Beijing auto sales may slide 50% during Olympics

Shanghai, July 10 (Gasgoo.com) Usually known as a barometer of China's auto sales, Beijing will be unlikely to forecast the change in the country's auto market in the third quarter, which will have two Olympic months of August and September, said auto.sina.com today. 

The ban of fuel-guzzling vehicles from roads since July 1 and the measures for vehicles with even and odd number plates to run on alternate days starting July 20 will probably bring the sales of Beijing auto market into a "half-hibernation" period.

Industry analysts said that the auto sales in Beijing are expected to slide by as much as 50% in the third quarter as the traffic policy for alternate running of even-odd-numbered vehicles will last from July 20 to September 20.

This two-month restrictions will surely affect the auto market in the capital city, but many carmakers and their dearlers are working out several contingency plans to prevent their Beijing sales from dropping sharply in the Olympic season.

On the other hand, some carmakers are delivering more vehicles to their Beijing-based dealerships as goods transportation into Beijing will be strictly limited during the Olympic days. The inventory of their vehicles is now large enough to guarantee the sales supply during the coming two months.

The 2008 Olympic Games will start on August 8 in Beijing and run through August 24, followed by the Paralympics on September 6-17.