Through the course of 2019, SAIC-GM-Wuling completely renewed its Baojun brand with the introduction of a new logo, design language and nomenclature to improve its positioning in China. Starting this year, the General Motors joint venture plans to execute a similar but broader strategy with Wuling – which boasts the highest sales volume of any GM brand in the Chinese market.
GM Authority obtained several images and confidential information about an upcoming SGMW product plan that will involve the relaunch of Wuling, but as a global car brand for the first time in its history. At the moment, Wuling is only present in China and Indonesia. This is the most significant difference from Baojun’s renewal strategy, which is still exclusively marketed in the Asian giant’s home country.
According to our sources, the global launch of Wuling will be a gradual process that will begin this year and will feature an initial portfolio of three all-new vehicles – including an MPV, a crossover and a sporty compact car. This lineup will be independent from the rest of the products that the brand already offers in China, differentiating itself with an updated logo and a new design language.
The product plan slides show that the first next-generation model will be a new MPV called the Wuling Cetus, to be revealed in 2020. An official sketch of the model anticipates a refined design with much more modern lines than the multipurpose vehicles the brand currently offers, which are characterized by a fairly minimalistic appearance in line with its low-cost nature.
The second model of the plan will be launched in 2021 and is a crossover called the Wuling Ursa. Its sketch foreshadows an imposing and quite robust design, thanks to a muscular body complemented by striking moldings that give it a distinctive image. Finally, the first phase of the global range will be completed in late 2022 with the Wuling Sirius, a compact car that will showcase an all-new coupe-like roofline.
These three global Wuling vehicles are expected to use the new platform that the Baojun RS-5 debuted last year, an architecture developed by SGMW to drive the repositioning and expansion of its two brands. Although there are no details yet on the international reach of the renewed Wuling brand, with a drastically different image and commercial focus, it will be interesting to find out the regions that GM and its partners plan to cover with this new strategy.
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Comments
Yes! another Chinese product spreading worldwide. Imagine the model names; the Covid-19 convertible…..
The problem with driving a Wuling is you need to drive again an hour later.
I’m thinking there’s going to be a lasting aversion to anything “Made In China” for a while. Don’t support communist regimes! Boycott products coming from them!
Because of the tensions I doubt you’ll find it in N/A but I wouldn’t rule out S/A and Europe.
Are you leaving pharmaceuticals out of your boycott?
Fake Outrage!
Just buy a Cadillac, All are now made in America and the same people would get p!$$ed off.
More fantastic timing from Mary Barra and the GM team, what the world really wants is more chinese products now haha
This is the phase out of Buick. First, put all car classes under Chinese Buick under Wuling, then close the doors on Buick, worldwide. Why not, Opel is gone. Mary is on a role consolidating GM. My thing is, what about GMC after Buick leaves?
– Wuling sounds close to “Wuhan”
– From afar, that emblem looks like a Bat
hahahaha, don’t do it GM, change the name or something. xD
Seems Mary believes her American Brands are “tainted” as they pulled Chevrolet out from Europe as a global brand a few years ago. Then sold Opel and Vauxhall. What is the thinking behind a completely new Chinese brand launched globally? I think its a fresh start so they can create whatever ideas about the brand they wish. That said GM is totally sold out to China….
GM sold more cars in China than they did in the US in 2019. China is their largest single target market.
You didn’t answer my question. Something with an established name and brand vs a blank slate… again, I think MB thinks her US brands are tainted. While China is GM largest market those products don’t have recognition outside of China. So regardless of the brand they’re starting at zero. That said, GM makes more on Chinese products as they don’t have the UAW over there, clearly their focus is China with a larger market and lower costs. The Communist Chinese are also focused on EV so thats why GM has 98% of their eggs in the Chinese basket…
xjung,
Doesn’t GM have to share their profits 50:50 with their Chinese partner? Isn’t that what the Chinese government requires? If so and I’m pretty sure I know the answer to that question then GM may not clear as much money as you suggest. Whatever they make in China, they only get to keep half of it. I’ve always thought the arrangement was unbelievably unfair where GM, for instance, brings all the technology, all the know-how and experience from building cars for a hundred years while the Chinese “partner” brings comparatively nothing and it’s declared a 50:50 joint venture. All profits then are divided equally and the Chinese firm is being taught the trade by one of the industry masters.
I’d like to know what GM clears per car in that scenario vs. in the US market with higher labor and environmental costs but I suspect they may still get more money per sale here.
Great comment. I know they must share technology but not sure of profits. Lets say they must share profits 50/50 too. They must make significantly more from these operations OR why export to the world from China vs USA. Thus my question is even more relevant… No question its been unfair business practices and that is how China has created its mfg economy. Lots of folks bust on Trump for his America First but ALL nations think of themselves first, especially China and thats why he’s been so tough on them. MAGA.
Ci2eye
The Chinese have 1.4 billion mouths to feed, and they are communist. They want to keep as many people working as possible. They aren’t that interested in profits.
