GM China sales rise 12% in January on strong Buick demand
General Motors, which lost its title as China's largest foreign automaker last year, said deliveries rose 12 percent in its biggest market on demand for Buick and Wuling vehicles.
Total sales rose to a record 348,061 units in China last month, the Detroit-based company said in a statement Monday. The automaker said Buick deliveries gained 16 percent in January to surpass 100,000 units for the first time, led by the Excelle line.
General Motors plans to spend $11 billion (67 billion yuan) through 2016 to expand production, with four new assembly plants boosting annual capacity to 5 million vehicles.
Last year, Volkswagen AG outsold GM in China and is now that market's No. 1 foreign automaker.
GM is under new local leadership, with Matthew Tsien taking over this year as head of China operations from Bob Socia, who retired.
In January, sales of GM's premium Cadillac brand tripled year-on-year to 5,741 vehicles, but Chevrolet sales fell 0.2 percent to 65,988 units.
Sales of Wuling vehicles, which make up nearly half of GM's China sales, climbed 13 percent last month to 163,886 units. The entry-level Baojun passenger-car brand said sales jumped 28 percent to 8,966 units.
SAIC-GM-Wuling, which produces Wuling and Baojun vehicles, is expanding its lineup this year. The joint venture will add a compact hatchback and a MPV to the Baojun brand, along with an SUV in 2015.
Last April, GM announced plans to introduce nine SUV models in China over the next five years.
General Motors plans to spend $11 billion (67 billion yuan) through 2016 to expand production, with four new assembly plants boosting annual capacity to 5 million vehicles.
Last year, Volkswagen AG outsold GM in China and is now that market's No. 1 foreign automaker.
GM is under new local leadership, with Matthew Tsien taking over this year as head of China operations from Bob Socia, who retired.
In January, sales of GM's premium Cadillac brand tripled year-on-year to 5,741 vehicles, but Chevrolet sales fell 0.2 percent to 65,988 units.
Sales of Wuling vehicles, which make up nearly half of GM's China sales, climbed 13 percent last month to 163,886 units. The entry-level Baojun passenger-car brand said sales jumped 28 percent to 8,966 units.
SAIC-GM-Wuling, which produces Wuling and Baojun vehicles, is expanding its lineup this year. The joint venture will add a compact hatchback and a MPV to the Baojun brand, along with an SUV in 2015.
Last April, GM announced plans to introduce nine SUV models in China over the next five years.
