#ChineseMarket

Maserati just confirmed that it will bring a world premier to the Shanghai Auto Show, although it isn’t clear what the car is yet.

Despite having already made its official debut, there are still versions of the 2013 Range Rover under wraps that our shooters caught  spy photos of. 

“The Jeep brand is committed to China and therefore we must design and tailor our vehicles to the specific tastes and preferences of chinese consumers,” said Jeep Brand CEO and COO for Asia, Mike Manley.

To mark its growing success in the country, the automaker announced the inauguration of a permanent brand exhibition at the Italia Center of the Shanghai World Expo Park. Covering almost two square miles, it designed five specific themes to showcase at the venue.

Between the dedicated Ferrari in China, green technology, product, design, and racing wings, visitors will not only get to see current and past ferrari models, but will also get to admire a rich selection of images and videos made for the exhibition.

Automakers benefited greatly from China’s rapid growth over the past decade. Chinese appetite for automobiles has been a critical income for manufacturers around the world. Even  General Motors sold more vehicles in China than in the United States.

If a special vehicles automaker wanted to build a bespoke automobile specifically for China’s wealthiest, it would adorn the automobile with every imaginable luxury appointment and would dedicate its masterpiece after the Year of the Dragon.

According to a statement by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China’s monthly sales of passenger-vehicles suffered its steepest decline in more than seven years due to a Lunar New Year holiday season hiatus that deprived dealers of a week’s worth of sales. Figures indicated that sales fell to 1.16 million units in January, a 24 percent decrease from the year before. According to five analysts from Bloomberg News, sales were projected to drop 18 percent.

BMW is cashing in on the chauffeur craze in China by offering a stretched version of the 3-Series exclusively to Chinese customers.

There used to be a time when any car company hoping to succeed in business would open up shop in North America. While North America remains one of the key markets for car companies, the new focus is on emerging markets, with China as the number one choice.

Many people have no clue where to place Volvo. Is it a premium brand like Audi or BMW, or is it more closer to VW and Ford!

Caterham Cars has just signed an exclusive deal with Courtenay Trading International (CTI) as its exclusive importer. CTI will appoint six dealers in China, in some of its key provinces, and hopes to sell between 30 and 50 cars in its first year.

Having opened its first dealers in China in 2008, Aston Martin has announced plans to make a significant push into the world’s largest auto market. With an initial spread of four dealers in major centers such as Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shanghai, the exotic British sports car brand will look to double its presence over the next 12 months by adding four more.

The Chinese auto industry is reaching new peaks. That was probably the reason South Korean auto manufacturer Kia choose to name their new Rio sedan K2 for the Chinese market.

Want proof? Jaguar and Land Rover have decided to open another 40 dealerships in China this year, bringing the total number to 100.

Speaking to Autocar Magazine, Ford‘s European design chief Martin Smith said “Our marketing people are telling us there’s demand for an affordable family saloon,” and Ford appears to be moving in that direction for the Chinese market.