SAIC-GM, General Motors’ main joint venture in China, announced that the Buick GL8 has just surpassed 1,500,000 units sold in the Asian country – where the model is exclusively sold. The full-size MPV exceeded this sales milestone in the first half of this month and has established itself as a benchmark in the Chinese automotive market by being the pioneer and absolute leader in the segment.
Buick GL8 MPV sales exceeded the 1,500,000-unit barrier driven by the well-received upgrades introduced to the 2022 GL8 Avenir and 2022 GL8 Classic among customers in China. The entire Buick GL8 model lineup adopted a mild hybrid powertrain for the 2022 model year, which improves fuel economy and enables a more refined drive, in line with consumer demand.
2022 Buick GL8 Avenir Flagship
Today, the Buick GL8 nameplate encompasses a family of MPVs made up of three distinctive models. The range begins with the GL8 Classic – the third refresh of the second-generation model – followed by the GL8 ES as the standard version of the third-generation model, and ends with the range-topping GL8 Avenir that serves as Buick’s flagship in China. As such, there’s a version of the MPV to suit the various needs and wants of its buyers in the country.
2022 Buick GL8 Classic
The GM joint venture announced that from January to November 2021, cumulative sales of the Buick GL8 family amounted to 149,175 units, representing a healthy 9 percent year-over-year increase, with growing market demand outstripping supply. The third-generation GL8 ES and GL8 Avenir models accounted for nearly 60 percent of that volume, while overall, the GL8 led the segment in sales with 43 percent market share.
First launched on the market in December 1999, the Buick GL8 began production that same month at SAIC-GM’s Pudong Jinqiao plant, ushering in the full-size van trend in the Chinese market. Since then, the GL8 has progressively evolved in tandem with the automotive industry in China and raised its level of refinement by introducing the premium concept into the category.
Buick GL8 Flagship Concept
After a solid 22-year run spanning three generations, the Buick GL8 went from being a single experimental model to a family of full-size MPVs that add up to a total of 16 different versions between the three existing lines. In 2020, Buick introduced a flagship four-seat version of the GL8 Avenir that became the most luxurious production MPV on the market. The brand recently introduced the Buick GL8 Flagship Concept as a first preview of the future fourth-generation model that promises to raise the bar for luxury even further.
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Comments
And this is the market GM really cares about.
It is the only growing market.
Bringing a minivan here just would pad not sell. Like sedans they are fading away.
The pity is that GM extracts few profits from China even after selling a massive volume. J/Vs can be helpful but costly.
I’m suprised Gam doesn’t design most of it’s line up in China as a means of extracting more value from the joint ventures. To an extent the Pan Asian Dedign Centre is being used like Opel Russelheim.
It you understand the way the Chinese government controls things you would better understand.
Automakers have to partner with a Chinese automaker to do business in China. No out side automaker can own more than 49% of that partnership.
Then with China opening the doors has open ended the greatest growth for a stagnated world auto making market. Even at 49% few automakers can not afford to be part of this market. It is a major part of survival.
If not For China income the bail out alone would not have saved GM.
Keep in mind the designers in China are not all Chinese. It is a design group that often gets moved around. They also for one are doing good work and two they are also more in tune with what is selling in the larger set and fastest growing market.
I see a LOT of minivans including Chryslers, Dodges, and Hondas. I think GM should sell a Buick minivan in the US – if it’s a good product.
You see no where near what you used to see. Sales have declined with all makes.
Might also understand not all minivans are new. Their designs change little and many can be much older than you think.
As a true car guy & minivan aficionado (husband & father of four, very active family) who’s on his seventh minivan, I can assure you that nothing beats the overall benefits and practicality of an AWD minivan for the vast majority of families, especially those who could not care less about a phony & irrelevant “soccer mom” image. I regret that GM has chosen not to compete for my minivan business (no, a Traverse does not even come close). Obviously, GM does not.
Minivans are awesome vehicles my friend has a 2005 Chrysler town and country it’s still running with over 200,000 miles on it… The ultimate family car to bad you get branded lame unless you drive a giant lifted huge exhaust pickup truck!
Our last three family haulers….2015 Town and Country, 2018 Pacifica, and now a 2021 Pacifica AWD. Extremely useful and comfortable vehicles, and the Pacificas have been good drives. We’ve passed on SUV/Crossovers because the Pacifica just suits us better.
GM has never done a van well, and this GL8 would look dorky in the US market. If GM were to do a van here again, they would need to outdo the Sienna, Odyssey and Pacifica. But a legit question is, why can’t GM build something more desirable than those 3? The Traverse is their minivan I guess. We got the Pacifica twice over the Traverse and Enclave because they drove better, are nicer, and better for the pocketbook….than both the Enclave and Traverse.
It’s a shame, would love to drive a G.M. product. Consequently,we are eyeing a Chrysler Pacifica.
I had to go to Hondas for minivans that seemed to have the best reliability. I watched them make them in Alabama and that really convinced me to go to them. My 2016 had 5000 miles on it when a deer jumped out in front of me. The way the crush zones and the impact absorbing seats worked together saved my life. This van proved itself in every way to me (By the way, I am a General Motors retiree and I have to say that GM pricing and quality just do not stand up to the test of the market. This is why they had to get out of the minivan market.)