Eric Stevens, vice president of GM, said the new joint venture, General Motors Uzbekistan, would boost economic growth in the former Soviet state and provide GM with "a real opportunity" to grow in Central and Eastern Europe.

The venture set up between GM and Uzbek state car company Uzavtosanoat is based on an existing car plant in Uzbekistan and its planned annual production capacity is 250,000 Chevrolet cars.

The plant already started building Chevrolet’s Epica, Captiva and Tacuma models late last year. GM holds a 25% stake in the new venture and has an option to raise its ownership to 40%, AFP reported.