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General Motors Sets China Sales Records


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SHANGHAI – October 9, 2009: General Motors Company announced today that the automaker and its joint ventures sold 181,148 vehicles in China in September, an all-time monthly record.

For the first nine months as a whole, GM’s sales in China totaled 1,292,549 units, which represented an increase of 55.6 percent from the first nine months of 2008 and a new record for the period. GM and its joint ventures ended September with an estimated market share of 13.4 percent.

Domestic sales of GM’s manufacturing joint ventures have been strong throughout the year. Its flagship joint venture, Shanghai GM, sold 71,566 vehicles in September, which was an all-time monthly sales record. For the year, Shanghai GM has sold 480,202 vehicles, an increase of 40.4 percent from the first nine months last year. SAIC-GM-Wuling, GM’s mini-commercial vehicle joint venture, registered domestic sales of 100,635 vehicles in September, surpassing the 100,000 sales mark for the second time. Its sales in the first nine months were up 64.5 percent from the same period last year to 801,869 units.

FAW-GM Light Duty Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd., a joint venture between GM China and FAW in the light-duty commercial vehicle arena and the newest member of the GM manufacturing family in China, sold 8,780 light-duty trucks and vans in September.

“Sales continue to surpass forecasts as nearly all market segments experience growth,” according to GM China Group President and Managing Director Kevin Wale. “A major market driving force this year has been first-time car buyers in China’s second-, third- and fourth-tier cities.

“Great products always drive great sales results,” said Wale. “At GM, we are delighted with the success of our new range of world-class models. In the compact sector, the new Chevrolet Cruze has sold more than 48,000 units in just six months. The Buick New Regal has sold 63,954 units since its launch last December. The new Buick LaCROSSE set a new standard for the upper-medium sector, with sales of more than 19,400 units in its first three months on the market.”