China is by far the world's largest automotive market, a goldmine where consumers bought 24 million passenger cars last year. Sales are starting to slow somewhat after years of double-digit growth, but the country remains a top priority for automakers, who invariably roll into the Shanghai Auto Show with some of their coolest cars and concepts.
The challenge lies in navigating the demands of the government, which wants to see electrics comprise 8 percent of all cars sold next year, and consumers who want big honkin' SUVs. And so you see automakers unveiling both in Shanghai and hoping everyone finds something to love. General Motors unveiled a Chevrolet Volt wrapped in Buick bodywork---Buick is hugely popular in China. Jaguar and Audi showed off electric SUVs. But don't think internal combustion is done just yet. Mercedes-Benz reminded everyone that it still builds a fine luxo-barge, while McLaren dropped jaws with its 720S supercar.
All told, more than 1,000 companies are on-hand for the show, further underscoring China's might. "The Chinese market is the market nowadays," says Bruce Belzowski, managing director of the automotive futures group at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. "They passed the US as the largest market in 2009, and they have not looked back."
With that kind of clout, China may well decide the future of the auto industry. Here's a look at where that might lead.
