Double-dipping on Charts of the Day because this one so stark and such a stunning fast transition from one familiar reality to an unprecedented one.
In the first half of 2008, GM sells 2.5X more cars in the US than in China, and in the first half of 2010, sales in China top those of the US, which have declined while China’s shot up.
Buicks rule in China. Why? The article notes that China’s last emperor really dug them. Plus, they’re considered a sign of arriving, money-wise, in China, just like they used to be here, before they became “your Dad’s car.”
And yeah, my Dad loved Buicks. I turned Japanese and have stuck with Hondas.