Shanghai GM, the joint venture between the US automaker General Motors and China's largest vehicle producer, SAIC Corp, said it set a record for domestic sales in the first five months of the year, helping it maintain a leading position in China's market for passenger vehicles.

It had a strong performance in May, selling 110,503 vehicles, 14.9 percent more than in the same month a year before. That helped Shanghai GM sell 555,280 vehicles under its Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac badges during the first five months a year, an increase of 9.4 percent year-on-year amidst an industry slowdown.

Buick sold 51,360 vehicles in the domestic market in May, of which 23,085 were from its Excelle family. That number was up 19 percent year-on-year.

Chevrolet sales in China increased by 35.7 percent in May year-on-year, reaching 56,938 vehicles. Sales of the company's New Sail increased by 87 percent over last year to 18,773 units. And sales of its Cruze model increased by 34 percent from the same month in 2011 to 18,977 units.

Also in May, it sold 2,205 vehicles from its premium Cadillac brand. And it sold 1,754 vehicles from its SRX luxury utility model.

lifangfang@chinadaily.com.cn