Chinese auto sales are excelling in some areas, while other sectors fall behind.
Sales of passenger vehicles, including SUVs, minivans, MPVs, and cars, rose 5.8% year-on-year to 7.1 million units in the first half, despite a slump in April and May sales. Passenger vehicles also totalled 9.3 million units, a rise of 3.4% year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
By contrast, commercial vehicle sales dropped 3.7% to 2.2 million units, which analysts speculate could be a result of increasing oil prices.
GM's China president Kevin Wale forecast a modest 5% industry growth in 2011, a significant decrease from the blistering 32% gain in 2010. GM sales are also expected to increase by only 10%, again lower than the 15% gain predicted by the auto giant last November.
Wale cites ownership restrictions, poor commercial vehicle sales and a phasing out of buying incentives as key factors in the slow first half sales.
For other passenger car manufacturers, like Volkswagen, 2011 has been a good year, as the German car maker reported an increase of nearly 13% to 852,800 units in the first half. VW have outperformed the market, with industry sales of light vehicles in China totalling 9.3 million units in the first half, up 3.4% year-on-year.