China Imports September 2019: Tesla Model 3 lifts to #2 in market down -4.3%

The Tesla Model 3 reaches a best-ever 2nd place in the Chinese Imports charts.

After two consecutive months of double-digit declines, import sales in China drastically slow down their fall in September at -4.3% to 96.836 units, meaning the year-to-date tally is now up 1% to 850.373. The Top 5 brands remain identical on August and vs. YTD: Lexus (+8.9%), BMW (+9.6%) and Porsche (+11.5%) swimming upstream with solid gains while Mercedes (-12.2%) struggles and Toyota (-0.3%) is stable. Tesla (+273.3%) gains two spots on last month to #6, with Mini (+28.3%), Jeep (+19.2%) and Mitsubishi (+18.7%) the only other Top 22 brands in positive. Rolls-Royce (+44.6%) benefits from the (late) arrival of the Cullinan SUV already representing 50% of the brand’s sales right from its inaugural month. For its part Lamborghini (+340%) continues to be boosted by the Urus which accounts for 75% of the brand’s sales in September and 78% YTD.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan has landed in China.

The Lexus ES (+120.9%) solidly holds onto the pole position in the models ranking, cementing its YTD lead with sales up 75.9% over the first 9 months of the year. Although it doesn’t break its Chinese volume record, the Tesla Model 3 climbs 6 spots on August to a best-ever 2nd place overall, distancing the Lexus NX (-10.2%) and BMW X5 (-9.7%), while the Porsche Macan (+39.6%) rounds out the Top 5 in splendid fashion. Porsche also places the Cayenne (-13%) and Panamera (+69.8%) inside the Top 10 at #6 and #9 respectively. Other great Top 20 performers include the Range Rover Velar (+154.6%), Mercedes S-Class (+84.8%), Volvo XC90 (+43.5%), Mercedes GLE (+43.5%), Toyota Alphard (+36.5%), Prado (+24.9%) and Mini (+18.3%). As far as new launches are concerned, the BMW X2 (#17), Lincoln Nautilus (#31), Lexus UX (#35) and BMW X7 (#37) all make it into the Top 50.

Previous month: China Imports August 2019: Tesla (+519.5%), Jeep (+25.4%) survive market down -24.8%

One year ago: China Imports September 2018: Lexus repeats at #1, market down -7%

Full September 2019 Top 45 All-brands and Top 210 All-models below.