New car sales see sharp increase in China through first two months of 2008
03/12/2008, 3:50 PM
By Drew Johnson
With many of the world’s established car markets leveling off, emerging markets — such as China — are quickly become the next frontier for the world’s automakers. And if the first two months of the year are any indication, 2008 is looking to be another record year.
According to just-auto, vehicles sales increased by 19.3 percent — when compared to the same time period in 2007 –in China during the first two months of the year, totaling 1.52 million vehicles.
That increase even includes a decline in February sales, due to the Lunar New Year holiday and snow storms that wreaked havoc on southern China. Chinese auto sales typical see a sharp decline before and just after the Lunar New Year holiday.
In addition to strong growth is the passenger vehicle segment, sales of commercial vehicles were also on the rise. Commercial vehicle sales increased by 21.3 percent in January and February, totaling 970,168 vehicles.
The report should be good news to General Motors, Chrysler and Ford, all of which saw double-digit increases in their Chinese sales in 2007.
03/12, 4:00 PM
posted by:
SmegmaVajayjay
Just what we need more blind drivers in the world
03/12, 4:15 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
It’s cheaper for the automakers to produce cars for the Chinese market. There’s no need to equip them with turn signals or mirrors.
03/12, 5:11 PM
posted by:
SwerveEarly
1.52 M vehicles all sharing 1 catalytic converter.
03/12, 5:14 PM
posted by:
RicardoHead
Its the People’s Catalytic Converter.
03/12, 5:32 PM
posted by:
Elvio
The drivers in the U.S. or Europe are not better than the one in China. Idiots are everywhere.
03/12, 5:41 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
You’re absolutely right Elvio. Many are no better than the one in China. It’s the rest of them that are a concern.
03/12, 7:56 PM
posted by:
autonut
Very, very bad drivers in US are usually from China (or India). Does anyone think we got the bottom of the barrel?
On a serious note, it does not matter to anyone but Chinese commies, since by law you can not legally take out of mainland China more then you invested in the plant/factory. In another words you can build factory and make money for Chinese proletariat (especially ones in concentration camps) but dirty, rotten capitalists can’t get any profit from it. That is why it does not make sense to me why GM (and Ford and Chrysler) are clamoring for Chinese market share.
03/12, 7:59 PM
posted by:
RicardoHead
Autonut, you can take money out. All you have to do is source foreign parts from related companies at exorbitant prices.
03/12, 8:30 PM
posted by:
autonut
RIcardo, there is only percentage of parts you can source out and since commies own country at any point they can stop any financial transaction (money outflow). And they do. Basically, it is very complex schema to take money out and complexity breads expense. For a bank an opening of a new retail customer account cost $300 (actually it was price 10 years ago). This is cost of bureaucracy. Banks are very agile corporations compare to our famed auto industry. Imagine how they can execute your type of transaction, bringing in Chinese domestic partners into it so transactions will not be stopped (domestic partners in China are controlled by commies family members, bribery in our parlance).
One can argue that cheaply produced cars can be sold outside for profit, but it has nothing to do with growth of Chinese market to US auto industry. Actually, this one is Honda’s model: market or seller controls the cash flow.
03/12, 10:21 PM
posted by:
Commodore
You guys couldn’t be more correct.
Another stupid ricer boy in a Honda civic trying to run me off the road today
Worse of all, the stupid ricer boys are now joined by ever-increasing numbers of Mexicans, also in ricer Civics, trying to poke through traffic in their ****ty, 1990s, 110 HP POS buckets.
One merged in front of me on the freeway (in the HOV lane even though he was alone) and I had to brake from 80 to 50 MPH while waiting for his POS car to accelerate and race forward until he gets to a distance of about 1 yard with the car in front of him, and has to brake again
03/13, 12:36 AM
posted by:
Elvio
hahaha…80MPH….you are speeding dude…another bad driver.
03/13, 12:57 AM
posted by:
sharpie
What’s with all the hate here? I thought spring is in the air finally. I encounter more bad redneck white drivers than Asian. While we are at it, don’t forget the bling-bling crowd with a jack up Camero and 20″ wheels. It all depends on where you live.
Ricers offend me the most with the loud muffler with awful sound. There are nice exhaust note (Porche, domestic V8) and then there are the farty rice pipes.
03/13, 6:47 AM
posted by:
Justacarguy
Somebody drove anytime at Quincy Ma?
There’s a 70% chinese drivers around, they buy a white, big old van, then they throw up the side mirrors, fill it up with a bunch of chinese pedestrians and run without rules all around the town.
Exciting!!!!
03/13, 11:28 AM
posted by:
Bobzooki
Its those slitty eyes don’t allow them to see much