|
China's car sales grow 33% in September
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-21 09:26
China's passenger vehicle sales jumped 33 percent in September over a year
earlier, as price cuts helped spur demand, the China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers reported.
But the 354,000 units of passenger vehicles sold lagged behind production,
which totaled 358,200 units, according to data seen Thursday on the industry
group's Web site.
After lagging earlier in the year, sales have rebounded in most vehicle
categories, with purchases of passenger cars up 36 percent against September
2004 at 254,500 units, it said. Sales of multipurpose vehicles, such as
minivans, jumped 89 percent to 13,800 units and sales of sport utility vehicles
rose 56 percent to 20,700, it said.
Detailed sales figures for other types were not given.
Passenger vehicle sales rose 16.8 percent in the first three quarters of this
year, compared with the same period a year earlier, to 2.8 million units, the
report said.
Buyers are tending to opt for smaller cars due to higher gasoline prices.
Nissan Motor Co.'s Tiida, a new subcompact which sells as the Versa in other
markets, was the best-selling model in September, at 13,700 units, just ahead of
South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co.'s Elantra 1.6, which sold 13,300 units,
the figures showed.
Chery Automobile Co. sold 11,100 of its QQ minicar, with Shanghai Volkswagen
selling 10,700 Santana sedans and General Motor Corp. selling 10,400 Excelles,
the report said.
In the year to date, the Xiali, a compact made by Tianjin FAW Xiali, was the
best seller, with sales totaling 133,800. The Elantra was a close second at
131,200 followed by the Excelle, with sales totaling 105,000, and Santana - once
the market leader - at 100,300, it said.
Automakers are operating under heavy pressure to cut costs and offer
discounts amid increasingly intense competition, cutbacks in government spending
and tightening restrictions on bank loans for auto purchases.
VW has seen its market share drop to 18 percent from over 50 percent in the
1990s. Hoping to regain lost ground, earlier this week the company announced
plans to introduce up to 12 new models in China by 2009 while cutting costs and
improving service.
|
