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The story
In 2002, the joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling was established, with SAIC holding 50.1% of the shares, General Motors 34%, and Wuling Group (later renamed Guangxi Auto) 15.9%. Wuling transferred its microvan and small truck production to the joint venture. By 2011, GM increased its ownership stake to 44%, reducing Wuling's share to 5.9%.
In 2005, SGMW acquired Etsong Vehicle Manufacturing, a small-scale manufacturing company in Qingdao, China. This factory, originally established in 1997 by a tobacco company, was later owned by FAW Jiefang before being acquired by the SAIC group. The factory had previously produced Austin Maestro/Montego derivatives under the Etsong Lubao and Etsong Lande brands. After SGMW's acquisition, production of these models ceased, and the facility was repurposed to expand SGMW's mini-vehicle capacity.
SGMW became significant mass-volume vehicle producer in China's interior. In 2011, the company sold 1,286,000 vehicles domestically, with sales increasing to 1,445,000 in 2012. Its vehicle offerings are priced between $5,000 and $10,000, catering to budget-conscious consumers. SGMW is also one of China's leading manufacturers of microvans, known locally as xiao mianbao che (小面包车), or "small bread box cars." These compact commercial vehicles, comparable in size to a compact car, have been particularly successful in the country's less affluent interior regions. Among its popular models, the Wuling Sunshine stood out, selling over 450,000 units annually at its peak. At that time, SGMW has claimed that no other model in China surpasses the Wuling Sunshine in sales volume. In late 2012, SGMW inaugurated a new factory in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with an annual production capacity of 400,000 Baojun passenger cars. A powertrain factory with equal capacity was also under construction.
In 2010, SGMW launched the Baojun brand to compete with domestic Chinese automakers. Focusing on passenger vehicles, it targeted consumers in third- and fourth-tier Chinese cities, which are medium- and large-sized cities outside the top four in terms of population or GDP contribution. Its first product is the Baojun Lechi, based on the Chevrolet Spark/Daewoo Matiz M150. In 2012, Baojun introduced the 630, a small four-door sedan. In 2016, Baojun sold 688,390 vehicles, with sales increasing to 996,629 in 2017, largely driven by the success of the Baojun 510 SUV. The 510 became the best-selling crossover in China in 2018, with nearly 800,000 units sold by June 2019. Despite early success, Baojun's sales declined in subsequent years. In 2019, the brand launched the "New Baojun" strategy with modern designs and higher-end models, but it failed to boost demand, leading to several model discontinuations. Consequently, Wuling largely took over Baojun's role in affordable passenger vehicles.
In 2015, SGMW began building its first overseas manufacturing facility in Cikarang, Indonesia, within the Greenland International Industrial Center. Spanning 600,000 m2, the facility was designed to produce vehicles for the Indonesian market and export to Southeast Asia, with a $700 million investment and a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually. The plant started operations in July 2017, producing the Confero MPV, and by the end of 2017, Wuling Motors had ranked among the top 10 automotive brands in Indonesia.
In 2020, SGMW transitioned to electric vehicle production with the launch of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, a small battery electric city car. The vehicle began retail deliveries in China in July 2020. Priced starting at around US$4,200, the Hongguang Mini EV became one of the most affordable electric cars in the market. In 2020, it sold 119,255 units, ranking as the second-best-selling plug-in electric car globally. In January 2021, the Hongguang Mini EV topped new energy vehicle sales in China with 25,778 units, surpassing the Tesla Model 3. By February 2023, global sales had surpassed 1.1 million units, making it the best-selling electric car in China. By 2023, SGMW's Baojun brand shifted entirely to electrification, introducing plug-in hybrid and electric models.
In September 2024, SGMW unveiled its first vehicle not affiliated with any of its sub-brands, called the SGMW Light of ASEAN Concept.
From Wikipedia’s article on SAIC-GM-Wuling, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4