China August 2013: Focus on the all-new models

The new generation Ford Mondeo lands directly at #119 this month.

* See the Top 309 All-models ranking by clicking on the title! *

This is a new series on BSCB, focusing on the all-new models entering the Chinese ranking, and we are now kick starting its 4th instalment. After a couple of slow months, the newcomer frenzy is back in China, with 4 all-new models landing in the ranking in August, including 3 inside the Top 120! We’ll also have a quick look at the best performing launches of the last couple of months. Remember this update always only considers models manufactured in China as imports data is unavailable for now.

Brilliance H330

The most successful new entrant this month is the Brilliance H330 landing at #99 with 3,853 sales. Now for those of you who have followed BSCB meticulously you will know the H330 has already appeared in the Chinese ranking indeed, even reaching #66 last month, alongside with the FSV it replaces. However H330 sales are now being treated separately from the FSV, hence the new entrant status. The H330 is an illustration of the brand’s new naming system, which also includes the H320 hatchback (the least successful at #245 this month), the smaller H230 (#70) and larger H530 (#192).

Mazda CX-5

Missing out of the Top 100 as early as for its first appearance in the Chinese ranking is the Mazda CX-5, now produced locally and already selling 3,654 units at #101, meaning it is already the brand 2nd best-selling model in the country after the Mazda6 at #60… Two years after its launch in the rest of the world, the CX-5 continues to gain traction in most markets, so we can expect a great word-of-mouth for the model in China, plus the SUV segment is on fire here so a Top 50 ranking as soon as next month could well be in the cards. The sky is the limit in the longer-term, and a Top 20 teasing the VW Tiguan, Honda CR-V and Hyundai ix35 could mean the CX-5 is Mazda’s ticket to vastly increased Chinese sales in 2014…

Further down we have the new generation Ford Mondeo, a US Fusion modified for China selling 3,155 units in its first month to rank at #119. It is counted separately to the old model which is down 79% this month to #197. Ford wants to sell between 70,000 to 110,000 units of the Mondeo a year in China, which means at least 6,000 a month and should warrant a Top 50 ranking. This would make the Mondeo Ford’s third best-seller in the country behind the Focus (#2 this month) and Kuga (#42).

Beijing Weiwang M20

Finally, the last newcomer this month in China is a mini MPV: the Beijing Weiwang M20, selling 519 units to rank #225. Not much is know about this model, it’s however interesting to notice that this is Beijing Auto’s second new entrant in the last 4 months alongside the Senova D advertised by Nicolas Cage which has stabilised around 1,000 monthly units. The other mini-MPV Beijing Auto sells is the E-Series, loosely based on the last generation Mercedes B-Class, which has impressed so far in 2013, knocking on the Top 100’s door in August at #106…

GAC Trumpchi GA3

Among recent launches, apart from the Honda Crider already playing with the big boys at #27, let’s salute the DongFeng Fengguang, up a further 76% and 38 spots on July to rank at #102, the Luxgen 5 Sedan multiplying its July sales by 3 to 1,304 and up 44 ranks to #179, the GAC Trumpchi GA3 even more impressive: increasing its sales 4-fold to 1,302 and up 56 spots to #180 and the prestigious FAW Hongqi H7 up 6% on last month but down 3 ranks to #241.

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Previous month: China July 2013: Focus on the all-new models

One year ago: China August 2012: Ford Focus leads, VW Lavida back in the game

Full August 2013 Top 308 All-models Ranking Table below.