfuel, capable of operating on 100% gasoline, 100% ethanol or any blend of the two. In the social area, the GM of Brazil focused activities through the General Motors Institute, which was created in 1993. Its mission is to rescue the citizenship of children, youths and adults from poor communities, which are located especially close to industrial plants of the company. Its shares are primarily in education. |