GM doesn’t send all its technology to China. All of its larger vehicles are made in North America. What technology GM does send to China is paid for by GM/SAIC before any profits are split.
Wish the headline had been this instead:
GM Plans To Relaunch U.S.’s Pontiac As A Global Brand
I suppose GM thoroughly destroyed themselves in their home market with years of bad products and they know that. They know large swaths of the American population won’t even consider them. Whereas in China, they have a comparatively clean slate. They also know the US market is smaller and mature whereas China’s is rapidly growing. Nonetheless it would be nice to see GM act like they still cared about offering something other than trucks and SUVs in America.
I wish there were a resurgent Pontiac offering ‘exciting’ cars again. So many of their US brands, like Pontiac, are now gone, all the legendary GM models are gone, Buick is a China-focused shadow of its former self for Americans. It’s sad to compare GM in America circa 1980 with 2020. Back then it was a huge company that still dominated the US market. Today their focus seems to be on communist China and the US is secondary. Over there they’ve added brands. Here they’ve taken them all away.
Ci2eye
Wuling is GM’s budget brand in China. As it expands it will target the same buyers that: Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, KIA, Daihatsu, Seat, Skoda, Nissan, Dacia & Tata target.
Pontiac has a long history. When GM brings it back, it will be sold at the same dealerships that sell Buick, GMC & Hummer. It will offer the same level of product as Buick, GMC & Hummer.
its not coming back…
Xjug
Pontiac will come back, and GM of Mexico will be paying for it.
Peter G,
I like the way you say that: “When GM brings it [Pontiac] back…”. I hope you’re right but I don’t expect that you are. I think Pontiac is as dead now as Oakland, unfortunately. I don’t think any of GM’s defunct U.S. brands will be returning. In fact, I expect more to go. I can totally see Cadillac getting the ax too unless there is some miracle turnaround. Ruess has already said the electric strategy for Cadillac is their last chance; that tells us the company is talking about it internally but he’s convinced the Board to give ’em one last shot. And it’s the proverbial moon shot where they totally remake themselves into Telsa. That’s a giant mission they’re unlikely to successfully execute, not because they can’t but because we know GM will only half commit to it and partially fund it. Then, when it fails, they’ll bail. I know that’s a pessimistic projection but I’ve watched them long enough to know how they roll.
A future, further shrunken GM could move to a two brand portfolio in the US with Chevrolet at the bottom and a luxury tier of Buick/GMC at the top. Buick might move up a bit in pricing if that happens to become a global luxury brand albeit one still focused largely on the Chinese market. Unfortunately for Cadillac, Puyi, The Last Emperor of China, drove a Buick instead of one of GM’s more glamorous sedans adorned with the famous crest. That fact may eventually doom Cadillac.
I hope I have that 100 percent wrong but I don’t see a future GM with Pontiac back to tackle the youth market. I think GM has somewhat given up on the US market and has shifted their focus to what works best for China.
Ci2eye
Cadillac is not going away. If anything they will be adding more models and moving into more markets.
Pontiac bright colored sporty vehicles always sold better in warm weather markets. As Mexico’s economy grows, the Asian brands fail and the Germans really start jacking up their prices. The return of Pontiac is inevitable.
Toyota is a global brand. Be good to give them some competition. No matter which country around the globe you go to, you will see their automobiles.
Her plan is coming together. Selling General Motors to the Communist Party of China. It was nice knowing you, General.
I would rather see a Daewoo comeback worldwide, or simply Chevrolet as global.
Mohamed YC
Daewoo was a Korean car company known for building cheap unreliable vehicles. Why would anyone ever want to bring it back.
Chevy will go global, but as a slightly premium brand. Most of the vehicles in introduced in new markets will be long range electrics.
Chevy “was” global and is no longer global. So you’re saying GM is going global with a Chinese brand, then they do Chevy… why not just keep Chevy where it was… the company is rudderless and if that’s their model, its moronic…
And I love Pontiac but its dead…
Xjug
The Chevy that was dropped from European and a number of Asian markets wasn’t the real Chevy. It was Daewoo cars and dealerships that took on the Chevy name.
In its last full year, Pontiac sold 300,000 vehicles between the U.S & Canada. The brand never died. It was restructured out of existence.
GM will come out of this crisis in better shape than any other automaker. They will rapidly take back market share. They will need to bring back Pontiac just to keep traffic under control at Chevy dealerships.
Why was Daewoo making unreliable car? Daewoo used GM ECOTEC engines my father had a Daewoo Nexia that was good and reliable, and we still have a 2000 Daewoo Nubira and is still good.
Isn’t it nice of GM to give the Chinese the worlds RHD markets, the only factory gm car I can buy is from China.
Jason turner
Holden’s 2019 lineup was: Astra, Commodore ZF, Trax, Equinox, Acadia, Colorado & RWD Trailblazer
But Australian’s bought Toyotas, Mazdas, Hyundais, Mitsubishis, KIAs.
Well if Australian’s buy cr@p GM will give Australians cr@p.
GM should do market research why people buys Japanese cars and VW cars.