Car Sales in China Continue Strong Growth

Demand for passenger vehicles in China, which rose 13% in May, climbed 14% to 1.47 million units in June, the country's Passenger Car Assn. reports.

Sales through the first half of 2014 totaled 9.09 million units, up 11% from the same period last year.

General Motors Co. says its January-June sales in China advanced 11% to a record 1.73 million vehicles. That compares with 1.46 million in the U.S. during the same period. The company's sales in June grew 9% to a record 257,800 units.

GM's volume in the first half was led by strong demand for the company's Buick brand (+12% to 450,400 units). Chevrolet sales rose 4% to 335,500, and Cadillac deliveries soared 72% to 33,800.

Ford Motor Co.'s volume in China zoomed 35% to 549,300 units in the first half of the year, including a 17% gain to 87,800 vehicles in June.

Sales of Ford's best-selling Focus small sedan climbed 9% to 201,500 units. Demand for its imported vehicles surged 70% to 18,400 vehicles.