General Motors has rolled back its plan of offering only three-cylinder engines in some of its vehicles sold in China, Reuters reports.
The American car manufacturer had opted to discontinue many four-cylinder versions of models it sold across China because three-cylinder alternatives are cleaner and more fuel-efficient. However, Chinese consumers aren’t particularly fond of such small engines, believing they are noisier and prone to more vibrations than larger engines.
Before long, GM’s Chinese sales started to slide and according to a senior sales manager at a Shanghai-based Buick dealership, the move to three-cylinder engines was “too quick, too radical and lacked sophisticated planning.”
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According to the sales manager, his dealership was one of hundreds that lobbied GM to change its plan at dealer conferences.
On Wednesday, GM China president Matt Tsien revealed to investors in New York that customers had been reluctant to accept the three-cylinder engines and said the carmaker will start to offer four-cylinder engines in certain models only offered with three-cylinder powertrains.
GM hopes the move will allow it to regain some ground it’s lost in the country. Documents reveal that GM’s joint venture with SAIC Motor is seeking approval for four-cylinder versions of the Buick Excelle GT and Chevrolet Cruze. These two models should hit the market in the second quarter while four-cylinder variants of the Buick Verano sedan and Encore GX SUV are also being considered.
