SAIC-GM-Wuling

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SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile (?????????????? and abbreviated as SGMW) is a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors, and Liuzhou Wuling Motors Co Ltd. Based in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in southwestern China, it makes commercial and consumer vehicles sold in China under the Wuling and Baojun marques, respectively. A major mass-volume producer in the Chinese interior, in 2011 SGMW sold 1,286,000 vehicles in China, 1,445,000 in 2012, and aims to sell 2 million cars annually. Its offerings range in price from US$5,000 to US$10,000.

SGMW is one of the largest manufacturers of microvans in China. Known as mianbao che, or "bread box cars," these pint-size commercial vehicles are no larger than a compact car and have sold well in the poorer interior. One of its popular microvans is the Wuling Sunshine. Selling more than 450,000 units per year, SGMW has claimed no one model outsells it in China.

Both SGMW and Liuzhou Wuling Automobile Industry Co. Ltd. use the Wuling brand name and the red, five-diamond "W" logo.

Video SAIC-GM-Wuling

History

While Wuling microvans have been manufactured since 1982, in 1986 Wuling's predecessor company, Liuzhou Automotive Industry Corporation, reached an agreement with Mitsubishi Motors to assemble the L100 type Mitsubishi Minicab. Originally, 90% of parts were imported, but gradually local parts content increased. This small van was sold as the Liuzhou Wuling LZ 110.

In 2002, the joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling was formed, with SAIC taking 50.1% of the shares, GM 34%, and Wuling Group 15.9%. Wuling transferred the production of microvans and small trucks to the new company. Since at least 2008, GM sought to increase its ownership achieving this aim c. 2011. Its stake rose to 44%--leaving Wuling with 5.9%.

In 2010, SGMW created a passenger car brand to compete against indigenous products, Baojun. The company has sold a passenger vehicle, the Chevy Spark, since at least 2007, however.

In late 2012, ten years after the formation of the joint-venture, SGMW opened a new factory for the production of Baojun passenger cars in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, ready to produce 400,000 units per year. A factory with capacity for the same number of power trains is also being built.

Etsong acquisition

Best known for its tiny offerings, in 2005 SGMW acquired diminutive Etsong Vehicle Manufacturing, a small-scale manufacturing concern based in Qingdao, China. The factory was originally set up in 1997 by a Chinese tobacco company and was then briefly owned by the First Automobile Works (FAW Jiefang) before the SAIC group took over the factory. Since 2000, a number of Austin Maestro/Montego amalgams had been produced under the Etsong Lubao and Etsong Lande nameplates, but SGMW did not recommence production of these aged models after the takeover. Instead, the factory is used to augment SGMW mini-vehicle capacity.

Baojun

Perhaps the culmination of GM's dream to build a "farmer's car", the Baojun brand was established in 2010 and aims to sell to consumers in third and fourth tier Chinese cities. Such large- and medium-sized Chinese cities are not counted among the top four in terms of population and contribution to GDP.

Baojun currently competes for consumers with indigenous brands like Chery and Geely. Its two offerings include, as of 2012, the 630, a small four-door sedan, and the Lechi minicar. The latter is an updated version of the first generation Daewoo Matiz and was previously sold under the Chevrolet brand name. During the transition between brands, the Lechi was offered as both a Chevrolet and a Baojun.

Maps SAIC-GM-Wuling

Products

Microvans

• Wuling Sunshine LZW 6371-6376/6390 (LWB)/1027 (pickup) - this is sometimes referred to as the Wuling Zhiguang (??)
• Wuling Rongguang (facelifted Wuling Dragon van, Suzuki Carry origins)
• Wuling Hongtu - Sold as the Chevrolet N200 in South America, Middle East, and North Africa
• Wuling Xingwang
• Wuling Liuzhou LZ 110 - license built 1977-1984 Mitsubishi Minicab, no longer produced
• Wuling Dragon LZW 1010/6320-6360/6430
• Wuling City Breeze LZW 6370 (under a Daihatsu Zebra license) - minivan
• Wuling Windside

MPVs

• Wuling Hong Guang

Baojun

• Baojun Lechi
• Baojun 310
• Baojun 310W
• Baojun 330
• Baojun 610
• Baojun 630
• Baojun 510
• Baojun 530
• Baojun 560
• Baojun 730

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Operations

The company has a number of production bases. These include a facility in Liuzhou, Guangxi, and a plant in Qingdao, which it had purchased c. 2007.

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Production figures

Export

While the majority of SGMW products are sold domestically in China, some export does occur. In 2009, Wuling began to export its small commercial vehicles to South America, the Middle East, and North Africa where they are sold under the General Motors Chevrolet brand. These exports may constitute knock-down kits with final assembly only done in the receiving nation as is the case in Egypt.

As of 2010, GM and SAIC have established an equally owned joint venture to export SGMW products to India.

Wuling mini-trucks were exported in limited numbers to the United States from 2004 to 2005. SGMW USA, a Cobra Motors company, imported and distributed the vehicles. Those trucks were limited to off-road use (i.e. private property), and were primarily marketed as industrial and commercial vehicles.

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References

src: www.autocarpro.in

External links

• Official website
• Introduction from GM China homepage

Source of the article : Wikipedia