International show time, so time for industry heads to instruct minions to work the spreadsheets and give The Boss something to brag or predict about. Here’s a selection from Shanghai.
Citroën managing director, Frederic Banzet, to headlineauto at the DS5 launch party: China would account for 30% of the brand’s sales by 2020, compared with 16% now.
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Nissan Motor is keeping to its target of selling 1.15m vehicles in China this year despite Japan earthquake related supply chain disruptions – Kimiyasu Nakamura, president of Nissan’s local partner, Dongfeng Motor, to Reuters at the show.
Mercedes Benz is targeting to sell 300,000 cars in China annually by 2015 and was also considering selling Smart electric cars – Daimler’s Klaus Maier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz China, addressing a “select group of reporters” including Reuters.
Beijing Hyundai Motor wants to sell 720,000 cars this year in China, up from 703,000 in 2010, and aims to add about 100 dealers this year, bringing the tally to 700 – co-president Jaeman Noh quoted by Reuters.
BMW expects double-digit sales growth in China this year as the company expands its distribution network in the world’s top car market after a strong first quarter and 2010 in which it booked sales in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan up 85.3% to 183,328 units.
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By GlobalDataSales and marketing chief Ian Robertson told Reuters: “I think we still (will) have strong double-digit growth” in sales this year. In the past three years, Chinese sales had been driven by large coastal cities, but future sales growth will increasingly come from the country’s interior so BMW will expand its dealership network and build a design centre in Shanghai this year.
The company is also adapting to Chinese government demands for more fuel-efficient and less-polluting vehicles. “The new energy vehicle opportunity here is probably bigger than in other countries,” Robertson said. “There is a clear agenda to develop (green) technology.”
Geely-owned Volvo Cars sees the Chinese car market growing by 10% to 15% per year in coming years – chief executive Stefan Jacoby in a Reuters interview.
“It’s the biggest single country on the planet. There’s high demand for mobility and high wealth development” and the premium segment should continue to grow faster than the mass market in China.
Volvo wants to sell up to 200,000 vehicles per year in China by 2015, from just over 30,000 units in 2010, and covets 20% of the country’s premium auto sector.
SAIC Motor Group expects China’s auto market to post double-digit growth over the next five years – vice-chairman Cheng Hong to Reuters.
Cheng also said he expects China’s subsidies for electric cars to remain in place for years.
