From the "Phoenix" hammered out of "alley workshops" using hammers, to the "IM LS9 Hyper" relayed by users globally, SAIC ran a 100-million-unit "marathon" for China's automotive industry in 70 years.
On May 28, 2026, at the World Living Room of North Bund, Shanghai, an IM LS9 Hyper slowly drove to the center of the stage. This was not only the 100 millionth vehicle delivered by SAIC Motor, but also the birth of the first "100-million-level car manufacturer" in the history of China's automotive industry. At this moment, SAIC not only refreshed the production and sales records of a single car manufacturer, but also pushed the capability level of China's automotive industry to the global top tier.
From the faltering start of the first "Phoenix" sedan in 1958, to the vast portfolio today with over a dozen brands under its umbrella spanning fuel and new energy, covering the entire passenger and commercial sector, why could SAIC reach the finish line first? Behind this lies the strategic determination of "joint ventures nurturing independent brands", the system resilience of the "whole industry chain", and the forward-looking layout of "global expansion".
· The Evolution from "Hammer-made Cars" to "System-made Cars"
SAIC's "100-million-level" journey was not accomplished overnight, but is a microcosm of three key stages of China's automotive industry.
In 1958, workers of SAIC's predecessor "hammered out" the first Phoenix sedan, filling the gap in domestic sedans. But what truly gave SAIC modern industrial capabilities was the establishment of China's first sedan joint venture — SAIC Volkswagen — with German Volkswagen in 1985. The localization of Santana was exceptionally difficult; the initial localization rate was only 2.7%. SAIC took the lead in forming a localization community and hard-pushed the localization rate above 90%, establishing the first set of modernized parts systems and quality management standards for China's automotive industry. Subsequent cooperation with General Motors and the establishment of the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) further transformed "making without R&D" into "joint development", laying the foundation for China's automotive industry to align with international standards.
Entering the 21st century, SAIC realized that the ultimate goal of "market for technology" is to cultivate independent capabilities. In 2006, after acquiring Rover technology, SAIC launched the Roewe brand, firing the "first shot" of independent brands targeting the mid-to-high end. Thereafter, brands like Baojun, Maxus, and Wuling successively laid out, forming an independent matrix covering different niche markets. Especially in 2016, the globally first internet car Roewe RX5 launched in cooperation with Alibaba not only created a sales myth but also led the industry transformation from "car making" to "making intelligent terminals", opening a new era of software-defined vehicles.
Facing the new energy wave, SAIC took the lead in launching the "New Four Strategies" (electrification, connectivity, intelligence, and sharing) strategy in 2014. Cumulative R&D investment of over 150 billion yuan in the nearly past decade has built a technological moat ranging from chips, batteries to complete vehicles. The 100 millionth delivered IM LS9 Hyper, equipped with full steer-by-wire, LiDAR, and the IM AD intelligent driving system deeply co-created with Momenta, is precisely the embodiment of SAIC's technological integration. From January to April 2026, SAIC's new energy vehicle sales reached 412,000 vehicles, with independent brands accounting for nearly 70%, proving its successful shift from "joint venture dependency" to "technology-driven".
· The Moat of "Whole Industry Chain" System Capability
In the current landscape of price wars and internal involution, the ability to break through 100 million units first does not rely on a single breakout product, but on the profound system capability of "All Categories + Whole Industry Chain".
SAIC owns joint venture brands such as Volkswagen, General Motors, and Audi, as well as independent brands such as Roewe, MG, IM, and Wuling, covering the full price range from 50,000 yuan commuter cars to 500,000 yuan luxury cars. This "thousands of horses galloping" pattern enables it to traverse different economic cycles and reach the widest user base. Whether for first-time family purchase, commercial logistics, or high-end upgrade, SAIC has corresponding products to support, a scale advantage that a single brand finds hard to compare.
SAIC not only builds complete vehicles but also nurtures parts giants like Huayu Automotive. From seats, headlights to chassis modules, SAIC has built the most complete parts system in China, ensuring supply chain stability and controllable costs. Meanwhile, through the Innovation Research and Development Headquarters to integrate R&D resources, it avoided repeated investment by each brand, achieving sharing and iteration of underlying technologies. This closed loop of "complete vehicles driving parts, parts nourishing complete vehicles" is the confidence behind SAIC's ability to continue large-scale deliveries.
· Global Influence from "Made in China" to "Smart Made in China"
The value of 100 million vehicles lies not only in deepening the domestic market but also in "creating another SAIC" in the overseas market.
SAIC is the "textbook" for Chinese car exporting. From early product exports (KD kit assembly), to establishing overseas bases (Thailand, Indonesia), to today's "R&D, production, sales" integrated local operations, SAIC has explored a mature global path. The MG brand has become a phenomenon-level product in Europe, and the MG4 is the first true "global car". From January to April 2026, SAIC's overseas sales reached 459,000 vehicles, up 50.2% year-on-year, ranking first in overseas sales among Chinese car manufacturers for consecutive years.
SAIC's globalization is not just selling cars, but also driving the entire Chinese automotive industry chain to go global. Its layout of more than 100 overseas parts bases, self-built Ro-Ro fleet, and global R&D centers outputs Chinese manufacturing standards and technical solutions to the world. This "chain master" responsibility has made a big step for China to move from a large automobile exporting country to an automobile industry powerhouse.
· The "Ballast Stone" of China's Automotive Industry
SAIC's 100 million vehicles hold milestone significance for China's automotive industry.
First, through the localization of Santana, China cultivated the first batch of modern automotive industry workers and supply chain systems.
Furthermore, from joint venture technology introduction to independent forward-looking R&D, to smart-electric transformation, every step of SAIC has been stepped on key nodes of industrial upgrading.
Finally, it proved that independent brands can not only compete with foreign capital in the Chinese market but also go global with high-end and intelligent images.
The delivery of SAIC Motor's 100 millionth vehicle is not the end, but a new starting point. It marks that China's automotive industry has entered the "quality leading" stage from "scale catching up". SAIC used 70 years to prove that a true "100-million-level car manufacturer" is not only the accumulation of quantity but also a comprehensive embodiment of system resilience, technological thickness, and global vision. In the future, with the further explosion of smart-electric technology, this aircraft carrier of SAIC will continue to carry the dream of Chinese cars, sailing towards a broader blue ocean.
