Founded in 1955,[4] it is currently the largest of the "Big Four" state-owned car manufacturers of China ahead of FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, and Changan Automobile, with sales of 5.02 million vehicles in 2023.

The company traces its origins to the early years of the Chinese automobile industry in the 1940s, and SAIC was one of the few carmakers in Mao's China, making the Shanghai SH760.

[7] Although it has a long history, originating from an automobile assembly factory established in Shanghai sometime around World War II, SAIC, unlike domestic rivals FAW Group and Dongfeng Motors, has only recently attained a position of prominence in the Chinese vehicle industry.

[13] During this period, SAIC effectively built an entire modern automotive component supply chain in Shanghai from scratch,[14] and the number and quality of locally produced auto parts rose significantly.

[15] Cars that were previously assembled in China from knock-down kits provisioned by Volkswagen[16] became products built from parts produced in Shanghai,[17] and between 1990 and 1996 the city more than doubled its contribution to the national output of automotive components.

[23] Around this time SAIC created a new holding company for its subsidiaries employed in passenger car production, Shanghai Automotive Group.

[25] SAIC did manage to obtain some MG Rover technology that was incorporated into a new line of luxury sedans sold under the Roewe marque,[26] and it subsequently purchased the winning bidder.

[27] While the company saw sales success in the late 2000s, with 2.72 million vehicles sold in 2009,[28] its 2004 purchase of an ownership stake in a Korean SUV-maker, Ssangyong, soured.

[40][43] SAIC released a statement condemning the decision, noting that the tariffs are a form of unfair market discrimination that went against the principles of free trade.

[44] In July 2024, SAIC Motor issued a statement stating that it would formally request the European Commission to hold a hearing on the anti-subsidy investigation.

Brands that are considered "self-owned" by SAIC include IM, Maxus, MG, Rising Auto, Roewe, Baojun, Wuling, Hongyan, and Sunwin.

Known as "Zhiji Motor" in Chinese, the brand was jointly developed in partnership with Shanghai's Pudong New Area government and Alibaba.

It is sold in most export markets outside China under the MG Motor marque.Rising Auto was initially introduced as the "R Brand" in 2020,[52] a sub-brand of SAIC's Roewe division focused on electric vehicles.

Maxus was formed in 2011 following the acquisition of LDV Group by SAIC in 2010,[53] and produces MPVs, pickup trucks, and SUVs for both domestic sale and global export.

Based in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in southwestern China, the company produces commercial and consumer vehicles marketed under the Wuling and Baojun brands.

[58]SAIC has joint ventures with foreign automakers like General Motors and Volkswagen to produce and sell their vehicles in China.

Aside from importation, distribution, and aftersales operations, SMP’s functions also include the management of MG’s dealership network in the Philippines.

[68][69] In June 2012, SAIC's United States-based subsidiary Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp USA, Inc. opened a new North American Operations Center in Birmingham, Michigan.

[70] SAIC has numerous production facilities in China, including sites in: Chongqing, Liuzhou, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Yantai.