General Motors de Argentina
Corporate brand
UnclaimedArgentine subsidiary of General Motors that manufactures, imports, and markets Chevrolet vehicles.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
General Motors de Argentina is the Argentine subsidiary of the United States-based General Motors group. It has operated as one of the country's principal automotive manufacturers and distributors, with its corporate headquarters in Vicente López in Buenos Aires Province and its principal modern manufacturing complex in Alvear, near Rosario, in Santa Fe Province. In the Argentine market, its activities have been concentrated mainly on the Chevrolet brand, although the company historically assembled or imported vehicles associated with several other General Motors marques. GM's commercial presence in Argentina began before the local subsidiary was formally established. In 1922, local importers Hampton and Watson began bringing Chevrolet vehicles into the country. Early operations involved importing most components from the United States and completing limited assembly in Buenos Aires. General Motors assumed direct control of the representation in the middle of the 1920s, and General Motors de Argentina was established in 1925. Its first facilities were in San Telmo and later Barracas. The first locally assembled Chevrolet was the Doble Phaeton, marketed as the Campeón, which combined imported and domestic content. The company rapidly expanded its dealer network and product range, adding brands such as Oldsmobile, Cadillac, LaSalle, Pontiac, Oakland, Buick, Marquette, Opel, and later Bedford trucks. A larger plant in Barracas opened in the late 1920s, while a major site in the San Martín area was acquired before the Second World War and opened in 1940. That complex produced vehicles and components and also manufactured Frigidaire refrigerators. Wartime import restrictions disrupted production by limiting access to parts and temporarily forced a factory shutdown. Operations later resumed with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Bedford, and Chevrolet products. Chevrolet also became associated with Argentine motorsport, including the Turismo Carretera series; Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1940 Gran Premio Internacional del Norte in a Chevrolet coupe. During the postwar period, GMA moved toward greater local content. The San Martín plant was modernized in 1959, and the Chevrolet C/K Apache pickup became the first General Motors vehicle fully manufactured in Argentina. The Chevrolet 400 followed in 1962, and the Chevrolet Chevy, based on the Nova family, was introduced in 1969 as a rival to the Ford Falcon and IKA-Renault Torino. The Chevy became one of the subsidiary's most successful Argentine-built cars, with nearly 66,000 units produced between 1969 and 1978. The company also manufactured truck chassis, pickups, buses, and the Opel K 180, whose engine included substantial Argentine production. The business entered a severe decline during the 1970s. Falling sales reduced GMA's market share, while production fell sharply. The parent company reported substantial losses and closed the Argentine factories in 1978. By that point, the operation had produced approximately 195,000 cars and 207,000 pickups. Chevrolet products nevertheless remained present through licensed manufacturing agreements. Sevel produced the C-10 pickup in Córdoba Province from 1985 until 1991, after which General Motors returned directly to Argentina in 1994. The return involved a new investment program and a manufacturing plant at Alvear, Santa Fe Province. The facility opened in 1997 and initially produced the Chevrolet Corsa and Silverado pickup. The plant later became the base for the Chevrolet Agile, a regional subcompact developed within the GM Mercosur framework, and for later Chevrolet models including the Cruze. The Corsa family evolved into the Classic, while vehicles such as the Agile and Classic were eventually replaced by models produced in Brazil, including the Onix and Prisma. In the 2020s, the Alvear plant expanded beyond sedan production. The Chevrolet Cruze was, for a period, the only sedan fully manufactured in Argentina. Production of the Chevrolet Track…
History
General Motors' Argentine history began in 1922, when Hampton and Watson imported Chevrolet vehicles and assembled early units with mostly imported components. General Motors took over the local representation during the middle of the decade, and General Motors de Argentina was established in 1925. Its first Buenos Aires premises were in San Telmo, followed by a move to Barracas. The locally assembled Doble Phaeton, sold as the Campeón, helped establish Chevrolet in the market and was followed by expansion of the dealer network and product portfolio. The company broadened its Argentine activities beyond Chevrolet. It assembled or imported Oldsmobile, Cadillac, LaSalle, Pontiac, Oakland, Buick, Marquette, Opel, and other General Motors-related brands. A larger Barracas facility opened in the late 1920s, and production eventually reached tens of thousands