Buick declared one of fastest-growing passenger car brands in China

Buick did not become one of China’s fastest-growing passenger car brands overnight, though. There was a catalyst. It was the Shanghai GM rollout of its new Buick brand strategy in 2008 that empowered sales to increase by more than 100,000 units annually.

Shanghai GM has also introduced the Buick Intelligent Performance (BIP) system, which merges European-style suspensions and powertrains with American vehicle communication systems. It is enables Shanghai GM’s Buick portfolio to fully meet the demands of domestic consumers for products that can handle varying road and weather conditions, lower fuel consumption and emissions, and provide improved performance.

According to the media release by General Motors (NYSE: GM), this is especially in line with Shanghai GM's Drive to Green strategy. The adoption of technologies such as intelligent direct injection has greatly improved the efficiency of Buick products built and sold in China.

For the record, Shanghai GM is a joint venture between GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC). It builds, imports and sells a comprehensive range of Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet products. In 2010, Shanghai GM became China’s first passenger car maker to sell 1 million vehicles in a single year. It ended the year with domestic sales of 1,033,307 vehicles.

Buick has more than 400 4S stores across China and offers the award-winning Buick Care after-sales service brand.

Shanghai GM’s design partnership with GM’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint venture in Shanghai has resulted in the development of a series of new and upgraded Buick models including the Excelle GT and XT passenger cars and all-new GL8 luxury MPV.

In addition, Shanghai OnStar announced the introduction of a mobile app at Auto Shanghai 2011, that will enable Buick owners who subscribe to activate all of the functions on a traditional vehicle key fob – remote start, horn and lights, and door lock/unlock – securely from their smart phones.

-----------------------
About the Author: After 39 years in the auto industry as a design engineer, Frank Sherosky now trades stocks and futures, and writes articles, books and ebooks via authorfrank.com, but may be contacted here by email: [email protected]

________________________________________________
Additional Reading:
eAssist technology extends Malibu ECO driving range to 550 miles
Buick LaCrosse with eAssist on par with highway fuel economy of compacts
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu unveiled at the NYIAS
Auto industry compromise with expensive EVs fails the masses
Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine technology setting up to challenge electric hybrids
Cella Energy achievement may make hydrogen fill-up a reality
Stop-start technology to advance more micro hybrids by 2016
Four alternate engine technologies for 2011 and beyond