Jebsen, distributor for more than a hundred premium brands in China, will finalise deals in coming weeks that will see it add two carmakers to its mainland brand portfolio.
Despite a slowing economy and falling property prices, the group remained optimistic about prospects for the mainland's car sales, said Mark Bishop, Jebsen director and head of its luxury goods division.
Bishop forecast 'modest' car-sales growth of 10 per cent for Porsche in 2012, following a remarkable 29.41 per cent growth in sales last year, when Jebsen sold 6,600 Porsches in Hong Kong, the mainland and Macau, up from 5,100 in 2010.
Total passenger car sales on the mainland dropped 24 per cent year on year last month, but Bishop said that although industry-wide sales were declining, the luxury segment was so far unaffected by the downturn. 'I still look forward to 2012 with confidence for growth,' he said.
Jebsen is Porsche's largest trading house in China, but a rapid expansion of rival dealerships by Porsche in recent years meant Jebsen's contribution to total Porsche sales in China was shrinking. 'We need to diversify a little from Porsche,' Bishop said. The two car brands Jebsen is adding to its portfolio are European.
Europe's biggest carmaker, Volkswagen - which has a production base on the mainland through a joint venture with First Automobile Works - is in the course of taking over Porsche, likely to be completed this year.