The distance from the only brand of GM to leaders increases, but Chevrolet is the best prepared for the future
Chevrolet seems to have come out of the game in the dispute with Volkswagen and Fiat for the leadership of the Brazilian market. Is it worrying? Not so much. I will try to explain with the data the peculiar moment of Chevrolet – or General Motors, since GM sells only one of its brands in Brazil.
Since the comparison is with Fiat, it makes sense more about Chevrolet; When it is with Stellantis (owner of Fiat and others), it makes more sense to talk about GM. The closing of April sales shows that Chevrolet was the only one of the top 3 to lose sales (-12% since March), while Volkswagen oscillated (+0.8%) and Fiat has grown a little (+6.9).
In just four months, Fiat already has twice the sales of Chevrolet: 153,494 against 76,130. Volks is in the middle of both, with 111,130. If we return to the pre-lip scenario (2019), the situation was exactly reverse. Chevrolet had guided for several years, with great success of Onix and Fiat was only third.
But from April 2019 to April 2025, Chevrolet sales collapsed (-47.1%), while Fiat obtained incredible growth (+40.8%) and Volkswagen had a slight fall (-3.5%). These data were published by the automotive consultant Marcelo Cavalcante de Lima In LinkedIn.
Well, in the face of this dramatic position exchange, is worried about the Governance GM? In my opinion, no. The loss of the GM volume in Brazil did not take place due to the refusal of the products, but from the decisions of Detroit and/or San Caetano do Sul, of arrest in the burdened factory (RS). And also because the focus of GM/Chevrolet has changed.
Now allow me to talk about GM, Stellantide and VW as car groups that must have an eye on fish (the local market) and another on the cat (Chinese car manufacturers). As immediacy, some GM managers may disturb, it seems clear that the US producer has taken another path in Brazil; The same that is traveled at high speed by Byd, to appoint only the most aggressive Chinese car manufacturers.
It is a different strategy of Volkswagen, which focuses total on the defeat of Fiat. But now, Fiat cannot be seen as a company. Although it is Stellantis’s milk cow, it has its strategy linked to the future of other brands, such as Jeep, Citroën, Peugeot, Ram and now also the Chinese Leapmotor. He will have to balance six dishes at the same time and the commercial services of the French duo, Citroën and Peugeot, shows that this is not easy.
The president of the GM South America, Santiago Chamorro, recently went to China and directly from the Shanghai Motor Show dressed as an influencers to show Linked in some details of Baojun Yep Plus, which reaches Brazil renamed Eviv Chevrolet. An electric car accessible to start disturbing Byd not to leave the future Lambuja EV market for the Chinese. Above the price range, by the end of the year, EV Chevrolet will also arrive, also electric.
Both are the result of the GM partnership with the expense inside the mega-agent that also involves Saic in the Joint Venture SGMW, bringing together the three producers. Fiat will not worry; It bets on the hybrid models of light (Mhev) and will also guide the non -impulseable hybrid segment that require few investments.
Volks does not even consider an electric future in Brazil. Their three attempts in the segment, for now, were paraded, with a very expensive and out of line golf golf, with an almost inaccessible ID and the ID icon. Buzz even more inaccessible. They are wonderful cars, but for the millionaires in Brazil.
As for GM, it is not only based on China. It also brings two large electric cars from Mexico, a country with which Brazil has free exchange. I tried the double blazer EV and Equinox EV. I can say that the last electric platform is one of the best in the world, because it offers a lot of power and a lot of flow – essential characteristics for Brazilian users.
“Ah, but this future will never come,” the skeptics will say. I wouldn’t be so sure. Even in Europe, competition with Chinese brands is already improving the local industry, segments sales have grown by almost 25% and several car manufacturers have urban car projects at affordable prices.
Although in Brazil the EV segment requires more time to settle, it will end up creating two very powerful niches. First of all, urban vehicles, which will grow a lot with the production of the byd Dolphin Mini in Bahia. At one point he will come. These cars will be adopted by drivers of applications, young people with another mentality on the use of the car and by those who mainly run in the city.
At the other end, high-tech cars with more powerful batteries will move a considerable volume of money, attracting families who buy higher cars, who can be ber or phev until many discover that pure electricity is much better than plug-in hybrids in almost everything, including maintenance and offer of fast roads on the roads.
In addition, while Chevrolet leaves its mark in this new world with four or five cars (the SilveraDo EV pickup), Volkswagen will play its car chips that Fiat has done for 10 years (such as the Toro pickup), which extends as regards Saveiro’s Life (2009), will focus on light hybrids also for its large renewal line (which has already started in Europe. Pada).
Those who go to the struggle of cars that will cross the 21st century will be the Leapmotor. Maybe Fiat does not use the Leap T03 platform for an electrical compact with its exquisite Italian touch? It would be a challenge, but it would be important for the best -selling brand in Brazil.
With high -value electric cars from Mexico and electric cars accessible from China, GM can position Chevrolet as a brand of the future in Brazil, but a future that has arrived. At the same time, it costs nothing to General Motors to bring Mhev technology from China which is already equivalent to the Chinese chevrolet and put it in its line of Brazilian products to contest the market with Fiat models.
For all this, I believe that Chevrolet could be out of the game right now, but it is certainly the volume that is more prepared for the future of zero carbon emissions, a theme that will become more popular because the climatic urgency shows that it is not a joke of a scientist. It is a fact. And the public will want to be on the side of the brands that understand it.
Follow the car guide on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7vh-pd0gey
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
