GM sales in China surpasses US in the first half of 2010

How’s this for a sign of increasing global presence? General Motors has just announced that for the first half of 2010, the Detroit-based automaker has sold more cars in China than they have in the entire USA. We’re not making this up.

According to Bloomberg, GM’s vehicle sales in China through June 30 has already reached 1.21 million units, head and shoulders above the 1.08 million units sold of GM vehicles in its own home country. The unprecedented sales numbers GM put up in China is also the first time an international country has outsold the company’s own auto market. Put some perspective into that for a second. GM’s been around for over a century and not once has an outside market outsold the US market in any year. Until now, of course.

GM’s remarkable showing in China should also bode well for a company that’s still recovering from one of the worst global financial crisis in history. The mere fact that GM vehicles are going over so well in a country that’s about four times more populated than the US is a testament to the country’s increased efforts in opening itself up to the Western world. Add to the growing awareness of GM’s line of vehicles and we wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit if this figure – this 1.21 million units in the first six months of 2010 – is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

We’re not expecting 20 million vehicles sold in six months, but with the way things are shaping up; we wouldn’t be surprised the least bit if it hit 2 million pretty soon.