GM to Invest in German, Polish Plants

FRANKFURT--General Motors Co. (GM) will invest more than 500 million euros ($627 million ) in its German and Polish sites to build new engines and transmission products, its European unit Adam Opel AG said Thursday.

Opel said the U.S. carmaker will invest in its Ruesselsheim and Kaiserslautern sites in Germany and in its Tichy plant in Poland.

GM also reiterated its plans to build a new SUV-model at its headquarters in Ruesselsheim for which it is investing around EUR245 million, Opel said.

"These additional investments will help renew the brand's appeal and strengthen our position in Europe," GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said. "They are a clear declaration of belief by GM to Opel, to Germany and to Europe."

In September, Opel said it would cut production in Russia in light of weakening sales there. GM was banking on strong growth in Russia and recovery in Europe after six years of declining sales to pull the company's European business back into profit by 2016. Opel pulled out of fast-growing China to focus its resources on Europe and Russia.

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