By LI FANGFANG
CHINA DAILY
BEIJING — Major global
automakers plan to unveil
dozens of new models at the
Beijing auto show this week-
end as foreign producers look
to the surging China market to
drive sales and local brands try
to raise their profi le following
Geely’s purchase of Volvo.
The biennial exhibition,
which has quickly become
one of the biggest and most
important auto shows in the
world, raises its curtains on
Friday and will last till May
2, during which 990 models
— with 89 making their glob-
al debut — will be displayed
in a 200,000-sq-m area.
“No automaker will ignore
Beijing auto show” as all the
players want a share of the
world’s biggest auto market,
said Kevin Wale, president
and managing director
of General Motors China
Group. “We all see China as
a major source of growth.”
Th e US company, aft er a
major restructuring at home
last year, nearly doubled its
sales in China in 2009. First
quarter sales this year hit
620,000 units, roughly the
same as the number for the
whole of 2005. Its sales in
China surpassed those in
the US in March, as they
did in the two previous
months.
Wale noted that GM is
on track to achieve sales of
more than 2 million units in
China this year, and hopes
to hit 3 million units in
2015.
Ulrich Walker, chairman
& CEO of Daimler North-
east Asia, said: “We know
that our global success is
built on deep understanding
of local demand, and thus,
we believe that constantly
adapting to and advancing
with the China market, the
culture, and the expecta-
tions of customers are vital
to achieving success.”
Klaus Maier, president
and CEO of Mercedes-Benz
China, said the company
will continue to expand its
entire product portfolio in
the China market and “allow
for an even more extensive
selection when it comes to
innovative luxury”.
Th e German luxury brand
sold 23,610 vehicles in the
fi rst quarter of 2010, mark-
ing a growth of 112 percent
year on year.
About 2,100 automotive
manufacturers from 16
countries or regions wil