Chevrolet’s Brazil Plant to Hit Pause for the New Sonic: A Major “New Layoff” and the Return of a Familiar Name

General Motors’ facility in Gravataí, part of the greater Porto Alegre region, is gearing up for another production pause. Starting December 22 of next year, roughly 650 of the plant’s two thousand employees will be placed on mandatory leave. According to metalworkers’ union leader Valcir Ascari, this will be a so-called “new layoff,” expected to last anywhere from two to five months, with an option to extend it if needed. The pause will overlap with the plant’s usual year-end shutdown and the collective holiday break scheduled for January 5–16.

The reason for the slowdown is straightforward: the plant is preparing to launch an entirely new model — a coupe-style crossover that will join the Onix lineup and carry the Sonic name. GM confirmed the comeback of the Sonic badge in November. The upcoming model will share its platform with today’s Onix and Onix Plus but will feature a redesigned rear section and liftgate inspired by the Equinox EV. The updated design is expected to offer more cargo room than the current Onix hatchback.

Since opening in 2000, the Gravataí plant has produced nearly five million vehicles. It initially focused on the Celta and, beginning in 2012, shifted to the Onix and its sedan variant. Now the plant is preparing for its next modernization phase.