Editor's letter

The UK car market and the UK’s fleet sector faces challenging times. Prospects for economic growth – and automotive demand - have been hampered further by conflict in the Middle East and the likely consequences for price inflation and interest rates.

The Chinese vehicle makers are certainly aware of the positive long-term growth prospects for sales if they can set up distribution networks for the right products at the right price. They also have a head-start with electrified vehicles on the back of the high volumes in China and the scale advantage that brings in manufacturing, R&D and new product development costs.

In this issue, we have sought to provide some insight into the Chinese carmaker strategies and their progress in Europe and the UK. The current proliferation of well-received new vehicle products from China – loaded with advanced tech – is a hugely impressive start. It’s a welcome offering for fleet buyers as well as individual retail customers.

The story will, as they say, run and run.

David Leggett, editor