Shanghai GM, General Motors Corp's Chinese venture, yesterday reported its sales more than doubled to 90,202 units in January from a year earlier.

GM's flagship venture attributed the robust sales to its new generation of mid-to-high class sedans - Buick Regal and Buick LaCrosse - with combined sales of 17,011 units.

The venture also sold about 17,030 Chevrolet Cruze models in January and 20,585 Buick Excelle cars.

Shanghai GM was among domestic car makers to post surging sales last month on rising market demand ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on February 14 this year.

Ford Motor Corp yesterday also reported sales of Ford-branded vehicles surged 128 percent to 30,759 units in January while China's First Automotive Works Group sold 238,360 units last month, a jump of 133 percent from the same period last year.

The China Passenger Car Association said January car sales may exceed 1 million units, helping major car makers to set a new sales record.

Shanghai GM launched a new Chevrolet Sail and Buick Excelle XT in January as it aims to boost full year sales to 850,000 units, General Manager Ding Lei said.

China, which overtook the United States as the world's biggest auto market for the first time last year, is forecast to register sales of 15 million vehicles this year.