2011 New Car Sales Around The World: China Crawls

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

After rocketing up by 32 percent in the year before, the Chinese car market took a break last year. China’s automobile sales eked out a small gain of 2.45 percent to 18.50 million units last year. As the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said in a press conference this afternoon, this was the slowest growth in 13 years.

Automobile output grew even slower, and that barely: Production is up 0.84 percent from a year earlier to 18.42 million units in 2011.

Still, China is and remains the world’s largest car market and car producing country.

14.47 million passenger cars were sold in China last year, up 5.19 percent. Sales of commercial vehicles are down by 6.31 percent year-on-year, production is down 9.94 percent.

The only segments that are up are SUVs, up 20.19 percent MPV, up 11.74 percent.

Throughout the year, we had been watching the normally boring commercial segment with growing concern. Normally, declining sales of commercial vehicles are seen as an indicator of a deteriorating economy. Commercial vehicles are a 4 million market in China

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Marcelo de Vasconcellos Marcelo de Vasconcellos on Jan 12, 2012

    Wow, China grew less than Brazil. Our market grew 3.something. And from what I hear this year started even slower. Seems Germany is back on top of Brazil as the world's 4th largest market. End of BRIC prowess?

  • Alluster Alluster on Jan 12, 2012

    I wonder how many plans this will change for several automakers who have been counting on growth in China to makeup for stalling sales in their home countries. Bertel, would you be kind enough to post sales and market share info for each manufacturer, that is if you have it. I am curious to see what brands are performing and how they have performed compared to last year.

  • Robert.Walter Robert.Walter on Jan 12, 2012

    Wow, lots of unsold Fordsmin that lot... Changchun?

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