Buick delivered 1,032,056 vehicles in China, the United States, Canada and Mexico during 2013, the most Buicks sold in the brand’s 110-year history. The previous annual record was 1,003,345 in 1984. The difference between the two record years is China, where the GM brand did not exist in 1984. Now, China at more than 800,000 units outsells the U.S. by 4:1. China had a 15.7% sales gain, while the U.S. delivered a 13.9% sales increase. Canada at 14,000 saw sales increase 9.5% over 2012.
China sales were the only reason the Buick brand was kept by U.S. Treasury officials while they were killing Pontiac and Hummer during the 2009 taxpayer-financed GM bankruptcy reorganization. Buick’s U.S. sales that year were 102,00.
The new Encore small crossover ended 2013 with 97,311 sales globally, while the gigantic eight-passenger Enclave saw sales grow 6.5% in North America. In Canada, (14,000 total) Verano sales grew by 9.6% in 2013 versus 2012. Exclusive to China, the GL8 posted an annual sales gain of 9.7%. Mexico sold 2,300 Buicks.
In the sedan segment, the China-exclusive compact Excelle again dominated the compact sedan segment, delivering 6.9% sales growth. The Excelle GT and Verano compact sedans combined globally to deliver a 16.3% gain, while sales of the Excelle XT hatchback, sold only in China, were up 17.5%.
| Country |
2013 Volume |
2012 |
Percent |
| China |
809,918 |
700,007 |
15.7 |
| United States |
205,509 |
180,408 |
13.9 |
| Canada |
14,310 |
13,068 |
9.5 |
| Mexico |
2,319 |
1,122 |
106.6 |
| Total |
1,032,056 |
894,605 |
15.4 |
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
