Fast emerging as a major export hub of cars of the Southeast Asian and South African markets, Chennai contributes 39% of the state’s GDP. Chennai accounts for 60% of the country’s automotive exports. The annual installed capacity of Tamil Nadu for cars is 1.38 million units; while the annual installed capacity for SUVs is 1.5 million units and for commercial vehicles is 3,61,000 units.
The state translates an output of 3 cars every minute and 1 commercial vehicle every 75 seconds. In 2010-11, 35 per cent of India’s total automobile production was manufactured in Tamil Nadu. As per the latest FDI figures, Tamil Nadu stands at No. 5, attracting worth Rs.5,006 crore of investment in the April- December 2011 period.