Leapmotor Global Deliveries : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

Leapmotor deliveries were up 26% Q1, 84% in Q2 and 78% in Q3.  It is pushing hard on exports, which no doubt is compensating for less favourable conditions in the home market. YOY, deliveries are up 69%.

The brand has exceeded 100,000 in a quarter six times. The first was in Q4 2024, then from Q2 2025, six consecutive times. With the total already 12% up on 2025 and Q4 still to come, last year's total has been smashed. You could say they are leaping ahead.

Leapmotor achieved its first net profit in 2025 with 2026 surely its second year in the black. The company is backed by Stellantis and seems to be one of the few things going well for them at present. 

Data & photo source: Leapmotor (C10 & B10).

Geely Brand Deliveries : 2025-26 (Q1-Q3)

Sometimes delivery figures are not totally clear and I refrain from releasing it. I have held off publishing this data until now as I am not 100% sure of what it encompasses.

The Geely Auto Group consists of several brands, the Chinese ones being the Geely brand, Lynk & Co, Zeekr, Geometry, Galaxy, Radar (aka Riddara) and Farizon. Lynk & Co, Zeekr, Geometry, Galaxy are revealed individually. I believe, but not certain, that Radar and Farizon are also not included to the right. 

The 2025 year had a modest 3% increase but 2026 looks to have cooled slightly. Q1-Q3 deliveries are -28% compared to a complete 2025 and down 4% when considering YOY figures. Still, often Chinese car companies have a knack of delivering increases with late in the year surges, so 2025 may yet be surpassed. 

Data source: Geely Auto. Photo: Geely NZ.

Galaxy/Geometry Deliveries : 2025-26 (Q1-Q3)

Geely's Geometry is an electric vehicle brand that was started in 2019. In 2024, it came under Geely's Galaxy brand. That latter was launched in 2023, it makes electric and plug-in hybrid cars. It is an independent sub-brand. 

When the two merged, volume was about 50/50 but Galaxy is now the larger of the two. The company doesn't give a breakdown of each brand.

Data source: Geely Auto.
Picture source: Galaxy M9 above (Netcarshow) & Geometry C below (Geely).

Deliveries were expanding rapidly in 2025 but 2026 is thus far a consolidating period. Q3 is the best so far. 2026 is still 29% below the complete 2025 but deliveries are now equal when doing a YOU comparison. It will be interesting to see how Q4 pans out. 

BYD Passenger Car Deliveries : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

BYD has recently been flying high. Massive increases in deliveries have been so large that it was hard to comprehend the scale of it all. It always had to hit a ceiling sometime, but when?

Q4 2025 gave a hint of what might have been coming, but sometimes quarterly figures can be aberrations rather than solid trends. A slow down of car sales and aggressive competition in China suggested the latter. Q1 2026 seemed to confirm that Q4 '25 wasn't going to be an exception. 

Q2 made a comeback, but BYD was still below the lofty achievements of 2025. Electric cars were down 8% and adding hybrids to EVs produced a marginally better 4% drop. Then in Q3, a healthy 31% has BYD back on track. 

Adding EV and Hybrid deliveries together, an 18% increase in Q3 is impressive, driven by EVs. BYD forecasts domestic sales at around 3.5 to 4 million vehicles. Exports are estimated to be around 1.5 million. That puts the total in the 5 to 5.5 million area. My initial reaction earlier in the year said the target is too high, but Q3 is making me reconsider. 

So where does it put BYD in 2026? EVs are now up 1% YOY, and when including hybrid cars, -4%. That puts the targets well within firing range. 

Data source: BYD. Picture source: BYD (BYD Dolphin & Denza B8).

Lynk & Co / Zeekr Deliveries : 2025-26 (Q1-Q3)

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co has many brands within its sphere of operation. Data is not its strong point but I've scraped together some data that seems kosher. We will look at two of the brands here.

First up, Lynk & Co. 2025 deliveries came to 350,000 units. up 23% on 2024. 2026 started strongly as deliveries increased 12% and exceeded 81,000. Since then, things went south and by Q3, they were down 41%. It's currently -19% YOY. 

Owner Geely had a forecast of 400,000 deliveries for 2026. New models will help but it seems reaching that target is now unrealistic. The 350,000 total from a year ago would be a good achievement from here. 

The models in the range are the 01, 02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10+, Z20 and 900. That's quite a range for the number of cars sold. The passenger cars and SUVs they sell are surprisingly similar for such a large number of models. The 07 GT wagon hit the road in July. 

Then on to Zeekr and that is a very different story. It had 224,000 deliveries in 2025, up 1%. This year YTD it is already at over 288,000 deliveries, exceeding last year's total with a quarter of the year to spare. 

The model range includes passenger car, crossover, SUV options but also a luxury MPV (009). Again apart from the MPV, all rather similar but if they are selling well, it is workig well in this case. The 9X flagship SUV was released in July. 

So deliveries YOY are up 101% by Q3. Zeekr is certainly doing well, while Lynk & Co is struggling. It's a crowded market place out there and competition is intense. 

