China’s GAC (Guangzhou Automotive Group) is coming to the U.S., according to the automotive industry trade publication Automotive News. Although this isn’t the first time the state-owned carmaker hinted it would enter this market, it seems this time it is for real.
GAC will begin selling its 7-seat GS8 SUV in 2019, stated the story. It’s strategy, in the short term, at least, for acquiring a U.S. dealer base will be recruiting dealers at this year’s NADA convention in March in Las Vegas. Automotive News confirmed with the NADA that, indeed, the Chinese carmaker will be among the exhibitors at the convention.
Furthermore, the Chinese manufacturer will establish its North American sales company sometime in the first half of this year with the goal of selling vehicles by the fourth quarter of next year. It already has a technical center in Silicon Valley with plans to open another facility in Detroit.
The GS8, already on sale in China, the story stated, uses a 198-horsepower 2.0-liter engine married to a 6-speed automatic transmission for thrust. GAC sold more than 100,000 GS8s in China last year.
