Statistics from consulting firm AlixPartners show that by the end of August, Japanese automakers' market share in China dropped from 21.6 percent in 2011 to 21.2 percent, while German brands boosted their holding from 21.3 percent in 2011 to 23.3 percent. South Korean vehicle producers saw their market share in China increase by 0.3 percentage points to 9.3 percent.

For the first time since 2005, Japanese automakers have lost their leadership in China's automobile market.

German luxury vehicle brand BMW AG reported 55 percent year-on-year sales growth in September, with sales of its lifestyle brand Mini surging by 121 percent.

Also from Germany, Audi AG's sales in China increased 20.5 percent year-on-year in September while Mercedes-Benz sold 10.6 percent more vehicles than last year in the country.

General Motors, the largest foreign automaker in China in terms of sales, said on Monday that it sold an all-time high of 244,266 vehicles in its biggest market in September, an increase of 1.7 percent from September 2011.

Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp said that their combined sales increased 9.5 percent to a record high in September.

lifangfang@chinadaily.com.cn

Toyota concept cars displayed on June 7, 2012 at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao International Auto Show in Shenzhen. [Photo / Xinhua]