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General Motors Company

Automotive ManufacturingFounded 1908
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Acquisitions

General Motors Acquisitions

5

Major Deals Covered

$1.0B

Disclosed Deal Value

What are General Motors's biggest acquisitions?

General Motors's largest disclosed acquisition here is Cruise Automation for $1B in 2016. This page covers 5 major deals from 1908 to 2016, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.

Major deals covered
5
Largest deal
Cruise Automation ($1B)
First deal
1908
Most recent
2016
CompanyYearPricePurpose
Cruise Automation2016$1.0BGM's acquisition of Cruise Automation, a San Francisco-based autonomous vehicle startup founded by Kyle Vogt and Dan Cantu in 2013, represented GM's most significant strategic bet on the autonomous vehicle future and its attempt to compete with Waymo, Tesla, and other technology companies developing self-driving systems. Cruise had developed a software-defined autonomous driving system designed to be integrated into existing vehicle platforms, which aligned well with GM's manufacturing capabilities and provided a faster path to commercial deployment than building AV technology from scratch. The acquisition signaled CEO Mary Barra's conviction that autonomous vehicles would be a defining competitive battleground for major automakers.
Buick Motor Company (Original Acquisition)1908UndisclosedWilliam C. Durant's consolidation of Buick Motor Company as the founding asset of General Motors established the business model and organizational template for the entire GM enterprise. Durant had taken operational control of the struggling Buick company in 1904, transformed it into one of America's best-selling cars, and used the brand's success and cash flow as the primary currency for financing the broader GM acquisition strategy. Buick was not so much acquired at founding as it was the cornerstone asset that attracted investment and credibility for the larger holding company structure Durant was assembling.
Opel1931UndisclosedGeneral Motors Company acquired Opel in 1931.
Electro-Motive Diesel1930UndisclosedGeneral Motors Company acquired Electro-Motive Diesel in 1930.
Vauxhall1925UndisclosedGeneral Motors Company acquired Vauxhall in 1925.
What companies has General Motors bought?
Major acquisitions by General Motors documented here include Cruise Automation (2016), Opel (1931), Electro-Motive Diesel (1930), Vauxhall (1925) and Buick Motor Company (Original Acquisition) (1908).
What is General Motors's most recent acquisition?
The most recent General Motors acquisition documented here is Cruise Automation, in 2016, for $1B.

Cruise Automation

2016

$1.0B

Why

GM's acquisition of Cruise Automation, a San Francisco-based autonomous vehicle startup founded by Kyle Vogt and Dan Cantu in 2013, represented GM's most significant strategic bet on the autonomous vehicle future and its attempt to compete with Waymo, Tesla, and other technology companies developing self-driving systems. Cruise had developed a software-defined autonomous driving system designed to be integrated into existing vehicle platforms, which aligned well with GM's manufacturing capabilities and provided a faster path to commercial deployment than building AV technology from scratch. The acquisition signaled CEO Mary Barra's conviction that autonomous vehicles would be a defining competitive battleground for major automakers.

Impact

Cruise grew into one of the most visible robotaxi operations, running driverless rides in San Francisco and raising outside capital from investors including SoftBank Vision Fund, Honda, and Microsoft. GM put more than $10 billion into the business.

Outcome

After an October 2023 incident in which a Cruise vehicle dragged a pedestrian, California suspended Cruise's driverless permit and operations were paused. In December 2024 GM stopped funding robotaxi development and folded Cruise's technology work into GM, refocusing on personal-vehicle autonomy. Since 2025 that effort has been led by chief product officer Sterling Anderson.

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Opel

1931

Why

General Motors Company acquired Opel in 1931.

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Electro-Motive Diesel

1930

Why

General Motors Company acquired Electro-Motive Diesel in 1930.

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Vauxhall

1925

Why

General Motors Company acquired Vauxhall in 1925.

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Buick Motor Company (Original Acquisition)

1908

Why

William C. Durant's consolidation of Buick Motor Company as the founding asset of General Motors established the business model and organizational template for the entire GM enterprise. Durant had taken operational control of the struggling Buick company in 1904, transformed it into one of America's best-selling cars, and used the brand's success and cash flow as the primary currency for financing the broader GM acquisition strategy. Buick was not so much acquired at founding as it was the cornerstone asset that attracted investment and credibility for the larger holding company structure Durant was assembling.

Impact

Buick's strong reputation for engineering quality - it was one of the most technically sophisticated American automobiles of the early 1900s - provided GM with immediate market credibility that attracted customers, dealers, and the additional capital needed to fund subsequent acquisitions of Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Oakland. The brand's continued survival through multiple corporate crises, including the 2009 bankruptcy, reflects its enduring value as GM's primary entry point into the near-luxury consumer segment. Buick's notable strength in China, where it has historically outsold its U.S. Volume by a factor of five or more, makes it an important brand well beyond its North American market share.

