The backlog of unsold models at dealerships of mass-market brands hovered around a 50-day supply, on average, in October, even as industry sales rebounded for a sixth straight month in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Carmakers continue to stockpile new cars and light trucks at dealerships to achieve annual sales targets in 2020, the China Automobile Dealers Association said in releasing new monthly inventory data.
Dealerships marketing Chinese brands carried an average new-vehicle supply of 51.3 days, unchanged from September, according to the dealer group.
Average inventories at stores stocking locally produced, foreign mass-market brands reached 47.1 days, compared with 46.6 days the previous month.
Stockpiles at stores distributing luxury brands and imported foreign brands averaged 39 days, the same as in September.
Infiniti stores had the highest average backlog — 75 days — last month, according to CADA. Nissan Motor Co.’s luxury arm was followed by a 72-day supply of vehicles at Skoda dealerships, and 70 days at stores under SAIC Motor Corp.’s Roewe brand.