GM China 1st Quarter Sales Rise 25%

[Ramair-WS6]

GM's January-March China vehicle sales rise 25% to 291,588

By Jane Lanhee
Last Update: 6:15 AM ET Apr 3, 2007

SHANGHAI (MarketWatch) -- U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. maintained its strong sales growth in China, posting a 25% increase in first-quarter sales compared with a year earlier.
GM said in a statement Tuesday it sold 291,588 vehicles in China in the January-March period, with sales particularly strong in March. The automaker sold 100,538 vehicles last month, helping to bring GM's first-quarter market share in China to an estimated 13.9%, it said.

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[give_it_all_]

Good job GM Any other manufacturers resylts for China?

[GotAWD]

as long as they keep selling more elsewhere like they are doing to keep ahead of the competition. GM will remain number 1.

[I-Love-Pontiac]

Wow...

I almost wonder if it's "cool" to have an American car in China.

[Lewie]

GM is still the largest auto manufacturer in China, correct?

[ronus20]

Wow, so GM is selling approx. 1/3 the amount of vehicles in China that they sell here in the States!? That's impressive.

[E. Haskell]

Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac

I almost wonder if it's "cool" to have an American car in China.

Maybe it's cool in the same way having a Japanese car is "cool" to many Americans.

[PRO_USA1776]

Maybe it's cool in the same way having a Japanese car is "cool" to many Americans.

not everyone thinks it is cool!

[AndrewGS]

Thanks, China! If only we could sell more US-made vehicles there to help ever so fractionally with the feakin' trade deficit. GM needs to truly turn Buick around in this country so North Americans and Asians would be proud to own a Buick. Use the brand's great history with modern vehicles in popular classes like they are doing in China.

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

Originally Posted by AndrewGS

Thanks, China! If only we could sell more US-made vehicles there to help ever so fractionally with the feakin' trade deficit. GM needs to truly turn Buick around in this country so North Americans and Asians would be proud to own a Buick. Use the brand's great history with modern vehicles in popular classes like they are doing in China.

Not rally.. most of these cars are Chinese made. Remember, China is a Communist country, at least, they pretend they are, and as such these are all joint-ventures...

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by Smaart Aas Saabr

Not rally.. most of these cars are Chinese made. Remember, China is a Communist country, at least, they pretend they are, and as such these are all joint-ventures...

I know, but I wish more we could sell more cars made here to the Chinese. China is cheating really, they are Communist but take to Capitalism when there's money to be made. The government owns everything but there are rich and upper class.

[chinamonty]

The Chinese are willing to import a lot more from the US. The US does not want to export the technology so in many ways the trade surplus problem is about what the US wants (cheap items as well). Of course its not that simple but you need to be aware of whats happening. Yes china is a communist country but they are letting the market dictate quite a lot more these days.
When you have spent some time here you realise that China has had two systems -Emporers/warlords who forced their will on the people and Comunism that purports to represent the will of the people on the people (dervied through congresses which are their version of parliament and are held at city, province and national level). It is hard to image governing China without imposing on the people (thats what governments do if your a democrat and the President is Republican then he imposes on you) -its what they have been subject to for a couple of thousand years and their culture still alludes to it.
I don't know why you think the government own everything. A lot of companies are listed on stock exchanges and this diluted severely the government ownership. Like most countries there are industries that are only allowed to be Government owned but these are few. Peeple here "bought" their appartments on 75 year basis. This has now been changed to basically an inperpetuity deal so although their land is still technically owned by the people (not the government) they have security -this is really not fundermentally diferent to Australia. If the Governemnt want your land they pay you a "fair market value" and they take it (subject to appeals of coruse) same thing here.

[asim]

Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac

Wow...

I almost wonder if it's "cool" to have an American car in China.

I think so. It is basically an import car for them, or a car with much overseas influence. American cars are THEIR exotic type vehicles. I am sure that a car like the Corvette is king in China.

[GM-Joe]

they're doing a good job there, yet in the u.s. you can't force a chinese person to drive a chevy, they'll only drive toyonda's, then wonder when they graduate from college they can not get jobs!

[gwwyjjliu]

Here's a breakdown by brand, as well as highlights from GM China's press release:

1st quarter sales:

Buick 82,195 up 25.3%
Chevrolet 41,144 up 19.0%
Cadillac 1,797 up 62.2%

Highlights:

Excelle (Daewoo Lacetti) remains the best-selling Buick

New Chevy Epica (Daewoo Tosca) is launching very strong, 3629 units sold in March, its first month on the market, with anecdotal reports of long waiting lists and some customers paying well over sticker price.

Minicar Chevy Spark (Daewoo Matiz) set 2nd highest monthly sales record of 4428 units.

Cadillac sales increase is due to the new SLS (LWB STS)