Chinese carmakers are strutting their stuff in the biggest way ever at this year's car show in the Chinese captial. Unlike at previous events this year local carmakers are marketing their models aggressively at Auto Beijing 2010.

 

Bigger and better than ever, Auto Beijing 2010 has attracted almost all multi-national auto giants. Their representatives grab every PR opportunity to promote their cars.

But Chinese automakers aren't just sitting back and watching the multinationals take their slice of the market away. On the contrary, they have launched aggressive marketing campaigns. Geely's section occupies 3,000 square meters and is crammed with the company's future cars.

First Automobile Works has allocated two third of its exhibition space to its independently developed powertrains. And SAIC Motor has its Roewe and MG cars.

China overtook the US as the biggest auto market in 2009. It was also a year of rapid growth for Chinese car firms, especially in the field of affordable cars.

Xu Jianyi, GM, Faw Group, said, "Chinese automakers are very competitive at making economic cars. Most of the products are of great value. "

But for Chinese automakers, it is still too early to be complacent. SAIC Motor says it aims to double sales of its own brands to 180 thousand cars in 2010. And FAW Group plans to increase the ratio of its independently developed models to 50 percent of the company's total sales. The group currently has joint ventures with Volkswagon and Mazda.