A significant jump in sales was made possible by the success of the new generation models. For 2018, Geely Auto Group set an ambitious goal — to sell 1.58 million cars.

According to the results of last year, Geely Auto Group sales increased by 63%. December also turned out to be a record: 153,625 cars were sold, which is 42% more than in the same month a year earlier.

This impressive result was largely ensured by the latest generation models that appeared on the market after 2015. Each of them became a benchmark in its class and subsequently broke its own sales records.

Based on the achievements of 2017, Geely Auto Group planned sales of 1.58 million units for 2018, including LYNK & CO brand cars. These targets significantly outpace the forecast market growth, which indicates the company's confidence in its current and future model lineup. As part of the "Strategy 2020", Geely Auto intends to reach annual sales of 2 million cars by 2020.

Geely Auto sets new benchmarks in the industry.

In the last quarter of 2017, the flagship crossover Bo Yue (known as Atlas in the CIS markets) consistently sold more than 30,000 units per month. In December, 31,205 such cars were sold, and over the year — 286,900. Bo Yue led the SUV segment and raised the bar in terms of intelligent systems and communications in its class.

The Emgrand GS crossover also updated its record: 18,850 cars sold in December and 150,000 — for the year.

The compact sedan Emgrand GL sold 14,088 units in the last month of the year and more than 145,000 in 2017. This allowed it to become the sales leader among compact sedans in China.

The new Emgrand, which has held the title of the best-selling Chinese business-class model for seven consecutive years, found 25,074 buyers in December, and 264,400 over the year.

A new era, a new Geely

Geely Auto's success is associated with the company's new positioning as a technological leader, a harmonious combination of sedans and SUVs, as well as the constant improvement of the dealer network and service maintenance to meet the demands of modern buyers.

Last year, Geely Auto opened a modern research and development center in Ningbo, which should become a leading global development platform with a staff of more than 10,000 specialists. The company also introduced the iNTEC brand, which unites five key automotive areas: safety, connectivity, transmission, interior, and autonomous driving systems. The implementation of iNTEC allowed Geely Auto to establish itself as a technological leader.

A strategy based on strong positions in the sedan segment and an emphasis on SUVs made it possible to create models that led their categories. The balanced development of both directions ensured stable growth in key segments and strengthened competitiveness, productivity, and brand reputation.

The development of the sales and service network, taking into account the needs of the new generation of customers, also made a significant contribution to Geely Auto's success. According to the 2017 Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) published by JD Power, Geely Auto took first place among Chinese brands with a score of 735, with a market average of 703.

Geely Auto is also seeing a change in the demographic profile of buyers, who are increasingly choosing more expensive premium models. The success of third-generation cars increased the brand's prestige and average selling prices: in 2017, 60% of cars sold cost from 81,000 to 150,000 yuan, which indicates the company's transition from competing in the low-price segment to competing for quality, technology, and high value.

The launch of the Lynk & Co 01 — the first model of the new Geely Auto brand, "created globally and with outstanding communication capabilities" (constant internet connection and its own cloud service) — set a new world standard in the premium segment. In November 2017, the Lynk & Co 01 appeared with a full set of digital services and online sales, which was the first step towards changing the traditional car model.

2018 will be a key year for Geely Auto. The brand intends to deepen its strategy of producing cars in the upper price segment, will continue to increase sales volumes and improve service quality. In the new year, Geely Auto will introduce more than 10 new competitive models — sedans, SUVs, crossovers, and minivans, which will further strengthen its market leadership.

President and CEO of Geely Auto An Conghui noted: "In 2018, unprecedented opportunities and challenges await us. The new era sets new tasks for Geely Auto, gives new opportunities, and opens new prospects. We must become a brand that truly understands the consumer both domestically and abroad. We need to be humble and persistently solve these tasks, constantly expand the boundaries of what is possible, strive for innovation, and offer customers products of the highest quality."

In Ukraine, one of the brand's long-time sales leaders, Geely Emgrand 7, is currently available. For 2018, the launch of a new SUV — Geely Atlas — on the Ukrainian market is planned. More information about Geely is available on the website www.geely.ua and by phone at the information line of the AIS Group of Companies: 0-800-500-205 (toll-free from landline phones in Ukraine).