With more orders in hand than expected for its mid-size auto, the Shanghai General Motors has decided to double its production of Buick cars next year, according to today's China Daily.

Shanghai GM, a joint venture between US General Motors (GM) and China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp, announced last weekend that it has revised production plans for next year to 50, 000 units, from the original 37,000 units.

Production this year is expected to be 23,000 Buicks. Since May, when the model was introduced, Shanghai GM has received orders for more than 20,000, a quarter more than expected.

China approved production of the 3.0-litre Buick car, a renovation to meet Chinese conditions, as substitutes for imports.

A senior official of the GM China Group said that Shanghai GM is to introduce an eight-seat Buick GL8 wagon next year to widen its product range. (China Daily)