General Motors set a new record for sales in China during August, but Ford Motor Co. reported that the company’s sales declined 1% last month.
According to Ford, China vehicle sales came in at 97,863 units, down 1% year over year versus a decrease of 7% in July. Through the first eight months of 2017, Ford’s sales in China have dropped 6% year over year, compared with a rise of 6% year ago
One bright spot for Ford were sales of the luxury Lincoln brand, which topped 5,000 units in August. It was the first time Lincoln sales surpassed 5,000 unit.
GM and its joint ventures delivered 328,425 vehicles in China. Retail sales were up 12% year on year, giving the company its highest growth in five months, GM reported.
(Ford snags China veteran to help reverse sales slide. For the story, Click Here.)
Year to date, sales by GM and its joint ventures partners in China delivered a record 2,381,834 units.
During August, Buick, Cadillac and Baojun, GM’s China only brand, each had their best-ever August sales results. Chevrolet sales surged 21% on an annual basis. SUVs remained the fastest-growing segment for GM, with demand rising 57% year over year.
(Click Here for the latest on Ford’s overall sales in China in 2017.)
Demand for Cadillac luxury vehicles was up 51% from a year earlier, making August the brand’s 18th consecutive month of double-digit growth.
“Cadillac’s strong lineup, unique brand philosophy and premium customer experience are taking it to the next level of competition in China’s luxury vehicle market,” said Andreas Schaaf, Cadillac vice president and general director of SAIC-GM’s Cadillac Division. “Our goal is for Cadillac to become a top-tier player,” he said.
(To see how GM and Ford sales fared in July, Click Here.)
Baojun and Wuling, GM’s two China only nameplates, also saw their sales increase. Baojun sales soared 62% year over year to 82,658 units thanks to strong sales of the brands wagons and sport-utility vehicles. Wuling deliveries totaled 80,771 units.