SAIC-GM, the main joint venture of General Motors in China, announced that it has just surpassed the historical figure of 20 million vehicles manufactured in the Asian country – the largest automotive market in the world since 2009. This important production milestone was reached on Wednesday, August 12, shortly after the company completed the same amount of total sales in the local market.
Founded on June 12, 1997 as a joint venture between SAIC Motor Corporation and GM, SAIC-GM is the company that manages the Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet brands in the Chinese market, as well as the OnStar telematics service. It currently has four manufacturing complexes in Pudong, Yantai, Shenyang and Wuhan industrial zones, comprising a total of 9 vehicle production plants and 4 powertrain plants.
The 20,000,000th unit made by SAIC-GM is a blue-colored example of the all-new four-seat Buick GL8 Avenir – the flagship variant of the full-size MPV marketed exclusively for China. The vehicle rolled off the production line of the Cadillac Jinqiao plant, the company’s most modern factory and one of the most advanced in the world. This plant produces all the Cadillac models sold in China today, in the following order: CT6, XT5, XT4, XT6, CT5 and CT4.
As such, SAIC-GM is the fourth manufacturer to break the barrier of 20 million units produced in China, each of which has set a new record this year. In February, SAIC-Volkswagen announced that it had surpassed 22 million vehicles manufactured and reaffirmed its position as the largest manufacturer in China. In March, FAW-Volkswagen completed its 20-millionth assembly, while SAIC-GM-Wuling announced the production of the 22-millionth vehicle on May 25.
By combining the figures of their respective joint ventures, we have that both GM and Volkswagen have manufactured more than 42 million vehicles in China and have the largest market share in the Asian country. For the past two decades, both manufacturers have been in a fierce fight for sales leadership in the world’s largest market, currently led by the German company and its partners.
During its 23-year history, SAIC-GM has strengthened its competitiveness by covering the entire commercial chain and progressively expanding the product line of its three brands. The company began manufacturing on December 17, 1998 with the Buick Regal, the first vehicle to leave the Shanghai South plant. In 2004, it introduced the Cadillac brand and added Chevrolet in early 2005.
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Comments
GM-SAIC makes excellent products. The 3.4 L V6 engine in my 2009 Chevy Equinox was assembled by them, and in eleven years only one part has failed: a spark plug that was replaced for free under the lifetime warranty. And that was a supplier problem.
Since they also assemble the Buick Velite hybrid and electric cars, I expect that new Cadillac Lyriq and other electric Cadillac models to be assembled at GM-SAIC for that local market.
Gee I wonder if China bailed out GM with tax payer money or Gm used any of our money over there without telling the USA tax payers. Can’t wait till we close off trade with China and lets see where GMs loyalty is -should only take a year or two.
My reply is exactly one year later and the SAIC-GM partnership is stronger than before. Cadillac will produce their first electric sedan , the Lyriq, both in the U.S. and China. That proves your guess as wrong. By the way, my 2009 Chevy Equinox still runs as new with no problems.
GM is closing is American factories and importing more junk from China. So much for keeping good paying jobs in the USA. That was GMs promise for the bailout 10 years ago.
The blame is the cheaper labor in Japan, South Korea, and China, so their products have the same quality for lesser prices. If you do your part promoting domestic sales over imports, GM will reopen local assembly plants. But if you don’t your next car will be an import.
What a shame GM in America can not operate as successfully
The reason is easy to see. The imports sell for much less cost. You can find a cheap four door sedan for less than $20,000. Does GM or Ford build any sedans for that price or less? That is your answer.
Unless the Feds stop or reduce imports, the average U.S citizen will not buy U.S. made products, and the U.S will continue to lose local manufacturing. At least in China GM still makes a profit and sells more.
So if your neighbor buys an import and you didn’t complain. then don;t cry later. At least my neighbors buys Fords (F-150, F450, Edge and Fusion). No one is protecting the U.S. market anymore, not even the POTUS!