A store marketing Great Wall Motor Co.'s Tank SUV brand on Shanghai's Caobao Road on March 26.
New-car dealership vehicle stockpiles rose slightly in April from March, as more than one-third of Chinese cities resorted to full or partial lockdowns to control coronavirus outbreaks, undercutting consumer activity and retail operations.
New-car stores across China had an average 57.3 day-supply of new cars and light trucks in stock last month, up from 52.5 days in March, the China Automobiles Dealers Association said this week.
The average backlog of dealerships marketing locally produced, foreign mass-market brands increased to 59.7 days from 57 days a month earlier.
Inventories at dealerships stocking Chinese brands reached 58.5 days, up from 50 days in March.
Inventories at stores stocking luxury brands and imported foreign brands rose to 49.8 days from 45 days the previous month.
CADA said a survey of new-car dealerships in 94 cities showed stores in 34 cities had to temporarily shut down for various lengths of time last month as required by local governments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
More than 60 percent of the dealerships in the 34 cities suspended operations for more than a week last month, the trade group said, drawing on the survey results.
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