Outcome

Buick has survived as one of GM's four primary U.S. Brands for more than 115 years - one of the oldest automotive nameplates still in active production globally. While its North American volume has declined significantly from mid-20th-century peaks, its strong brand equity with Chinese consumers has sustained its business case through periods when pure domestic performance might have warranted consolidation. The brand is now transitioning toward electric vehicles with the Buick Electra series of models sold in China and the exploration of EV models for North American introduction.

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General Motors Company's Growth & Acquisition Strategy

GM's growth strategy has shifted from an all-EV push to flexibility. It still sells EVs on its Ultium-based platforms, such as the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Cadillac Lyriq, but after 2025 it cut EV capacity, kept investing in gas trucks and SUVs, and plans lower-cost lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cells with LG Energy Solution. In December 2024 GM stopped funding the Cruise robotaxi business and folded that work into its own engineering team. Growth now rests on software and services (OnStar, Super Cruise, and a planned eyes-off driving system), plus disciplined pricing and inventory.

How General Motors Company Makes Money

GM makes money mainly by building and wholesaling vehicles to its dealer network, then earning a second layer of profit through GM Financial, its captive lender. GM North America (GMNA) is the profit engine: full-size pickups such as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra and large SUVs such as the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade carry far higher margins than small cars or current EVs. GM International covers markets such as South America, South Korea, and the Middle East, while China is run through joint ventures (notably SAIC-GM) whose results show up as equity income rather than consolidated revenue. GM Financial earns interest and lease income from retail loans, leases, and dealer floorplan lines that also help move GM inventory. A smaller but growing layer of recurring revenue comes from software and services such as OnStar and the Super Cruise hands-free driving system. GM sold Opel/Vauxhall to PSA in 2017 and stopped selling vehicles in India the same year, so its footprint is now concentrated on North America.

General Motors Acquisitions FAQ

What are the most historically significant acquisitions completed by General Motors?

Historically significant acquisitions by General Motors include Oldsmobile and Cadillac (1908-1909), Chevrolet (1918), Fisher Body (1926), Adam Opel AG in Germany and Vauxhall in the UK (1920s), Electronic Data Systems (1984), Hughes Aircraft (1985), and autonomous driving startup Cruise Automation (2016).

Why did General Motors acquire Cruise Automation in 2016?

GM acquired Cruise Automation in 2016 for approximately $1 billion in cash and equity to accelerate the in-house development of fully autonomous, driverless vehicle technology, securing a specialized engineering team and proprietary machine learning perception software.

How did the historical acquisition of Fisher Body transform General Motors' vehicle manufacturing?

Acquiring full ownership of Fisher Body in 1926 secured exclusive rights to enclosed, high-precision steel automotive bodies. This vertical integration transformed vehicle safety, aerodynamic styling, and mass assembly efficiency, giving GM a decisive competitive advantage over rivals.

What was the rationale behind GM's divestiture of European subsidiaries Opel and Vauxhall?

In 2017, GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to France's Groupe PSA (now part of Stellantis) for $2.3 billion, ending nearly nine decades of European operational presence after experiencing nearly two decades of persistent structural losses and currency headwinds.

How does General Motors utilize strategic minority investments through GM Ventures?

GM Ventures is GM's corporate venture capital subsidiary, making strategic minority investments in high-growth startups developing next-generation solid-state battery chemistry, fast-charging hardware, lightweight composites, AI perception sensors, and advanced manufacturing robotics.

What was the purpose of GM's joint venture with LG Energy Solution named Ultium Cells LLC?

Ultium Cells LLC is a multi-billion-dollar 50/50 joint venture established to construct and operate high-volume domestic lithium-ion battery cell gigafactories in Warren, Ohio; Spring Hill, Tennessee; and Lansing, Michigan, securing localized battery supply for GM's EV lineup.

How did General Motors' acquisition of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) impact its IT infrastructure?

GM acquired Ross Perot's EDS in 1984 to centralize and modernize its sprawling global computing infrastructure, factory automation networks, and enterprise telecommunications systems before spinning off EDS as an independent publicly traded IT services firm in 1996.

What strategic partnerships has General Motors formed to accelerate hydrogen fuel cell commercialization?

GM established a long-term fuel cell joint venture with Honda (Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC in Brownstown, Michigan) to co-develop and mass-produce advanced HYDROTEC hydrogen fuel cell power cubes for heavy-duty commercial trucking, aerospace, and stationary power generation applications.

Does General Motors own Cruise?

Yes. In 2016, GM executed a highly aggressive, massive $1 billion acquisition of Cruise Automation, a tiny San Francisco startup. GM poured massive billions into the company to build fully driverless robotaxis, though the project recently suffered massive, highly public setbacks involving pedestrian accidents.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.