CRI听力:Luxury Cars Lure Customers

Despite signs that China's booming car industry is fading, supercars and elite car services remain very popular-even more so as automakers show off their new models and services at the 10th annual China International Automobile Exhibition, also known as Auto Guangzhou, in southeast China's Guangzhou city.　

Porsche has taken the opportunity to release its latest model-the "Panamera Platinum Edition." And since designer brands are favored by the wealthy Chinese upper middle class, Fiat has come up with a nippy cross between the motor and fashion worlds with the "Fiat 500 by Gucci," a co-branded car designed by Gucci in partnership with the Italian automaker.

As a latecomer to the competition in the high-end auto market, Fiat believes China is the future.

Jack Cheng, General Manager of GAC Fiat Automobiles Co., says the company now offers a series of elite services to its customers here in an effort to grab a slice of the auto market.

"As of today, we launched the service brand which is trying to be an elite service to all the customers. The strategy is to take care of the customer first. And, as you know, the brand itself is called "La Vita e Bella"-really means "life is beautiful." If we want to make life beautiful, we have to make sure that all the people surrounding us, including our customers, our dealerships, our suppliers, have a wonderful life. So, we are taking care of the people in all respects."

China overtook the United States as the world's biggest auto market by vehicles sold in 2009 and has since remained on top. Some 18.5 million vehicles were sold in China last year, and automakers expect that number to rise to 30 million by 2020.

But growth has weakened sharply over the past year as the economy has cooled and some cities have imposed restrictions on auto ownership in response to smog and congestion.

Marin Burela, President and CEO of Changan Ford Mazda Co., believes that market growth in China will be more moderate from now on.

"The Chinese market in 2012 is running at around seven percent, a very strong and sustainable level of growth. Very different to what we saw a few years ago with growth running at around the 30-percent level. But that was never really in our view, never sustainable."

But Burela also believes that his company's business will remain on the right track as long as it can churn out new models and innovative technology.

"China is all about excitement around new products. It's all about bringing features and technology that the Chinese consumers truly value and want. It's about being a low-cost producer, delivering the greatest value in all areas of the motor experience."

Auto Guangzhou runs from November 23rd to December 2nd.

For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.