China's Automotive Market Soars by 19% in 2005 According to R. L. Polk & Co.

GM top manufacturer, Hyundai Elantra top model in 2005

* China's demand for passenger cars increased 19 percent in 2005 * Shanghai GM obtained 7.6 percent of total market share in 2005; Hyundai Elantra vehicle registrations increased 92 percent

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 14 -- China's automotive market maintained steady growth in 2005 to reach almost 3.8 million new vehicle registrations, a 19 percent increase compared to 2004, according to R. L. Polk & Co.

GM passenger cars captured 14.2 percent of the segment's market share, with Volkswagen following closely at 13.3 percent of passenger car market share. Nissan's passenger cars, ranked 13th in 2004 market share, grew an impressive 58 percent to move into eighth place in 2005 with 4.1 percent market share.

"Nissan's success is largely due to the introduction of the Teana and the Tiida models, which totaled more than 100,000 new vehicle registrations," said Steve Flinker, R. L. Polk & Co. managing director of the Asia Pacific Division. "These vehicles appeal to the market's affinity for small cars but the brand's success is also indicative of Nissan's commitment to domestically produced vehicles in China."

Hatchbacks accounted for the strongest growth of all segments in the Chinese market increasing by 36 percent in 2005, with segment leader Chery QQ accounting for 84,700 new vehicle registrations, an increase of 110 percent from 2004.

However, notchback sedans, defined as a four-door vehicle with a hatchback trunk, remain the most popular cars for Chinese consumers. This is reflected by the performance of the Hyundai Elantra, the 2005 top model in the Chinese market. Elantra registrations across China reached 167,000 units in 2005, an increase of 92 percent. Beijing was the biggest single market for the Elantra with 30,237 registrations in 2005, an increase of 251 percent compared to 2004.

"Everyone in the automotive industry is watching China for growth opportunities. Polk's China data offers our customers market analysis and insight into how the landscape will change from year to year," said Flinker. "The data is relevant to people in a wide range of roles, from market representation to sales planning and parts distribution."

About Polk's China Registration Data

Polk's China data covers 31 provinces' new registrations of passenger vehicles at national, provincial, city, district and postcode level. The data includes detailed information on both domestically produced and imported passenger vehicles. This unparalleled insight into the Chinese car market is available with monthly values and a history of 2004 and 2005. Polk data covers all passenger vehicles with no more than nine seats and four wheels.

About R. L. Polk & Co.

R. L. Polk & Co. is the premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions. Polk collects and interprets global data, and provides extensive automotive business expertise to help customers understand their market position, identify trends, build brand loyalty, conquest new business and gain a competitive advantage.

Polk helps automotive manufacturers and dealers, automotive aftermarket companies, finance and insurance companies, advertising agencies, media companies, consulting organizations, government agencies and market research firms make good business decisions. A privately held global firm, Polk is based in Southfield, Mich. with operations in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.