The run-up to Spring Festival as well as China's economic rebound are expected to have boosted China's passenger vehicle sales in January by nearly 50 percent year-on-year, said the China Passenger Car Association.
The association said on its website that China's passenger vehicle sales to dealers in January would hit about 1.45 million units, more than 15 percent higher than in December.
The association will release detailed figures on Thursday.
Rao Da, secretary-general of the association, attributed the year-on-year sales surge mainly to an expected sales boom in the run-up to Spring Festival, which falls on Feb 10, compared to the holiday in the fourth week of January 2012.
"And this January has five more working days than last year, which also helped boost monthly sales," said Rao.
Cui Dongshu, deputy secretary-general of the association, said that annual bonuses being paid in January and a recovering economy had also helped drive sales.
"Taking the third week and fourth week as examples, China's passenger vehicle sales to dealers boomed 98 percent and 180 percent over last year, respectively," said Cui.
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