BAIC Motor sees profit up 46% in '11

Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC), the Chinese partner of Daimler AG and Hyundai Motor Co, Monday said that its profit in 2011 increased by 46.1 percent year-on-year, far beyond the average 8-percent growth for the whole industry in China.

The Beijing-based automaker's 2011 profit stood at 16 billion yuan ($2.54 billion), said Xu Heyi, chairman of the company.

Sales revenue of the state-owned company rose by 27.4 percent to 20.1 billion yuan, Xu said.

Following a 32-percent growth in 2010, China's auto market saw much slower growth in 2011 after the government scrapped small-car tax incentives as well as imposed purchase restrictions in Beijing.

The company sold more high-end vehicles in 2011, which contributed to the high profit increase, Xu said.

BAIC sold 1.54 million cars in 2011, up 2.7 percent from a year ago. Among them, 36.1 percent were high-end cars, more than 2010's 26.2 percent, he said.

According to Xu, BAIC will focus on own-brand vehicles and new-energy vehicles in 2012.

Meanwhile, a new production base, with an investment of 5 billion yuan, will start operation in the third quarter of 2012, said Han Yonggui, vice president of BAIC.