Sao Paulo, Brazil - General Motors do Brazil has announced that the name of the new small car it is launching this year in the Brazilian market will be "Celta."  

GMB Vice President Jose Carlos Pinheiro Neto, who made the announcement today, said the new car is the result of the Blue Macaw project that was developed by GMB over the last three years. One of the main goals of the project was to produce one of the most affordable cars available in Brazil.  

The Celta will be produced at GMB's Gravatai Automotive Industrial Complex, located 30 kilometers north of Porto Alegre in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

While production already began there earlier this month, the complex will be officially inaugurated on July 20 in ceremonies to be attended by Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, various other Brazilian public officials, international news media, and GM executives and employees. 

(June 27, 2000)