General Motors has another feather to put in its cap. In addition to ending 2011 with a record-setting 2.55 million Chinese sales, the Detroit automaker can also lay claim to China’s best-selling passenger vehicle.
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, GM’s Buick brand sold 254,000 units of its Excelle model in 2011, making the compact the best-selling passenger vehicle in the world’s largest auto market. In fact, the Excelle’s 254,000 sales far exceeded the 177,600 sales the entire Buick brand recorded in the United States last year.
GM’ Chevrolet Cruze also had a strong 2011, finishing third on China’s best-selling list, followed by the Chevrolet Sail in seventh place.
Volkswagen, China’s second largest foreign automaker behind GM, nabbed four of the top ten spots. VW’s Lavida, Jetta, Bora and Santana models ranked second, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
China FAW Group’s Xiali, the Hyundai Elantra Yuedong and the Ford Focus rounded out the top ten.
But commercial microvans remain China’s top selling vehicles overall, with the Wuling Sunshine leading the way with 731,700. GM is part owner of Wuling.
