Foreign brands' China-only cars prevail at Shanghai Motor Show 2013
Foreign manufacturers race to deliver exclusive-to-country cars at Shanghai show, driving home the message that this is the new make-or-break frontier
While it may be a cliché to describe this year's Shanghai Motor Show as the biggest and best ever, it's true that it has grown more important than ever on the world stage.
Since 2009, the mainland has been the largest car market in the world, with sales last year exceeding 13 million units - a year-on-year rise of 7.6 per cent. And with domestic brands' market share falling from 46 per cent in 2010 to 42 per cent last year, it's no surprise that foreign brands struggling to make headway in Europe and North America are looking to China.
But luxury manufacturers now realise that, to appeal to the Chinese market, they need to do more than produce dragon-themed special editions.
Maserati chose this year's show, which ends on Monday, for the world premiere of its new Ghibli, along with a 330-horsepower, three-litre V6 version of the Quattroporte that is exclusive to the Chinese market. Four-door saloons such as these are crucial to create sales volume in the country.
Porsche's Panamera was originally launched in Shanghai in 2009. This year the carmaker is back, debuting the Panamera Executive, which has been stretched by 15cm for the Chinese market.
"We introduced the first Panamera to a world audience here in Shanghai - and very intentionally here - because it was clear to us that our gran turismo would be precisely the right model for this future market," says Porsche chairman Matthias Müller, adding that one in every three units is now sold in China.