Nearly half of motorists would consider £50k Chinese car over prestige brand

Almost half of motorists with £50,000 to spend on a car would consider choosing a Chinese model over an established prestige brand, according to the latest Startline Used Car Tracker.

The September research found that 44% of motorists would consider a Chinese car at this price point, as manufacturers from the country increasingly expand beyond the mainstream market into more expensive SUVs, saloons and sports cars.

More than a quarter (27%) of respondents said a well-designed and well-made vehicle was more important than the manufacturer’s badge, while 21% believed Chinese manufacturers were capable of competing with established upmarket brands. A further 15% said their success with lower-priced vehicles demonstrated their capabilities.

However, 20% believed European, US and Japanese manufacturers make better vehicles at the £50,000 price point, while 19% said brand heritage and badge appeal become more important as the amount being spent increases.

Some 14% regarded Chinese manufacturers as specialists in cheaper vehicles, 11% believed making successful luxury cars was more difficult than producing lower-priced models, and 10% said Chinese cars did not project the image they wanted.

The research also examined attitudes at the higher end of the market, finding that 46% of people who could afford brands such as Porsche, Bentley or Aston Martin would consider a Chinese alternative.

“Chinese car makers are starting to move upmarket, planning SUVs, saloons and sports cars priced above £50,000 and sometimes costing much more. This is taking them well beyond the budget mainstream market where they have already found a high degree of success in the UK.

“What our research reveals is that approaching half of people who had this amount of money to spend – very much in the heartland of models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes – would consider a Chinese car.”

Commenting on the findings for the luxury segment, Burgess added: “There is probably an assumption that people with six figures to spend are very much swayed by the badge of the car they are buying, but again, there is a strong suggestion that even a large proportion of buyers here would be swayed by the right model from China.”

The September Startline Used Car Tracker was compiled by APD Global Research and surveyed 300 consumers and 60 motor dealers.