Auto show: Global brands eye China for sales

China's economic growth and a corresponding boom in its auto industry has, so far, pulled in more than 100 vehicle manufacturers all jostling for their place on the Chinese stage. Most of them, including General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, have brought their best and latest to Auto China 2008. We take a brief look at the highlights of this event.

Audi China sales rose 25% in 2007

Volkswagen AG's luxury car unit, that's Audi AG, unveiled its Q5 SUV, and launched its Audi A5 sedan in its China debut.

Audi already outsells BMW in the country with sales in China rising 25 percent last year, compared to a 6.5 percent gain in its global market. And that means Audi sold close to 102 thousand cars for 2007, making it the first luxury-sedan maker to break the 100 thousand sales mark in the country.

Mazda to triple China sales

Mazda Motor will add a revamped Mazda 6 and an MX-5 to its range in China within a year. The new models are part of Mazda's bid to nearly triple sales within 3 years.

The company aims to sell 300,000 vehicles in China by the end of 2011, which will take Chinese sales to 19 percent of what it sells worldwide.

Ford Motor Q1 China sales up 47%

Ford Motor, the world's third-largest automaker, has unveiled its new little Fiesta car. The 5-door hatchback will go into production in Nanjing later this year.

And this is on the back of very healthy sales -- the Michigan-based automaker has seen first quarter figures go up as much as 47 percent -- to hit 90,000 units.

BMW to open a second Chinese plant

BMW's China Venture plans to nearly triple its capacity by 2012. The joint venture Brilliance Auto currently makes 35 thousand units every year. But it's hoping to produce 100,000 annually within 4 years.

BMW is already in talks to open its second plant in China.

Daimler to overtake BMW in China luxury market

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said on Sunday that the German automaker expects to overtake rival BMW in China's luxury car market. The company plans to begin sales of its Smart compact car in the country from next year onwards.

GM to sell its hybrid car in July

General Motor is set to sell its first gas-electric hybrid car -- the Buick LaCrosse -- in China from July onwards.

The model was partly-designed by GM's center in Shanghai. Priced under 300,000 yuan, the LaCrosse will be the second hybrid to enter the Chinese market, following Toyoto Motor's Prius in early 2006.