General Motors Corp said it has become the first overseas car
maker to sell one million units on the Chinese mainland this
year.
The milestone is a result of GM adopting a multi-brand strategy
and growing its lineup of vehicles in the world's second largest
auto market over the past 10 years.
GM didn't give specific sales figure for the whole year. Last
year, it sold 876,747 units on the mainland, a jump of 32 percent
from 2005 and outpaced the growth of the entire auto industry of 25
percent.
The one-millionth figure was marked when GM China Group
President and Managing Director Kevin Wale handed the keys to a
Buick Park Avenue to Zhang Jianping at Shanghai GM's corporate
showroom in Shanghai last Friday.
It took GM five years to boost sales by 10 times from 100,000
units in 2002 to one million units this year amid fierce
competition with rivals like Volkswagen and Toyota.
Detroit-based GM, the world's largest car maker, has a flagship
passenger car venture Shanghai General Motors with Shanghai
Automotive Industry Corp.
Shanghai GM now locally produces more than 50 models under the
Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet brands.
The company's lineup ranges from premier sedans, economy cars,
sport-utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles.
GM also operates a minivan venture with SAIC.
This year, GM introduced five new models including the Cadillac
SLS luxury business sedan, Buick Park Avenue premium sedan and
Chevrolet Captiva SUV.
GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement that GM
will continue to roll out new and upgraded models, with specific
engineering done on the mainland, to meet local needs.
GM also plans to invest US$250 million to build a GM Park in
Shanghai, including an alternative fuel research center.
The US car maker also plans to start making and selling a
gas-electric hybrid vehicle on China's mainland next year.
(Shanghai Daily December 25, 2007)
