China to Sell 100,000 cars Annually In Australia Within Five Years

[jpd80]

Chinese cars will make massive inroads into Australia in the next few years, as they replace Korean makers in the bargain basement end of the market.

The man in charge of the first Chinese-branded vehicles to be sold in Australia, Ric Hull, says it will take the Chinese less than half the time it took the Koreans to reach the milestone of 100,000 sales in one year.

Hull ought to know. He introduced Hyundai into Australia nationally as an independent distributor in 1988, after another distributor, John Hughes, began importing Hyundais in West Australia in 1986.

It took Korean brands 12 years to reach 100,000 sales in one year and they are now among the top three sellers of cars in Australia.

According to Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries figures, so far this year 90,000 vehicles have come from Japan (up 13 per cent), 42,000 have come from Korea (up 68 per cent), 38,000 have come from Thailand (up eight per cent), while Australian-made cars accounted for 35,000 sales.

Chinese-made cars accounted for a fraction of the total new vehicle sales in Australia (1400) in the first three months of this year, but at least six new Chinese-made vehicles are due in showrooms by the end of this year.

"I don't want to put an exact figure on it but I'd be disappointed if Chinese brands don't make it to 100,000 in five years," he told the Carsales Network.

"The Australian new-car market is much bigger now than it was when the Koreans started in 1986, so it shouldn't be too much trouble (to reach 100,000) at all."
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I'm glad that Ford is not playing in this end of the market, price based competitors like Kia and Hyundai (maybe Toyota) will fall prey to the passable Chinese vehicles about to hit our shores.

As long as buyers view the Great Wall V240 as "just a Jackaroo with a different face",
Great Wall stand to cut a swathe through Korean and Japanese profits as people.......