Detroit Free Press. With results from the first half of the year in, GM has displaced VW as China’s top car seller. GM’s four ventures in China sold a combined 259,653 cars, vans and mini-cars.

Shanghai General Motors Co., the Detroit-based carmaker’s venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Group, sold 141,319 cars in the first half, up 92.4 percent from a year ago, the statement said. Shanghai General Motors had 11.5 percent of China’s passenger car market in the first five months of the year, according to the latest available industry statistics.

Sales at SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobiel Co., GM’s mini-vehicle venture in southern China’s Guangxi province, rose 32.5 percent to 115,938 units. The venture, which makes the Sunshine van, had 24.3 percent of the van market in the first five months, GM said.

GM plans to invest more than $3 billion with its partners in China in the next three years to double production to 1.3 million units a year. It plans to introduce up to 20 new models and set up a new venture to provide car loans.

Interesting that 45% of GM’s cars sold are in the mini-car sector. Another note—it is with Shanghai Automotive that GM is reportedly planning on developing its hybrid sedan for the Chinese market. (Earlier post.)