Move over Mercedes: Chinese cars grab Mexican market share

Mexico City: The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico s luxury car market, hitting sales of tra...

Mexico City: The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico's luxury car market, hitting sales of traditionally dominant brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

According to industry experts, Mexicans are increasingly switching from traditionally dominant sedans to Chinese vehicles due to a combination of comfort, technology and price.

It is no small feat in a country home to factories of foreign brands such as Audi and BMW, and where until a few years ago imported Chinese cars were stigmatized, as in other parts of the world.

According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA), the high-end segment of the market registered a sales drop of 8.1 percent from January to November.

Audi's sales slumped by 21.9 percent, while BMW, which includes the Mini brand, saw no growth in Latin America's second-largest economy, home to 129 million people.