China is a goldmine for almost every luxury brand out there, from Louis Vuitton to Ferrari. Now, the world’s largest auto market has overtaken the United States as the BMW Group’s largest market, according to figures released by the Munich-based company.
In the first quarter of this year, the BMW Group, which produces BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles, sold 80,014 vehicles in China, an increase of 37% from the same period last year. By contrast, the group sold 75,729 units during the same period in America, up 17% year-on-year. BMW’s domestic market is third, up 2% to 66,222 units.
Expect to see more upward movement, as BMW has just launched the long wheelbase version of its F30 3-Series for China. The Shenyang-made Three has a 110 mm longer wheelbase to cater to Chinese premium buyers, who generally prefer big cabins.
This news comes as no surprise, since China is already the largest market for BMW’s premium segment rival Audi. Mercedes-Benz, the other German heavyweight, counts the Middle Kingdom as its third largest market after USA and Germany.
Japanese premium brands such as Lexus, Infiniti and Acura are way behind the Germans in China, as they don’t produce locally and lack brand cachet. Some are trying to address the situation – for instance, Nissan’s Infiniti is looking to sell 100,000 units in China by 2016, five times the amount it managed last year.
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“Japanese premium brands such as Lexus, Infiniti and Acura are way behind the Germans in China”
Obviously they know those cars are pimped-up toyota, nissan and honda…
China is getting strong..
with the open market policy, the china car manufacturer will undergo tremendous development as well to compete in the market.
Didn’t PROTON send their cars to China? How is it?
proton aimimg to be global car…mind it, its only aiming, not even trying!
Aim, Set, Shoot
and here we are proud to be the biggest market for perodua market.
If cars in Malaysia are priced like in Europe, I would be driving a Cayenne and wife be driving a BMW roadster. FXXK the AP King and the garment.
Car prices as in Europe, but insurance premiums, road taxes and petrol prices as in Malaysia?
BTW: Why there are so few Cayenne i.e. on i.e. german roads? As the car is so ‘cheap’ there? ;)
Congrat to China and BMW !!!
I suppose Cina balik China is now not a bad idea :)
If petrol price, car insurance, car mantainance, have to check at pustakom after 3 years (just like MOT in UK) before can issue road tax and insurance still most people can only afford Malaysian, Japanese and Korean cars lah.
And we are still driving a proton..