GMC plans further global expansion

GMC, the SUV and pickup specialist brand within General Motors that also includes the reborn Hummer nameplate, has confirmed it’ll enter the Chinese market in 2024. This comes on the back of the already-announced intention to bring the Yukon full-size SUV to Australia and New Zealand from 2025.

GMC already sells in Canada, Mexico and the Middle East, but entering these new territories will make it a truly global brand.

“GMC is in the most exciting era in its history as we expect to grow competitively our home market while venturing into new ones,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president, Buick and GMC. “We’re forging our future as a premium truck and SUV brand and our success shows our customers around the world are just as excited as we are for the road ahead.”

In the US, GMC finished 2023 with an increase in retail sales of 6.5 per cent, resulting in the best overall sales performance for the brand since 2017. The Sierra LD and HD nameplates were key to this success, achieving their best combined year of sales on record and sixth consecutive year of market share growth.

Additionally, GMC says production of the Hummer EV pickup and SUV continues to ramp up, with retail sales doubling last year.

While the Yukon SUV has been confirmed for Australia and New Zealand, what model mix GMC will bring to China has not been revealed, but will likely favour the Yukon SUV, especially in larger XL form, and possibly the Hummer EV over the Sierra pickups.

The Yukon coming to Australia next year is in the premium Denali trim level, with a 6.2-litre petrol V8, ten-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive in what will be a single specification for our market. The size of the Chinese market means more model grades, trim levels and options are certain to be offered.

Of the existing non-US markets for the GMC range, Canada saw sales increase by 10 per cent last year, accounting for 5.5 per cent of the overall market. The Yukon was Canada’s best-selling full-size SUV in 2023, while the Sierra HD holds almost 20 per cent of its segment in the pickup market. Canadian buyers have been favouring the Denali and AT4 trims, which accounted for 53 per cent of total GMC sales last year.

In the Middle East, GMC sales increased by 15 per cent and Yukon sales by 12 per cent. GMC sales in Mexico improved by 14.4 per cent last year, with Sierra sales up by a significant 50.4 per cent.