(July 6, 2011) SHANGHAI — General Motors and its joint ventures sold a record 1,273,502 vehicles in China in the first half of 2011, receiving a boost from all-time June sales of 193,878 vehicles.

GM’s first half sales increased 5.3 percent compared with the first six months of 2010, setting an all-time record for first half year sales.

Domestic sales by Shanghai GM were up 25 percent year on year to a record 600,002 vehicles. Sales of mini-vehicles in by SAIC-GM-Wuling decreased 5.4 percent on an annual basis to 641,324 vehicles. FAW-GM’s domestic sales were off 38.8 percent from the first six months of last year to 30,332 units.

GM’s passenger car brands all set new records for the first half of 2011.

2011 Buick Excelle

Buick sales rose 28.2 percent on an annual basis to 324,919 vehicles, primarily the result of unprecedented demand for its Excelle lower-medium passenger car family. With especially strong demand for its Cruze and Sail small cars, Chevrolet sales in rose 14.5 percent year on year to 297,841 vehicles. Cadillac sales of 14,078 vehicles jumped 88.3 percent year on year, receiving a strong boost from the popularity of the SLS luxury business sedan and SRX luxury utility vehicle.

In June, sales by GM and its joint ventures were up 9.9 percent from last year’s then-record sales for the month of 176,489 units.

Shanghai GM’s domestic sales rose 41.4 percent on an annual basis, reaching a June record 101,524 vehicles and surpassing the 100,000 mark for the second month this year.

Domestic demand for the Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac brands hit new June highs. Buick sales rose 48.4 percent to 54,140 vehicles compared with the same month last year, as sales of its original Excelle lineup totaled 22,888 units.

Buoyed by the continued strength of the Cruze and Sail and the arrival of the new Aveo small car, Chevrolet sales in increased 34percent from June 2010 to 51,312 units. With demand for the SRX reaching an all-time monthly record of 1,876 units, Cadillac sold 2,722 vehicles in the sixth month of 201, an increase of 50.2 percent year on year.

SAIC-GM-Wuling's sales decreased 11.2 percent to 88,027 units in a down market last month. It remained the leader of the mini-commercial vehicle segment despite the expiration of government incentives for consumer purchases. The joint venture’s newest product — the Wuling Hong Guang, which was developed locally by SAIC-GM-Wuling — achieved sales of 18,327 units.