Chinese carmaker BYD (1211.HK) is poised to overtake Vauxhall in Britain after its UK sales surged by tenfold.
BYD sold 11,271 cars in Britain last month, up from 1,150 just a year earlier, according to new data.
The figures show BYD overtaking popular brands including Mini, Land Rover, Tesla (TSLA) and Renault (RNO.PA) while also putting it within touching distance of Vauxhall.
In September, Vauxhall registered 12,120 cars, according to the data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
If BYD continues to grow sales at even a small fraction of the pace it has achieved so far, it could soon overtake its more traditional rival.
Vauxhall, a British brand that traces its roots back to 1857 but is today part of European car group Stellantis (STLA), has long been one of the most popular marques in the UK.
Its Corsa model has consistently been among the top-selling cars in the country and remains the best-selling supermini.
However, SMMT figures show that, in September, BYD’s Seal U hybrid SUV nearly overtook sales of the Corsa with 5,373 and 5,841 of the cars sold respectively.
The Chinese company – whose name is an abbreviation of the slogan “Build Your Dreams” – is gaining in popularity by producing low-cost cars that are packed with modern technology, experts have said.
However, critics in Europe have raised persistent concerns that BYD has benefitted – along with others – from heavy state support in its home country.
In response to this advantage, the European Union has imposed trade tariffs on imported Chinese cars – levies that have not been replicated by the UK.
The UK is now BYD’s largest international market, the Financial Times reported.
BYD’s sales surge will also be seen as impressive given the company’s exclusion from the UK Government’s electric car grant scheme.
The SMMT credited the grants, which can be worth up to £3,500 for models that meet certain criteria, with boosting the sales of rivals.
According to the SMMT figures, the company increased market share from 0.4pc to 3.6pc in September when compared to a year earlier.
On Monday, a spokesman for Stellantis declined to comment.