Chinese automaker Chery overtook two Sino-German joint ventures
to secure second spot in the total car sales in China last month,
the China Securities Journal reported on Wednesday.
Chery sold 37,207 vehicles in January, second only to the 40,570
units sold by Shanghai General Motors.
The two Sino-German joint ventures - Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW
Volkswagen - recorded sales of 35,128 vehicles and 32,084 vehicles
respectively.
This is the first time the Anhui-based company, which develops
and produces cars with homegrown brands, has achieved the second
highest monthly car sales in China.
The report attributed Chery's increase in sales to its most
popular models. The minicar QQ recorded sales of 13,713 units in
January, up 5.9 percent over the same period last year.
The Cowin maintained second place in economy car sales, with
sales rising 28.6 percent to 9,804, second only to the Volkswagen
Jetta.
Sales of the sport-utility vehicle Tiggo NCV soared 388.8
percent to 3,901 units, while the Eastar, sales of which rose 152.9
percent to 2,575 units, outsold its rival, the Chevrolet Epica
manufactured by Shanghai GM.
Chery was China's seventh largest automaker and fourth largest
producer of sedans last year, with sales of 302,500 vehicles,
including 272,400 sedan cars.
The company plans to double its exports this year, encouraged by
last year's exports of 50,000 vehicles.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)