Which is stronger, FAW or SAIC?
2 Answers
Comparison between FAW and SAIC. FAW has an earlier establishment and higher status: The predecessor of FAW Group was the First Automobile Works established in 1953, which can be considered the earliest automobile manufacturing company in China. Although SAIC Group's history can be traced back to 1900, SAIC was merely a machine repair shop at that time, and it wasn't until 1955 that the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant was officially established. FAW and SAIC have different operational models: As a state-owned automobile enterprise, FAW will never collapse, but precisely because it is a state-owned enterprise, the production enthusiasm of its internal employees is generally not very high. SAIC, on the other hand, is different. As the largest listed company in the automotive sector in China's A-share market, SAIC operates on a commercialized model, which means that SAIC employees need to work hard to earn corresponding rewards. FAW has a richer variety of brand models: Whether it's FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota, or FAW Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen, FAW has more brands or models in this regard. For example, Volkswagen Group's Audi also belongs to FAW, while SAIC can only get the Phideon based on the Audi A6L chassis as compensation. FAW Toyota controls Toyota's main models such as the Corolla, Prado, and RAV4, while GAC Toyota only has the Camry and Highlander.
I often follow the ranking data in the automotive industry, and in terms of overall strength, SAIC is indeed slightly stronger than FAW. According to the latest sales statistics, SAIC Group has consistently ranked first in annual sales nationwide, selling over 5 million vehicles last year, while FAW sold around 4 million, showing a noticeable gap. SAIC has a much larger scale, with brands like Volkswagen, General Motors, and Roewe under its umbrella, boasting extensive collaboration channels and higher profits. As a long-established state-owned enterprise, FAW owns premium brands such as Audi and Hongqi, with deep historical roots, but it lags behind SAIC in market share and innovation speed. For example, SAIC made early moves in the electric vehicle sector with MG and Roewe hybrid models, achieving explosive sales. Of course, both are industry giants with their own areas of strength, but overall, SAIC has the edge and greater future development potential, making it worth the attention of young buyers.
