A de-inventory process at showrooms in the third quarter provided manufacturers more room for upping their sales figures as the year's end approaches.
China Daily motoring writer Han Tianyang takes a look back at what moved the market and made the news over the past 12 months.
With the invention of automobile 126 years ago came the inevitable birth of auto service. As the inventor of automobile, Mercedes-Benz also played a major role in the history of auto service.
Recent remarks made by two senior government officials have once again stoked debate on the future of joint venture self-owned auto brands in China.
Joint venture self-owned brands are fast becoming the most discussed subject within the auto industry in China.
Instead of slashing prices, German luxury carmaker Audi AG vows to speed up localization of new products to continue its reign over the premium segment of the world's biggest vehicle market.
Chinese experts called for the development of the hybrid auto industry in the country for the purpose of reducing emissions.
Despite a slowdown in the first half this year, China's auto market is expected to maintain stable growth of 8 to 12 percent annually over the next four years.
China's automakers have seen high automobile inventories over the past six months, prompting concerns whether the car industry is facing a crisis.
Last month, the China Association of Automotive Manufacturers predicted that more than half of Chinese domestic passenger vehicle brands would cease to exist in the next three to five years.
Although a slower month than June, light vehicle sales remained stable in July with total volume reaching 1.38 million units, a 9 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Global light vehicle sales are expected to be bullish this year and in 2013 despite mounting risks, according to industry consultancy LMC Automotive.