1 GM Crossover Sold in America Actually Made in China

General Motors is an icon of the USA, but not all cars sold here are made here

You may not know this, but Buick’s GMC division is one of its most popular brands in China. It sells most of its North American crossovers there, and has even built some specifically for the Chinese market. The Buick Imagine started life as Buick Ang Ke Wei in China, came to North America later. Every Buick Envision sold in the US is assembled in China and shipped here. But it’s in good company, there are several other well-known cars sold in America that are built in China.

Buick released an interesting concept car for the first time in 2011. It was a plug-in hybrid with scissor doors. The production version was a little more complicated, but included the waterfall grille that later became standard in the Buick lineup. It went on sale in China in 2014, but didn’t come to America until 2016.

The Chinese market gets the long wheelbase Envision with the option of a small turbocharged engine (1.5-liter I4). In 2018, President Trump passed high tariffs on any car imported from China. GM’s president announced that the company could not afford to release the Envision in the United States without tax exemptions. The White House refused to let go, and Buick continued to sell the car here anyway. It kept the MSRP the same and absorbed the cost of the tax.

Buick cars parked in many places outside a Chinese store — Chinese Buick Sales | LIU JIN/AFP via Getty Images

The Envision isn’t the only luxury crossover available in the United States that’s assembled in China. The second-generation Lincoln Nautilus will be assembled 100% in China, starting with the 2024 model year. Lincoln announced that it is renovating its Ontario plant where the Nautilus is built, so it will try to import the U.S. from China.

Volvo is 78.7% owned by the Chinese “Geely Holding Group.” So it’s no surprise that the automaker has factories in China. When you buy a Volvo S90 sedan or its upcoming EX30 electric crossover in the U.S., you’re getting a car assembled in China.

Next, read how America’s most popular midsize pickup truck has moved production to Mexico, or find out how America made your own in the following video:

Related posts:

geomtimba