GM to invest $890 mln in plant upgrades -reports

TORONTO, April 27 (Reuters) - General Motors Co [GM.UL] on Tuesday will announce an $890 million investment to upgrade five North American plants to build the next-generation engine for its full-sized pickup trucks, according to media reports.

The investment will create or allow GM to retain 1,600 jobs, the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press said.

The auto maker will invest $400 million at its plant in Tonawanda, New York; $235 million at St. Catharines, Ontario; $115 million at Defiance, Ohio; $111 million at Bedford, Indiana; and $32 million at Bay City, Michigan.

GM will hold events at each plant and release additional details at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

GM has applied for $14.4 billion in federal retooling loans to build more fuel efficient vehicles, the Detroit News said. (Reporting by John McCrank; Editing by Frank McGurty)