China February 2018: Exclusive imports data now available

The BMW X5 repeats at #1 in China’s imported models ranking in February.

* See the Top 46 All imported brands and Top 230 models by clicking on the title *

All-brands and All-models 2017 monthly data available, contact us here for more details.

China imported data is a new monthly update on BSCB. Note no media outside of China is reporting on these figures, BSCB being the first to do so. Import sales in China are up 7.1% year-on-year in February to 64.005 units, leading to a year-to-date volume up 16.7% to 185.046 deliveries. #2 over the Full Year 2017, Mercedes however remains the best-selling imported brand in China, and by a large margin, thanks to sales up 18% to 12.114 while BMW edges up just 2% to 9.470. Lexus drops 4% in third place above Toyota (+45%) and Land Rover (+59%) both delivering stunning performances. In the remainder of the Top 10, Nissan (+148%) stands out while Audi (+21%), Lincoln (+11%) and Porsche (+11%) all beat the market but Volkswagen disappoints at -28%. Further down, Tesla (+122%), Bentley (+98%), Infiniti (+37%), Ssangyong (+35%) and Mitsubishi (+33%) post very solid scores while the newly imported CX-3 propels Mazda up 44-fold year-on-year… Newcomers Alfa Romeo (#22) and Ram (#32) remain discreet.

Imports of Toyota Land Cruiser are up 114% year-on-year in China in February. 

Model-wise, the BMW X5 repeats in first place, managing two consecutive wins for the first time in at least a year thanks to deliveries up 56% year-on-year whereas the FY2017 leader, the Lexus ES, drops 11% in 2nd place. The Mercedes GLE (+5%) climbs onto the podium ahead of the Toyota Land Cruiser more than doubling its sales year-on-year (+114%) at #4. The Porsche Macan (+12%) breaks into the Top 5, equal with the Mercedes CLA with the Mercedes S-Class (+64%) and Range Rover (+62%) also posting spectacular gains in the Top 10. Just outside, the Nissan Patrol soars 193% to #11, the BMW 7 Series is up 24% to #12, the Audi Q7 up 58% to #15 and the Porsche Panamera is up 13-fold to #16.

The Range Rover Velar is the most popular new imported launch in China.

Chinese imports remain a mostly premium affair: if we consider the Toyota Land Cruiser, Prado and Nissan Patrol as premium nameplates from mass brands, the Subaru Forester is the best-selling imported mass vehicle at a lowly #23 and the only in the Top 30 if we take the VW Touareg as premium. The Ford Explorer (#31) and Smart Fortwo (#40) follow. Mercedes places 6 nameplates in the Top 30, BMW 4, Lexus and Land Rover 3. The Range Rover Velar tops recent launches (<12 months) at #26, well ahead of the Porsche 718 at #65, BMW 6 Series GT at #83, Ford F-150 at #87, Mercedes AMG SLC at #92 and Alfa Romeo Giulia at #98.

Previous month: China January 2018: Exclusive imports models and brands data now available

Previous year: China Full Year 2017: Exclusive imports data by model and brand

Full February 2018 Top 46 All imported brands and Top 230 models ranking below.