European carmakers on China charm offensive as sales droop

Shanghai: Once blithely dominant in China, European automakers are now launching full fledged charm offensives at consumers in the world s largest car...

Shanghai: Once blithely dominant in China, European automakers are now launching full-fledged charm offensives at consumers in the world's largest car market, seeking to claw back sales lost to domestic rivals.

At this week's Auto Shanghai, the largest global industry show of its kind, foreign firms -- in particular legacy German ones -- pitched dozens of electric, high-tech models made "in China for China".

Volkswagen, the largest foreign automaker operating in the country, announced that by 2027 it would release more than 20 new cars for the local market.

"There is still a huge opportunity for the German brands to make a comeback, but with each day without a truly tech-defined car (like Chinese rivals) it seems unlikely," EV specialist Elliot Richards told AFP.

Volkswagen entered the Chinese market through a joint venture when it first opened up, swiftly taking the lion's share.