GM boosts exports to emerging markets
June 27, 2013 Category Automotive, Automotive Metals & Minerals
General Motors aims to boost its exports from China by nearly 70% this year because of strong demand for its China-developed low-cost cars, Bob Socia, Chairman of GM in China, said. The U.S. automaker plans to export as many as 130,000 China-made vehicles this year, up from 77,000 vehicles last year, driven by demand for its Chevrolet Sail in other emerging markets. “While GM’s primary philosophy is to manufacture where it sells, we find that product exports are necessary to meet global market demands when GM does not have local manufacturing capabilities for a particular vehicle,” he said. The Sail, which was co-developed with partner SAIC Motor, became an instant hit when it was launched in January 2010. It is the first foreign brand in China with a price tag below CNY60,000. The Sail, which accounted for 80% of GM’s exports from China last year, is also helping the firm compete with Japanese, South Korean and other brands in South America and other emerging markets, said Socia, who is also Chief Country Operations Officer for GM’s China, India and Asean operations. To meet increasing demand from abroad, GM is now assembling the Sail in Colombia, Ecuador and India, using components supplied by its Shanghai car venture with SAIC. In the first four months of the year, GM shipped 33,623 vehicles overseas, surpassing Geely Automobile to become China’s second-largest auto exporter after Chery, which shipped 46,234 during the period, according to Namrita Chow, Senior Analyst at IHS Automotive. With a few exceptions, exports of China-made cars by foreign automakers have been limited. Volkswagen, GM’s closest rival in the country, has no plans to boost exports from China in the near future, a local Spokesman said. Foreign automakers that have exported small volumes from China include PSA Peugeot Citroen’s car venture Dongfeng Automobile Group Co (DPCA) and BMW. DPCA and BMW shipped 1,152 and 102 China-build cars during the first four months of this year, respectively. Honda shipped 7,972 cars overseas during the period, the South China Morning Post reports.
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