Great Wall Motor Aims to Sell SUVs in U.S. by 2015

Great Wall Motor Co., China's largest maker of SUVs and pickup trucks, expects to begin selling unspecified SUVs in the U.S. by about 2015, Automotive News China reports.

President Wang Fengying tells the online newspaper that Great Wall is developing marketing plans for the U.S. and exploring the creation of a dealer network. She did not disclose what models the company might introduce or whether it has begun the U.S. safety and emissions certification process.

Wang adds that Great Wall would like to build vehicles in the U.S. but has not yet chose a location.

Since the mid-2000s, Chinese automakers have frequently declared ambitious plans to enter the American auto market. But none has done so.

Great Wall sold 677,000 vehicles in 2012, including 96,500 export units in such markets as Australia, Russia and South Africa. The company's volume surged 43% in the first quarter of this year. Wang tells the Associated Press that the company now expects full-year growth of 30% compared to its earlier forecast of 13%.