Japanese car makers unveiled a bunch of new models yesterday at the 5th China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition.

Honda Motor Corp, Toyota Motor Corp, and Nissan Motor Corp showed off their ranges at the media preview of China's third-largest auto show, which opens to the public today and runs until November 26.

Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co Ltd launched a revamped Accord sedan, usually the top-selling vehicle in the mid-to-high-class range, with aims to set new benchmarks in the segment, said Eiji Okawara, president of Honda's local venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group Corp.

The 2008 Accord sedan, the eighth generation of the model, is the largest and most luxurious car in the Accord family with a new 3.5-liter V-6 engine. It competes against Ford's new Mondeo, Volkswagen's Magotan and Toyota's Camry.

Toyota displayed a record high of 42 models in a stand covering 3,500 square meters. They included the Yaris, which is expected to be produced by Guangzhou Toyota next year, the new VIOS sedan, Land Cruiser SUV and an imported FJ Cruiser.

Toyota raised its sales target in China from 430,000 units to 480,000 units this year after selling 390,000 units in the first 10 months, fueled by heated market demand for Camry and Corolla sedans.

Nissan, Japan's third-largest car maker, introduced Qashqai and X-Trail SUVs as it eyes the rapidly growing market. Infiniti, the luxury car brand under Nissan Motor Corp, also brought its M35 sedan, joining a product portfolio of G35 sedan, Fx 35 and Fx 45 SUVs.

"Japanese car makers are relative late-comers to the Chinese market compared with European brands like Volkswagen," said Klaus Paur, regional director of automotive consulting firm TNS China.

"While the European brands focused too long on old and sometimes outdated models, the Japanese brought from the very beginning modern cars with up-to-date technology into the market. This has helped them to quickly obtain a solid position in the Chinese market."

Today, Japanese brands hold about 25 percent market share.

(Shanghai Daily November 20, 2007)