Car sales and output top 5.7 million last year
By Gong Zhengzheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-14 05:33

Statistics indicated output and sales amounted to 1.78 million and 1.79 million units respectively in 2005, down 0.60 per cent and 0.75 per cent from the previous year.

A spokesperson from the association told China Daily that they believed the total sales of domestically produced vehicles in China this year would expand by 10-15 per cent to 6.4 million -6.6 million units.

In the passenger vehicle area, the five best-selling models last year were the Xiali, Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Santana, General Motors Buick Excelle and Volkswagen Jetta, according to the association.

Sales of the Xiali, the Chinese brand made by FAW Xiali Automobile Co Ltd a partner of Japan's Toyota Motor reached 179,700 units in 2005.

China also imported 160,000 vehicles last year, down from 175,000 units in 2004, said sources from the China Trading Centre of Automobile Imports.