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GM, Ford Sales Slowing in China

   VOA News 03 August 2010
   A  Chinese  man  pretends  to hold up the new Chevrolet Sail car model
   from  GM  during  the  Beijing  Auto  China 2010 show held in Beijing,
   China, 24 Apr 2010 (file photo)

Photo: AP

   A  Chinese  man  pretends  to hold up the new Chevrolet Sail car model
   from  GM  during  the  Beijing  Auto  China 2010 show held in Beijing,
   China, 24 Apr 2010 (file photo)

   Two  of  the  biggest  U.S.  automakers  say their sales are up in the
   United States and China.
   General  Motors  said  Tuesday  U.S.  sales  rose  5.4 percent in July
   compared to a year ago. Â
   GM  said  sales  of  its  core four brands - Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and
   Cadillac  -  were especially strong, increasing 25 percent.  Sales of
   GM's other brands, which are being sold or closed, fell drastically.
   Ford  said  Tuesday  its  total  July sales rose 3.1 percent over last
   year, led by strong demand for its pick-up trucks.
   Earlier,  GM  and  Ford said sales of their Chinese brands were strong
   but slowing.
   GM  said  Chinese  sales  grew 22 percent in July compared to the same
   time  last  year, slower than the 45 percent growth rate for the first
   seven months of the year.
   Ford  said its total China auto sales grew 8 percent in July, compared
   to 38 percent for the first seven months of 2010.
   Ford  said  the  company  was  seeing a more traditional sales pattern
   compared to what it described as "blistering hot" sales in 2009.
   China  last  year  became  the  world's biggest auto market, with 13.6
   million  vehicles sold compared to 10.4 million in the United States.Â
   China's  Automotive Technology and Research Center said Monday that it
   expects auto sales to slow in August.
   General  Motors says it has sold more cars in China than it has in the
   United States this year.
   That  is  a  first  for  GM, which remains the biggest U.S. auto maker
   despite  a  painful  bankruptcy  reorganization last year. It reported
   selling  1.21 million vehicles in China during the first six months of
   this year, compared to 1.07 million sold in the United States.

   Â

   Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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