International

BMW expects its sales in China in 2010 to grow by 30% to 120,000 units. Mercedes-Benz aims to sell more than 100,000 passenger vehicles in China in 2010, the vice president of sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz Cars said in April. Audi, the top-selling luxury brand in China, is on course to sell more than 200,000 units there in 2010.

J.D. Power and Associates forecasts that China’s light-vehicle market will hit 15.8 million this year, up 20% over 2009. That’s nearly one-quarter of global sales. In contrast, the U.S. market will only grow 12% to 11.7 million, forecasts J.D. Power.

The Indonesian government will soon require labels in the Indonesian language to be affixed to a range of products, including auto parts, as of September 1, 2010.

Tuner shops in China are looking for imported performance-enhancing accessories such as suspensions, turbochargers, intake valves and brakes. Shock absorbers, body kits and wheels are the top three modifications at his shop, which works on primarily Japanese models, said Zhang Yu, owner of a Beijing Tuning Shop.

With all the news about Chinese workers striking against Honda suppliers, you probably know that Honda-brand cars are on the road in China. What you might not know is that non-Chinese Asian brands accounted for 25% of the light-vehicle market in China in 2009.

There are still a few booths available in the Accessories & Tuning sector at the upcoming Automechanika show taking place September 14–19, in Frankfurt, Germany.

Don't wait to register for this unique opportunity to tap into China's enthusiast markets. Rates increase 25% after Friday!

The short history of China’s automotive modification industry gives foreign brands a leg up on local competitors, said Liu Qingfeng, owner of a business-to-business website selling imported products. He is optimistic about the future for foreign brands in China, especially those that are technology-driven.

Enthusiasts in Monterrey, Mexico, are customizing a wide variety of vehicles, including U.S., German and Japanese cars and light trucks.

Light-vehicle sales in China rose 53% in the first five months of the year to nearly 7.2 million units, according to J.D. Power and Associates. It’s hard to ignore that kind of momentum. Some SEMA members aren’t. They are headed to Beijing in late September for the SEMA-CIAPE Business Development Conference. Many see it as a good opportunity to learn more about the China market.