GAC Opens Second Dealership in Belo Horizonte: The "Deep Cultivation Logic" Behind 33 Dealers in Brazil

Core Event & Data

New Store Opening: On February 11, 2026, GAC Group inaugurated its second authorized dealership in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Located on Avenida Barão Homem de Melo in the city’s western zone, the new store sits in a recognized core automotive sales corridor.

Dealer Network: Following this opening, GAC now operates 33 dealer stores across Brazil, with a short-term target of reaching 120 stores. In addition to Belo Horizonte and Uberlândia, new authorized stores in Montes Claros and Juiz de Fora are also in preparation.

Sales Performance: Since officially entering the Brazilian market in May 2025, GAC has sold approximately 8,000 vehicles in less than a year. The company expects sales to jump to 29,000 units in 2026 and aims to achieve annual sales of 100,000 units by 2030.

Localized Production: GAC plans to activate its Brazil factory in Catalão, Goiás state in 2026, a joint venture with HPE Automotores with a total investment of $1.3 billion (approximately RMB 9.4 billion). The facility will become GAC’s first full-line production base in Latin America, covering fuel vehicles, hybrids, and pure electric vehicles, accompanied by an R&D center

In-Depth Analysis: GAC Brazil’s “Three-Step” Strategy 1. Channel Deepening: Precise Positioning from “Core Cities” to “Inland State Capitals” GAC’s channel layout in Brazil follows a clear progressive logic. The first store landed in Belo Horizonte’s Pampulha region, the second in the western zone’s core automotive corridor, with subsequent plans extending to inland cities like Montes Claros and Juiz de Fora. This rhythm of “core first, then radiate, then deepen” reflects a profound understanding of Brazil’s geographical depth and consumer hierarchy. Minas Gerais is Brazil’s third most populous state and second strongest economically, with enormous automotive consumption potential. By placing two stores here and continuing inland penetration, GAC’s intention is clear: to carve out its own “second battlefield” beyond the coastal core cities long dominated by Japanese, European, and American brands. As Jorlan Group Brand Director Sérgio Medeiros noted, construction to completion took less than eight months—this “China Speed” itself is the best endorsement of channel execution capability.

2. Localized Production: The Strategic Leap from “Trade Export” to “Ecosystem Rooting” If channels and products represent “points” and “lines,” then GAC’s ultimate move in Brazil is the $1.3 billion factory in Catalão, Goiás, accompanied by an R&D center. This is not simple capacity transfer but a full-industry-chain ecosystem go overseas—a comprehensive layout covering R&D, manufacturing, services, and energy replenishment. As GAC International General Manager Wei Haigang stated: “As the first Chinese state-owned automotive brand to land in Brazil, we will advance with a full-industry-chain ecosystem go overseasmodel”. The strategic value of this layout is threefold:

Tariff Barrier Avoidance: Localized production circumvents Brazil’s high tariffs on imported vehicles, enhancing cost competitiveness;

Local Demand Adaptation: The R&D center enables products to be deeply optimized for Brazil’s unique ethanol fuel and road conditions;

Industrial Ecosystem Rooting: By creating local jobs and collaborating with universities on R&D, GAC is transforming from an “outsider” into a “co-builder” of Brazil’s automotive industry.

Industry Insights: Three “Replicable” Aspects of the GAC Model

For Chinese Automakers: GAC’s practice in Brazil reveals that true globalization is not simple product export, but the local rooting of a full-industry-chain ecosystem. From channel deepening to product adaptation to production localization, each link builds irreversible competitive barriers.

For the Brazilian Market: Chinese brands represented by GAC are leveraging their first-mover advantage in electrification and efficient channel execution to tear an opening in the Brazilian market long dominated by Japanese, European, and American brands. Behind the 37.4% year-on-year growth in EVs in the first four months of 2025 lies a historic resonance between Chinese power and Brazilian policy.

For Latecomers: The GAC model demonstrates that the correct posture for entering Latin America’s largest automotive market is: “Brand first, channels follow, production roots, ecosystem closes.” Among these, finding like-minded local partners (such as Jorlan Group and HPE Automotores) is a key step in reducing risk and accelerating landing.

GACGroup BrazilAutoMarket ChineseAutoGlobal LocalizationStrategy NewEnergyVehicles ChannelExpansion MinasGerais LatinAmericaMarket FullChainGlobalization