China car sales surge 20% as buyers beat expiring tax cut

Beijing

CHINA'S passenger-vehicle sales climbed for an eighth consecutive month as consumers rushed to buy small-engine cars ahead of a tax cut due to expire at year-end, boosting deliveries at local carmakers including Geely Automobile Holdings and Great Wall Motor.

Retail sales of cars, sport utility and multipurpose vehicles increased 20 per cent to 2.22 million units last month, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Deliveries rose 15 per cent to 18.7 million units in the first 10 months.