GM sells more cars in China than US again

MSN ^ | 1/15/2014 | Joseph Szczesny

[South40]

Maker sells nearly 3.2 million units, which is an average of one vehicle every 10 seconds and almost 9,000 each day in China.

General Motors once again sold more cars in China than it did in the United States as the automaker and its Chinese partners shipped nearly 3.2 million vehicles to customers there, while predicting further growth in China during 2014.

"We expect vehicle sales to remain robust in 2014, driven by ongoing strong demand across China for personal four-wheel transportation," said Matt Tsien, president of GM China. "GM will further expand our lineup of vehicles and services to remain in step with our customers nationwide," Tsien added.

Supported by strong demand for all of their major brands, GM and its joint ventures sold a record 3,160,377 vehicles in China in 2013. Sales increased 11.4 percent from 2012. GM sold an average of one vehicle every 10 seconds and almost 9,000 each day in China. By comparison, GM sold a total of 2,786,078 vehicles in the U.S. last year.

[martin_fierro]

Chevloret Colvette

[South40]

lol!

[Pontiac]

GM sold a total of 2,786,078 vehicles in the U.S. last year

Well they will never sell me an Obamamobil.

[South40]

I have some very conservative Christian friends who would buy no vehicle other than a GM. They don't care when I call it Obama Motors. They love GM trucks, SUVs, and Caddis.

Far be it from me to tell anyone how to spend their money but I thought it important they knew what GM has become. They didn't care. I am not that loyal to any brand. But that's just me.

One of the best cars I have ever owned was a GM, a 64 Pontiac LeMans. But that was a far different time and a very different company.

[driftdiver]

And they have a lot of influence in congress. No wonder we are so China friendly

[Mark17]

I have some very conservative Christian friends who would buy no vehicle other than a GM.

Not this conservative Christian. I bought my first car in 1971, when I returned from Vietnam. It was a Toyota. I have never owned an American car, because I always thought their quality control sucked. I always figured, that if any company put profits above all else, quality control was the first thing to go. I did not want to spend good money for junk. However, in 2014, has their quality gotten better? I am almost afraid to try them.

[South40]

I drive an Audi. It's a great car. I also drive my fully restored 1969 Ford truck. I'll have that forever.

Thank you for your service and welcome home!

[BCW]

I take it china is reverse engineering these cars...and soon sales will drop...

[SeminoleCounty]

Since the Liberal Free Trader Communists have shipped so many jobs to Communist China...it was inevitable to Communist Chinese would buy more cars than Americans

Thank a Free Trader Communist

[lump in the melting pot]

They deserve each other

[Mark17]

Thank you for your service and welcome home!

Thank you kindly.

Regards to you and yours.

[vpintheak]

They ticked off Americans by stealing out money in the “bail out”.

[mikey_hates_everything]

For some reason, the Chinese love Buick.

[Zhang Fei]

“For some reason, the Chinese love Buick.”

---

It was the choice of China’s political and business elites prior to the Communist victory in 1949. There appears to be a fair amount of nostalgia involved, despite official propaganda belittling the pre-Communist era.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ieWewEHUkJrJatQM0AhwtutaZN8Q?docId=30cf8053-e341-419e-80aa-632aa457ef7c

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20080915/FREE/809119977

[longtermmemmory]

Olds was killed because the chinese like Buick better. (as a status symbol!)

[mikey_hates_everything]

So that’s why! Interesting. I only knew of Buick from locals’ preferences but I don’t think too many of them know the history. I never investigated it further. Thanks!

[Zhang Fei]

I only knew of Buick from locals’ preferences but I don’t think too many of them know the history.

I expect period dramas are an important factor in China's collective memory of Buick. Certainly people in the higher echelons of Chinese society know of the marque and its history in China. This is why Chinese bureaucrats insisted on building Buicks when GM first approached them about assembling cars for sale in China.