of vehicles annually. In 1939, GMA acquired land in the General San Martín area for a new industrial complex. The San Martín plant opened in 1940 and produced vehicles, batteries, components, and Frigidaire refrigerators. Chevrolet also participated in the growing Turismo Carretera racing culture. Juan Manuel Fangio's 1940 victory in the Gran Premio Internacional del Norte in a Chevrolet coupe was an important early motorsport success for the marque in Argentina. The Second World War interrupted normal operations. Restrictions on imports caused shortages of parts, and the Barracas operation temporarily ceased production. After the war, GMA resumed manufacturing with Oldsmobile and Pontiac models, Bedford trucks from the United Kingdom, and Chevrolet vehicles. In the late 1950s, the company modernized the San Martín plant to increase domestic manufacturing. The Chevrolet Apache pickup, launched in 1960, became the first completely Argentine-manufactured GM vehicle. The Chevrolet 400 arrived in 1962, followed by the Chevrolet Chevy in 1969. The Chevy was positioned against locally important competitors such as the Ford Falcon and IKA-Renault Torino and became GMA's most acclaimed model of the period. Approximately 65,970 were produced from 1969 to 1978. GMA's position weakened during the 1970s. The Opel K 180, introduced in 1974, incorporated an engine produced in Argentina, but the company lost market share and production declined. In 1978, after reporting a loss of approximately US$30 million, General Motors closed the Argentine factories. At closure, cumulative production was reported at about 195,000 cars and 207,000 pickups. Chevrolet pickups continued to have a local presence through licensing: Sevel produced the C-10 in Córdoba from 1985 until the agreement ended in 1991. General Motors returned directly to Argentina in 1994. The renewed operation was built around a new plant in Alvear, Santa Fe Province, near Rosario. The facility opened in 1997, producing the Chevrolet Corsa and Silverado. The Corsa became one of the plant's most important products, with production reaching approximately 500,000 units by October 2007 and about 650,000 by March 2009. In the late 2000s, the regional GM Mercosur structure supported the Chevrolet Agile, a subcompact manufactured at Alvear. The Corsa evolved into the Classic, while the Agile and Classic were later discontinued and replaced in the market by models produced in Brazil. During the 2010s and early 2020s, the Alvear complex produced the Chevrolet Cruze and expanded into crossover manufacturing. The Tracker began production in April 2022 after previously being imported from Brazil. General Motors de Argentina now operates primarily as a Chevrolet manufacturing and distribution business, combining domestic production at Alvear with imported models, parts, dealer support, and after-sales services. The company's historical development reflects the broader Argentine automotive industry's shifts between import substitution, local-content manufacturing, licensed production, plant closure, regional integration, and renewed export-oriented assembly.
- 2022
Tracker production starts at Alvear
[1]The Chevrolet Tracker crossover entered Argentine production at the Santa Fe plant.
- 2008
GM Mercosur develops the Chevrolet Agile
[1]A regional GM initiative led to the development and production of the Chevrolet Agile at Alvear.
- 1997
Alvear plant begins production
[1]The new plant near Rosario began producing the Chevrolet Corsa and Silverado.
- 1994
General Motors returns to Argentina
[1]GMA restarted direct operations and developed a new manufacturing project in Santa Fe Province.
- 1985
Sevel begins licensed C-10 production
[1]Sevel produced the Chevrolet C-10 pickup under license at its Córdoba operation.
- 1978
Argentine factories close
[1]Following falling sales, declining market share, and reported losses, General Motors ended direct manufacturing operations in Argentina.
- 1969
Chevrolet Chevy launches
[1]The Chevy entered the Argentine market as a competitor to the Ford Falcon and IKA-Renault Torino and became a major local product.
- 1962
Chevrolet 400 launches
[1]GMA introduced its first locally produced Chevrolet sedan, based on the North American Nova family.
- 1960
Chevrolet Apache becomes fully Argentine-made
[1]The C/K Apache pickup became the first GM vehicle completely manufactured in Argentina.
- 1959
San Martín plant is modernized
[1]GMA refurbished the factory to increase fully domestic manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported components.
Products and positioning
Automotive manufacturing, vehicle distribution, and after-sales services for Chevrolet in Argentina, with a strategic emphasis on locally produced vehicles and regional Mercosur operations.
Passenger car · 1925
Chevrolet Doble Phaeton / Campeón
The first Chevrolet assembled in Argentina under General Motors' early local operation. It used a combination of imported and domestic materials and was sold in several body styles, helping establish the Chevrolet name in the Argentine market during the 1920s.
