Mazda Motor has said it expects to sell 220,000 vehicles in China this year, up about 22% over the 2009 tally.
The forecast would mean a sharp slowdown in the Japanese company’s growth rate in China this year, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report noted. Mazda’s Chinese sales rose 40.5% to 179,679 vehicles last year.
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But the forecast also put Mazda’s anticipated growth rate ahead of what analysts are predicting for the industry overall in China.
JD Power & Associates expects sales of light vehicles in China to grow 7% to 13.8m units this year with passenger vehicle demand likely growing 10% to 9.6m vehicles.
Last year, overall light vehicle in China sales grew 48% to 13 million units, JD Power estimated, while analysts have said generous government incentives and stimulus measures last year may have pulled forward 2010 demand.
JD Power has also said the Chinese market faces risks this year from government efforts to restrain growth to prevent booming credit and investment from triggering inflation and asset bubbles.
