New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) General Motors India Friday said it will commission a 160,000-unit powertrain engine plant at its Talegaon manufacturing facility in Maharashtra by this year-end.

'This will be the first flexi-engine plant for General Motors globally wherein both petrol and diesel small car engines are going to be manufactured together,' the company said in a statement.

The auto manufacturer said the plant would be operational by November-December.

The commissioning of the plant will make the Talegaon facility, which has recently added the second shift of production, an integrated facility, said P. Balendran, vice-president, GM India.

The company registered 34 percent rise in sales for the month of August, selling 5,939 units. The increase in the sales was primarily driven by the Chevrolet Beat, Spark (both hatchbacks) and its sedan Cruze.

Sales of Chevrolet Spark stood at 2,481 units, while that of Chevrolet Beat at 2,475 units and Cruze at 724 units. The Talegaon plant manufactures the Spark and Beat brands.

GM, which has been present in the Indian market for the last 14 years, offers brands such as Captiva, Optra, Cruze, Aveo, Spark, Beat and Tavera. It has an another manufacturing facility at Halol, Gujarat.