China bests U.S., remains world's biggest auto market

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

China bests U.S., remains world's biggest auto market

05:52 AM

The Chinese auto industry's trade association reports that more than 16 million new vehicles were sold in China the first 11 months, easily ensuring the booming Chinese market will remain No. 1 in the world for the second consecutive year.

The U.S. has been tops, but this year only 10.4 million new vehicles have been sold in the U.S. through November, according to sales tracker Autodata.

If you consider all the countries in the European Union as a single market -- it's supposed to work that way, after all -- it has topped the U.S. some years and will do so this year, it appears. No single country has challenged for No. 1, however.

U.S. automakers are players in China. General Motors, for example, sells more Buicks there than in the U.S. Even so, U.S. brands only held about 10% of the China market through 11 months, the trade group reported.

-- James R. Healey/Drive On

LINK:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/12/china-bests-us-remains-worlds-biggest-auto-market-/1