Auto industry put pedal to metal

Great Wall out-sells domestic competitors

The Great Wall saw its net profit rise sharply in 2013. [Provided to China Daily]

Great Wall Motor topped Chinese passenger vehicle brands in sales by selling 754,242 vehicles in 2013, a 21 percent rise from the previous year.

More than 410,000 Haval SUVs were sold in the year, contributing more than half of its sales figure.

The automaker's net profit reached 8.27 billion yuan in the year, a sharp rise of 45.24 percent from the year, which is possibly the highest profit rate in the global auto industry.

Great Wall Motor also made breakthroughs in research and development. Its diesel engine for its SUVs won a first prize in the Chinese auto industry science and technology awards in May.

The automaker has set an ambitious sales goal of selling 880,000 units in 2014, and it expects sales to reach 1.3 million by 2015.

(China Daily 02/17/2014 page18)