Volkswagen and China, it’s an old story. with 1983 yearthe German group signs a partnership with a Chinese manufacturer Shanghai Automobile Company. To create the first Sino-foreign automobile joint venture. And to officially distribute (outside ChKD or under license) everything the first foreign car on the Chinese market: SAIC-Volkswagen Santana. french Citroen enter the race 1992 year in partnership with SAW (now renamed Dongfeng) to make your model ZX (Fukan in the local market). General Motors will not appear before 1997, and partnered with SAIC to produce China’s first Buick New Century. Volkswagen is considered a quasi-national brand there. It is historical China’s leading automaker ! In 2020, we had to return to fourth place (for Honda and Toyota) to find the first Chinese manufacturer rating, Geely.

An independent outsider

Everything has changed a lot since then. There are more Chinese brands, starting to gain positions in the domestic market against historically stronger foreign builders. They even look at foreigners a lot, export to Europe and around the world. Aiways, Seres or even MG arrived in France, for example, and the latter even exceeded 10,000 registrations since the beginning of the year! Chinese brands that are on the rise and that are undercutting their foreign counterparts. This is what happens in China, where BYD has overtaken Volkswagen. This is historic! For 39 years, Volkswagen has always remained number 1 in the world’s largest automotive market. The promising Chinese brand experienced a rapid rise!

A brand at the top coming to France

By the end of November, BYD sold 156,863 cars, compared to 143,602 for Volkswagen. BYD, like Geely, for example, is an independent Chinese manufacturer that has never been associated with a foreign manufacturer. Contrary to SAIC, FAW or Dongfeng example. The brand has developed on its own, and it seems to have finally reached maturity. It has a wide and consistent range in China, consisting mainly of electric and hybrid models. Despite the fact that 100% electric ID range well stocked (3, 4X, 4 Crozz, 6X, 6 Crozz), Volkswagen could not compete with BYD, which is the second largest battery manufacturer in the world! A brand backed by this success, arrives in Europe with a crossover Atto 3sedan Khan and SUV Tan. If you missed these models at the Mondial de Paris, you can go and admire them at ByMyCar Rivoli in Paris. The brand opened its own the first showroom in France!