China Sales Crown Goes to GM

General Motors Co. and its joint ventures boosted sales in China to a record-high 2.84 million units last year compared with 2.55 million units in 2011, the company reports.

GM retained the title of China's top-selling automaker for the eighth consecutive year despite a strong challenge from Volkswagen AG. The German automaker's volume surpassed GM's in the second half of 2012.

For the full year VW Group registrations in China jumped 25% to 2.81 million vehicles on strong demand for its namesake brand (+25% to 2.15 million units) and the Audi marque (+30% to 405,800 units.)

More than half of GM's Chinese volume in 2012 came from its Wuling venture, including 1.33 million Wuling-badged minivehicles (+12%) and 84,500 Baojun units in the brand's first full year in the market.

Sales of GM's Buick and Chevrolet makes in China last year rose 8% to 700,000 units and 5% to 626,800 units, respectively. Cadillac demand was flat at 30,000 units.

The GM-VW rivalry in China will continue, analysts predict. The U.S. company plans to add 400 dealerships, mostly in small to medium cities in China's interior. VW plans to invest $13 billion in the country through 2015.