Pickup truck · 1960
Chevrolet Apache / C-K pickup
The C/K Apache pickup was a landmark in Argentine automotive manufacturing because it became the first GM vehicle fully produced in the country. Later C-10 production also continued through a licensing arrangement with Sevel after GM's first factory closure.
Passenger car · 1962
Chevrolet 400
Introduced in 1962, the Chevrolet 400 was GMA's first locally produced sedan. Derived from the Chevrolet Nova family, it remained in production until 1974 and represented the subsidiary's move toward domestic passenger-car manufacturing.
Passenger car · 1969
Chevrolet Chevy
The Argentine Chevy was based on the third-generation Chevrolet Nova and was offered initially as a four-door sedan and later as a two-door model. It was positioned against the Ford Falcon and IKA-Renault Torino and became one of GMA's best-known historic products.
Passenger car · 1974
Opel K 180
A mid-size model introduced in Argentina in 1974 and derived from the German Opel Kadett. Its powertrain included an engine manufactured in Argentina, reflecting the period's emphasis on local content.
Passenger car · 1997
Chevrolet Corsa / Classic
The Corsa was the first major product of the Alvear plant after its 1997 opening. It became one of the facility's most important high-volume models and later continued as the Classic in sedan and wagon forms. Production of the wagon ended in 2012 and the sedan in 2016.
Pickup truck · 1997
Chevrolet Silverado
The Silverado pickup was among the first products manufactured at the renewed Alvear facility, alongside the Corsa. Its production formed part of GMA's return to direct vehicle manufacturing during the late 1990s.
Subcompact car · 2009
Chevrolet Agile
The Agile was a regional subcompact developed through the GM Mercosur framework and manufactured at Alvear. It was introduced as a locally produced successor within Chevrolet's compact-car range and was discontinued in 2016.
Passenger car
Chevrolet Cruze
The Cruze became a significant later-generation product of the Alvear operation and, by August 2020, was described as the only sedan fully manufactured in Argentina. It represented GMA's continued commitment to domestic assembly during a period when several compact models were sourced from Brazil.
Subcompact crossover SUV · 2022
Chevrolet Tracker
The Tracker is a subcompact crossover that had previously been imported from Brazil before production began at the Alvear plant in April 2022. Its addition broadened the factory's role from passenger cars and pickups into locally manufactured sport utility vehicles.
Marketing campaigns
- 1940Chevrolet Turismo Carretera participation
Argentina
GMA supported Chevrolet's participation in the emerging Turismo Carretera racing series. Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1940 Gran Premio Internacional del Norte in a Chevrolet coupe, giving the brand an early major Argentine motorsport victory.
Outcome. The victory strengthened Chevrolet's visibility in Argentine motorsport and became an important part of the marque's local heritage.
Brand decisions
2022
Add Chevrolet Tracker production at AlvearProduct launchBackground
The Tracker had previously been imported from Brazil, while GMA's Alvear operation was broadening its product mix beyond sedans.
Action taken
Production of the subcompact crossover began at Alvear in April 2022 and was officially announced by GMA in June.
Aftermath
The decision expanded local crossover manufacturing and reinforced the continuing role of the Santa Fe plant.
2008
Develop the Chevrolet Agile through GM MercosurProduct launchBackground
General Motors sought a regionally developed compact product for South American markets and created a framework joining its Argentine and Brazilian operations.
Action taken
The Chevrolet Agile was developed and manufactured at the Alvear plant.
Aftermath
The Agile remained in the range until 2016, when it was discontinued and the Chevrolet Onix became one of the replacement products sourced from Brazil.
1994
Return to direct Argentine manufacturingStrategyBackground
After the 1978 closure and an interim period of licensed Chevrolet pickup production, General Motors sought to re-establish a direct manufacturing presence in Argentina.
Action taken
GMA initiated a new investment project centered on a manufacturing plant in Alvear, Santa Fe Province, with planned production for Argentina and Mercosur markets.
Aftermath
The Alvear facility opened in 1997 and became the core of GMA's modern manufacturing operations.
1978
Close Argentine manufacturing operationsStrategyBackground
GMA faced falling sales, a reduction in market share, and a sharp production decline during the 1970s. The parent company reported a loss of approximately US$30 million for the operation.
Action taken
General Motors closed its Argentine factories and ended direct local manufacturing.
Aftermath
Chevrolet pickups remained available through licensed production by Sevel, while direct GM operations eventually resumed in 1994.
Reported loss. (1978)
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/general-motors-de-argentina · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled