Rise of inland car markets

"The business is good and we are quite busy these days as many customers wait for the event, when they can get their car at a cheaper price and receive additional gifts from dealers," he said.

Feng Haiquan, general manager of an authorized Infiniti dealer in Wuhan, said the number of vehicles sold at the event usually equals the sales of one or two months combined. Many visitors were from not only Wuhan but also neighboring cities that do not have Infiniti outlets.

Such bright prospects are leading many automakers to expand their sales networks in the region.

Among others, Ford announced the opening of 88 dealerships in June, most of them in Central and western China.

Premium auto brands also place greater importance on the region. Volvo said it will strengthen its network in second and third-tier cities in Central China.

BMW was among the first premium automakers to have a big presence in the vast hinterlands. In addition to a growing number of authorized dealerships, it also established training centers in such key markets as Wuhan to offer better after-sales services.

Global auto forum

Another indicator of Central China's growing importance in the country's auto market was the level of participation at a global automotive forum held during the Wuhan motor show.

Organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the event this year had more than 1,000 participants from 18 countries.

In addition to government officials and industry experts, senior executives from automakers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, General Motors, Dongfeng Motors and Chery shared their views on topics a ranging from the Internet of vehicles to auto finance.

The forum was previously held in Chengdu, Sichuan province, then moved to Wuhan in 2013.

Xie Tian, a sales manager at GAC Honda's Wuhan branch, believes "the relocation is something important".

"The forum will attract many big names in the industry to the city and their presence will enhance the influence of the motor show and the position of Wuhan in the auto industry."

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