Sales of saloon cars up 30 percent in first four months

According to the latest statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, since the beginning of this year, the production and sales of China's automobiles has been keeping a momentum of rapid growth. From January to April of 2007, the production of vehicles was up by 21.36 percent, at 3.0096 million, and sales were up by 21.46 percent at 2.9336 million. Within the general production of vehicles, there were 2.1245 million passenger vehicles produced, up by 20.65 percent, and 2.0841 million passenger vehicles that have been sold, up by 20.71 percent; 885,100 commercial vehicles have been produced, up by 23.1 percent, and 849,400 commercial vehicles have been sold respectively, up 23.36 percent respectively.

In April, the total sales volume of passenger vehicles fell and were significantly lower than sales in March, but the basic type of passenger vehicles keeps growing little by little. 545,800 passenger vehicles had been sold, falling by 3.74 percent from sales in March, but up by 15.98 percent of the amount sold in the same sales period last year. Inclusively, 411,800 of the basic type of passenger vehicles have been sold, up by 0.58 percent from March sales and up by 16.63 percent of the amount sold during the same sales period last year. The sales volume of passenger vehicles with of independent brands was pretty good. Between January and April, 1.5345 million of the basic type of passenger vehicles had been sold, up by 26.29 percent of the amount sold in the same sales period last year. Of these vehicles, 449,700 saloon cars, 5-person vehicle cars, were of an independent brand, making up 29.31 percent of the total sales volume of saloon cars, and 3.21 percent more than the Japanese brand saloon cars now in second place. In April, among the major brands of basic passenger vehicles, the sales of Chinese brand saloon cars hit 116,200, making up 28.22 percent of the total sales volume of saloon cars. The sales volume of such brands as Xiali, Familia, F3 and QQ is generally steady in the market, ranking sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth respectively. Amongst the medium and high level saloon cars, Camry and Accord ranked the fourth and eighth in the list.

By People's Daily Online