It seems to have happened rather suddenly. January sales were 656,976 units in the US vs. 735,000 for China.
(http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090210/AUTO01/902100402/1148)
excerpts...
China's monthly vehicle sales surpassed those in the United States for the first time in January, moving this country closer to becoming the world's biggest auto market, data released Tuesday showed.
With its growing middle class and vast potential as a consumer market, China is vital for General Motors, Volkswagen and Toyota as they count on demand here to offset weakness in the U.S. and elsewhere.
But China's ascent in the global auto market has been hastened by the plunge in U.S. auto sales, which tumbled 37 percent in January to a 26-year low of 656,976 units.
Chinese vehicle sales also have cooled, but hardly as dramatically. In January, 735,000 vehicles were sold, down 14.4 percent from a monthly record 860,000 last January, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said.
The good news is China's best-selling automakers are GM and Germany's Volkswagen AG.
So where is all this Chinese GM money going?
Quote from: giant_mtb on February 10, 2009, 07:55:13 AM
So where is all this Chinese GM money going?
:huh: Good question.
Quote from: giant_mtb on February 10, 2009, 07:55:13 AM
So where is all this Chinese GM money going?
Working towards offsetting losses elsewhere.
Quote from: giant_mtb on February 10, 2009, 07:55:13 AM
So where is all this Chinese GM money going?
Paying off debts.
The increase in sales probably has a lot to do with the Chinese New Years. But still good for GM though.