Brilliance to return to profit in 2007

Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, the mainland's largest minibus maker, sold 146,000 vehicles in the first half year, up 58% y-o-y and surpassing the 10,000-unit mark for the sixth consecutive month. It is worth noting that oversea sales has made great contributions to this result and exports of the company reached 7,000 vehicles in the first six months.

Brilliance secured a deal last year to sell 158,000 sedans in Europe over the next five years. But the Zhonghua Zunchi (BS 6) mid-range sedan, one of the models for Europe, scored only one star out of five in a recent crash test organized by German auto association ADAC.

However, its sales result has not been affected. Of the first batch of 3,000 BS 6 sedans, 500 units have already been launched and 350 have been sold to consumers. In East Europe, the company has plans to sell another 5,000 light buses to Russia by the end of this year.

Moreover, Brilliance Auto is in negations with US automakers to sell its BS 6, equipped with 1.8T turbo engine, in the American market.

Brilliance China said it expects turnover to first reach 40 billion yuan this year and subsequently expects its annual turnover to double to 80 billion yuan by 2010. In the meantime sales is expected to increase to 50,000 units in 2010 from the current 30,000 units annually.