Bangalore: General Motors India president and managing director Aditya Vij on October 15 said it aimed to double sales of its vehicles to touch 16,000 units by December 2003.

"We sold about 8,500 units last year, this year we are targeting 16,000 units," Vij told reporters at the launch of the automatic version of its "Chevrolet Optra" car.

He said the company, which is increasing production capacity to 50,000 units at its plant in Halol near Baroda, plans to sell 11,000 each of its Corsa and Optra vehicles in 2003.

Vij said the driver for growth in cars in the country was the feel-good factor in the economy and a bullish stock market since the Maruti IPO (initial public offering).

The Indian car market is expected to touch 2.4 million units by 2011-'12, he said, with a CAGR growth of 10.5 per cent.

Vij said GM has sold over 2,500 units of Optra since launch in July and expected to sell an additional 5,000 units by December 2003.

PTI