Buick has sold more than 3 million vehicles in China since the brand entered the market in 1999.
Growth of the Buick brand in China since 2008-2009 has been explosive. Sales of Buick in China during calendar year 2009 were 447,011 units, up 59.6 percent from 2008. Last year, the results were even better. Calendar year 2010 sales of Buicks in China were 550,010, more than triple U.S. market sales for the same year.
Buick's lineup in China includes familiar names like the Regal, Enclave, and LaCrosse, but also others like the GL8 luxury minivan and Excelle compact sedan and hatchback. In the U.S., Buick has not performed nearly as well as it does in China. A decade ago, 405,678 Buicks were sold in 2010. Buick moved 102,306 units in 2009 and was up in 2010 to 155,389. Expect that number to keep rising for 2011.
A Buick representative tells us that Buick sales in the U.S. between January 1999 and March 2011 total 3,482,712. At that rate, China is likely to blow away the U.S.'s cumulative 10+ year total in no time. Judging by 2009 and 2010 sales numbers in both countries, it might be a while before Buick sells as well in the U.S. as it does in China.