According to SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., monthly sales of the compact car rose from 869 units in August, when it went on sale, to 8,019 units in December.

In January, China's light vehicle market dropped 24 percent year-on-year due to the weeklong Chinese New Year holiday. Yet, Baojun sales still increased to 9,006 units.

The Baojun 630 is fitted with a 1.5-liter engine and a five-speed manual transmission.

To expand the Baojun's appeal, SGMW plans to offer it with an optional automatic transmission. It also will roll out a compact Baojun model equipped with a 1.8-liter engine.

SGMW, a three-way joint venture between SAIC Motor Corp., GM and the Liuzhou government in southwest China's Guangxi region, is China's largest microvan maker.

Last year, the partnership sold 1.2 million microvans, up 5 percent year-on-year, according to LMC Automotive.