News from Berlin - German carmakers have turned their attention to ‘Auto China’, a car show held every two years in Beijing, China. The Beijing International Automotive Exhibition is one of the top car shows in the world, with China currently standing as the largest and fastest growing car market globally. In anticipation of record sales in China, the German car industry gathered in Beijing alongside the world’s leading carmakers. As Chinese consumers look West for excellence and affordability, German carmakers have high expectations for the future of car commerce between the two countries.

Market forecasts have indicated continued growth in 2014, following on from a sharp increase in car sales in China since 2012. German carmakers such as Audi, Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler profited from this growth, selling 15 percent more cars in 2013 than in the previous year. CEO and President of VW Group China, Jochem Heizmann, asserted ahead of the event that the German company is expecting demand among the Chinese market to increase by 10 percent in 2014. VW plans to export its products to over 3,000 Chinese car dealers throughout the next 4 years, an increase of almost 50 percent.

Luxury car manufacturers BMW, Audi and Daimler are also anticipating healthy growth this year, following an increase in sales of between 18 and 21 percent for all three in 2013. In the past year, the number of new automobiles entering the Chinese market has increased by over 15 percent, or just under 18 million cars. This growth has been accredited to China’s emerging middle class and growth in its inland regions. Furthermore, VW and Daimler have recently signed accords to expand their production capacity in China and introduce more green technologies in their Chinese ventures. Germany is China’s leading European trading partner, with VW establishing one of the earliest and largest car-making ventures with a Chinese company.

News from Berlin - Berlin Global