GM, VW Both Earn Bragging Rights For China

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

Both General Motors and the Volkswagen group can claim bragging rights after Chinese sales results for June have been announced. VW outsold GM for the month, 262, 700 units to 236,207, but GM was still ahead for the first six months of 2013 with 1.57 million units sold compared to 1.54 million for VW.

China is currently both companies’ largest market, both firms outperformed the overall 14% growth in the Chinese market so far this year, and both companies have bet big on continued growth, with GM committing $11 billion in investments by 2016, including a new Cadillac assembly plant in Shanghai, and VW planning to spend even more, $12.5 billion by 2015.

According to Bloomberg(via Automotive News) VW’s June sales were up 21% year to year based on the strength of the luxury Audi brand, which went up 34 percent from 2012, boosted by the startup of Chinese production of the Q3 crossover. Volkswagen branded vehicle sales were up 18%, as did Porsche sales, and Skoda reported a year to year increase of 5%. GM attributed it’s performance in China this year to better demand for Buicks and Cadillacs. GM sales for June and for the first six months of the year are both records for the company in China.

TTAC Staff
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  • Thornmark Thornmark on Jul 15, 2013

    Pyrrhic victory all. At what point will China decide indigenous manufacturers have enough tech and expertise to repatriate its home market? Maybe they can just buy controlling interest in GM, since China is now its largest market, profitless prosperity or not.

    • See 1 previous
    • Hreardon Hreardon on Jul 15, 2013

      thornmark - While I would never say never, keep in mind that both VW and GM have spent decades building their brands. That means a lot in the marketplace. While improving, Chinese automakers still aren't anywhere near the caliber of a GM or VW - especially if you want the latest and greatest technology. Again - never say never, but I think this repatriation of auto manufacturing to indigenous Chinese brands is happening slower than a lot of people thought. As for controlling interest in GM - again, never say never, but I imagine there would be one heluva uproar on both sides of the Atlantic if the Chinese tried to take over either VW or GM.

  • Nzecowitz Nzecowitz on Jul 15, 2013

    What the heck is TTAC Staff? Who is posting under that?

  • Henkdevries Henkdevries on Jul 15, 2013

    This looks like Bertel. It even smells like Bertel. It's even posted around Bertel-tie. Did he have a namechange? Really? TTAC staff is appropriate for someone who had an article on dildo's.

    • See 1 previous
    • Derek Kreindler Derek Kreindler on Jul 15, 2013

      It's not Bertel. He is not writing for us anymore. Have you compared his writing style with this post? The two could not be different. News articles will now be anonymized to remove the personal aspect from it.

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