General Motors’ Hungarian plant in Szentgotthard (western Hungary) may supply Opel engines to the Russian joint manufacturing venture of AvtoVAZ and General Motors, the daily Nepszabadsag reported Wednesday.

The GM-AvtoVAZ plant may organize the manufacture of the Opel Astra T-300 car before the end of 2004, Interfax reported from Moscow.

The joint venture’s board is considering producing 15,000 Opel Astra T-300 cars a year. GM-AvtoVAZ was set up in the summer of 2001 by AvtoVAZ, GM and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). AvtoVAZ and GM each hold 41.5% in the venture, while the EBRD has a 17% stake.