General Motors Has Record Year in Asia Pacific in 2006

General Motors Has Record Year in Asia Pacific in 2006

January 08, 2007

-- Sales Top 1 Million Units for Second Consecutive Year
-- Market Share Surpasses 6% for First Time


    SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- General
Motors Corp. announced today that its sales and market
share in Asia Pacific both reached new highs in 2006.

    GM sold 1,254,615 vehicles in Asia Pacific, which was
an increase of 17.9 percent over 2005.  It marked the
second consecutive year that regional sales topped 1
million units.  This took GM's market share in Asia Pacific
to an estimated 6.4 percent, from 5.8 percent at the end of
the previous year.

    "Our operations in China and Korea continued to
drive GM's vehicle sales in the world's fastest-growing
region," said Nick Reilly, GM Group Vice President and
President of GM Asia Pacific.  "We benefited from a
positive reception for many of our new offerings, including
the VE Commodore in Australia, the Buick LaCrosse and
Chevrolet Lova in China, the GM Daewoo Winstorm and Tosca
in Korea, and the Chevrolet Aveo in India and
Thailand."

    Rising Sales

    In China, GM and its Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling
joint ventures sold 876,747 vehicles, which represented an
increase of 31.8 percent over 2005.  Shanghai GM sales rose
27.0 percent on a year-on-year basis to 413,367 units. 
SAIC-GM-Wuling, GM's mini-vehicle joint venture, registered
sales growth of 36.5 percent to 460,155 vehicles.  China
remained GM's second-largest global market in 2006,
following the United States.

    GM Daewoo sales likewise remained strong in 2006.  Its
sales in Korea rose 19.2 percent on an annual basis to
128,332 units.  The Tosca sedan and Winstorm SUV accounted
for more than 36 percent of domestic sales.  Exports of
complete vehicles and knockdown (KD) kits from Korea jumped
33.1 percent to 1,397,487 units.  This was a GM record.

    Despite a drop in sales to 146,502 units in 2006, GM
Holden remained Australia's number two seller of vehicles. 
GM Holden received a boost from the launch of the
award-winning VE Commodore, Australia's single largest
vehicle program.

    Thailand continued to lead the way for GM's growth in
ASEAN.  Sales of GM's lineup of Chevrolet products totaled
29,727 units.  For ASEAN as a whole, GM sales topped 38,000
vehicles in a market that was down overall.

    In India, GM rolled out an unprecedented three new
Chevrolet vehicles (the Aveo, SRV and Aveo U-VA) in 2006. 
Consumers responded, with GM's sales in India rising 15.4
percent year on year to 34,552 units.

    New Investment in 2006

    GM continued the expansion of its operations in Asia
Pacific in 2006.  In May, GM Daewoo began regular
production at its diesel engine plant in Gunsan, Korea. 
The diesel engine that it produces is powering both the
Winstorm and Tosca for sale in Korea and around the globe. 
GM Daewoo also began operation of a new KD packing business
at Korea's Incheon Port that can pack and export 570,000
knockdown kits annually for assembly at GM facilities
worldwide.

    In India, GM announced it would build a new vehicle
manufacturing plant in the state of Maharashtra that will
more than double GM's local production capacity when it
opens in 2008.  The foundation stone was laid for the
facility and construction officially began on November 21. 
To keep up with short-term demand, GM's manufacturing
facility in Gujarat, India, opened a new paint shop and
increased its annual manufacturing capacity to 85,000
units.

    The GM Thailand Manufacturing Center in Rayong also
opened a new paint shop, while GM Holden completed an
upgrade of the Holden Vehicle Operations (HVO) plant in
Elizabeth, South Australia.  In addition, GM signed an
agreement to form a new joint venture with DRB-HICOM for
the distribution of Chevrolet products in Malaysia.

    New Products and Facilities in 2007

    GM plans to continue to expand its vehicle lineup and
facilities in Asia Pacific in 2007.  Among the new and
upgraded vehicles that are scheduled to reach consumers
this year are a Chevrolet mini-car in India, the Cadillac
SLS in China, and a diesel version of the GM Daewoo Lacetti
and a new state-of-the-art six-speed automatic transmission
in Korea.

    GM Daewoo will complete its new automotive test track
in Incheon, Korea, by mid-year.  Related R&D facilities
will follow over the next two to three years.  In China,
SAIC-GM-Wuling is on schedule to open a new engine plant in
Liuzhou, Guangxi, in 2007.

    "We are pleased with our growth over the past few
years in Asia Pacific," said Reilly.  "By
expanding our manufacturing, engineering and design
capability, we are better able to meet the vastly different
needs of our customers across Asia Pacific.  This is
enabling us to increase our presence in this highly
important region for General Motors."

    General Motors began doing business in Asia Pacific in
1915 when it introduced Buick and Cadillac products to
Japanese consumers.  Today, GM has automotive facilities
and sales operations in more than 15 countries.  Its
regional headquarters is in Shanghai, China.

    GM's broad product portfolio in Asia Pacific
encompasses the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM Daewoo,
Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Saab and Wuling brands.  GM's
business interests in Asia Pacific go beyond cars and
trucks.  They include GMAC, ACDelco and Allison
Transmission.

    General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest
automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75
years.  Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 318,000
people around the world.  With global headquarters in
Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33
countries.  In 2005, 9.17 mill