GM China March sales up 68% to 230,048 vehicles

Shanghai, April 2 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors and its local joint ventures saw their sales in China last month grow 68% from a year earlier to a new monthly record of 230,048 vehicles, bringing sales in the first quarter to 623,546 units, up 71%, media reported today.

March sales of Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac cars made by GM's flagship car venture Shanghai GM increased 89% year on year to 86,967 units. In the Chinese market, GM has seen growing interest in its new car models, the Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet New Sail and Buick Excelle XT.

China's market demand is also strong for minivans thanks to government subsidies and sales tax cuts. GM's mini-vehicle venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling, reported sales growth of 43% to 129,489 units.

FAW-GM, GM's newly formed light-duty truck joint venture with China's No. 2 automaker FAW Group, sold 13,200 vehicles last month.

March was the 15th straight month that GM reported record sales in China, the company said. In the United States, GM sales in March grew 21% to 188,546 vehicles.

This year GM China aims to sell over 2 million vehicles, up from 1.83 million in 2009, with more than half of the sales still to be achieved by SAIC-GM-Wuling.