Following Holden's announcement that it would be sending long-wheelbase cars to South Korea last week (more here), the company has now revealed it will be supplying engines and expertise to China for GM's newest model addition: the  Buick Park Avenue luxury sedan.

The Park Avenue is the first vehicle to be produced outside Australia that uses GM's new global rear-wheel-drive architecture developed by Holden. The Carsales Network incorrectly predicted a Cadillac would be the first to use the architecture which underpins the VE Commodore. It is still expected that Caddy will use the architecture in future models, however.

The new Buick will be built at Shanghai GM's Jinqiao plant and utilise both the current Alloytec 3.6-litre V6 engine and a unique 2.8-litre V6. Both engines will be built at the GM Holden's Engine Operations plant in Victoria and exported to China.

The vehicle will have an exterior based on the Holden Statesman with the interior completely redesigned by GM China to suit the local market. The car will be fully built in China -- the Park Avenue is not a CKD operation, although GM Holden engineers and designers have played important roles in getting the model into production.

The engine supply agreement follows the multi-million dollar deal with Daewoo, South Korea last week and is a boost to Holden's plans for export, which is a "key area of our business", said GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney.

"The Buick Park Avenue is another exciting step in the worldwide adoption of the global rear-wheel drive architecture developed here in Australia and is a valuable export program for GM Holden in the world's fastest growing auto market.

"With these engine exports to Shanghai GM, our engine production plant in Victoria is supplying customers in markets as diverse as Italy, South Korea, Germany, Thailand, South Africa, Sweden and China," said Mr Mooney.

"Australia's role in the forthcoming Chevrolet Camaro for the US market, and now the Buick Park Avenue for China, underlines how Australian design and engineering expertise is playing a lead role in General Motor's worldwide vehicle production."

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