Data source: Geely. Models shown are the Lynk & Co 01 top. The middle photo is of the rear seats of the Zeekr 009 MPV. Quite posh, aren't they? 
The lower photo the Zeekr X model.

Tesla Delivery & Production Figures : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

Tesla deliveries were down 4% in Q3 but production up 2%, both exceeding 1,300,000 YTD. Deliveries have outpaced production for two consecutive quarters, so the inventory build up in Q1 has been dealt with decisively.  

Both deliveries and production are 205 short of 2025 but 2026 still has a quarter to go. YOY and both are up 8% on 2025. I would have thought that was a pleasing situation to be in all things considered.  This would indicate that 2026 volume will be ahead of last year and possibly by a reasonable margin.

Data & photo source: Tesla.

Rivian Deliveries & Production : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

Rivian produced and delivered over 19,000 vehicles in Q3 2026, which is a nice increase. The full year estimate figure remains at the 65,000 to 70,000 region. That will require a Q4  total of 30,000 vehicles. The R2 is ramping up the volume sufficiently to achieve those target numbers. Rivian estimates it will deliver around 20,000 to 25,000 of that model by the end of the year. 

Looking at the data below shows that Q3 deliveries and production are well ahead of the corresponding period in 2025. 2025 has already been reached with a quarter still to come. YOY comparison shows Rivian deliveries are up 29% and production likewise up 36%.

So the current line up is the R1S large SUV, R1T pick up and now the R2 medium sized SUV. In 2027, when the small R3 SUV arrives, the range will be filling out nicely. 

Data & photo source : Rivian (R2 & R1T)

Xpeng Deliveries : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

Deliveries were up 126% in 2025 but it was slowing as the year progressed and Q1 2026 showed the effect of a muted domestic market. It was down 33%, followed by a much improved Q2 and Q3. Xpeng had too many eggs in one basket.

Ideally, the total figure at this point would be closer to -25% but Q1 stifled that. It's currently at -34% comparing three quarters of 2026 with four of 2025. It's -9% if Q4 2025 is taken out of the equation. 

The company was aiming for 550-600,000 deliveries for the year but that looks impossible now. Matching 2025 would be a good result from here on in. 

The 10,000th GX model was produced in June. It's Xpeng's flagship large six seater SUV. The Mona L03 mid sized SUV is soon to arrive. That would account for the optimistic 2026 forecast.

Xpeng was heavily reliant on the domestic market. With local deliveries suffering, this is triggering a shift toward export markets as has been the case with other Chinese brands. They do already sell in many markets, but will no doubt prioritise that more.  

Data & photo source: Xpeng (X9 & P7).

Li Auto Deliveries : 2026 (Q1-Q3)

After January and February experienced subdued deliveries, March sprung into life with over 41,000 units sold. Li Auto said they had now resolved a production bottleneck, which may explain what happened.  August was another good month with nearly 38,000 deliveries.

Monthly deliveries have levelled off in the 30-35,000 area. For Q3, there was a 7% increase. With more stable numbers in 2026, increases or decreases depend on how strong 2025 was in a given quarter. 

Q4 will decide if an increase will be achieved in 2026. At least it won't be the 19% reduction endured in 2025. The -28% in 2016 is due to comparing three quarters in 2026 to four in 2025. Comparing three quarters has a -1% figure. 

The i6 model cumulative production passed 150,000 in June. Total Li historical deliveries exceeded 1.8 million in August. 

Li Auto is officially entering markets in the Middle East and Central Asia while exploring opportunities elsewhere, possibly Europe. 

Data & photo source: Li Auto (Li6 & Li9).

Luxembourg Passenger Car Sales: 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 4% in 2026, 5.5% in August. Things tend to be very stable here, unruffled even. Its financial sector accounts for nearly a third of GDP, although they do want to diversify the economy.  

German brands hold the top four places here. Then one could also add German owned Škoda to take all five leading brands. Chinese brands are yet to have much impact, although the ever growing 'Other' figure - which isn't revealed to us - could contain many brands from that source. It's gone from 0.1% to 2.7% of the market in a few years

Data source: Statistiques Luxembourg. 

Liechtenstein Car Sales : 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 14% YTD and 23% in August. That's a sold gain on 2025. In 2025 they were down 11% for the full year, so more a case of back to normal. The release of data is not quick but at least we get some. Annual sales by model were once on the menu, but not anymore. 

Volkswagen was the long standing number one brand here but since 2020, it has been contested by others. BMW has led twice and Mercedes-Benz once. However, in 2026 VW has established a healthy lead. In a small market, volumes are more changeable than alpine weather but for now they lead comfortably. 

Data source: Liechtensteinische Landesverwaltung.
Photos source: Motor - Liechtenstein. 

Perú Car/LCV Sales : 2026 (Jan-Aug)

The list below covers the top 25 brands and premium ones. An unusual way to present data, but that is how it comes from AAP. 

Vehicle registrations are up an impressive 40% YTD, so things are going along very strongly. Toyota sales are up 22%, yet it has lost 11% of its market share compared to a complete 2025. The Big T took the lead from Hyundai in 2018 and is now well ensconced at the top.

Chinese brand Jetour is now in the top five, with its share up 73% and sales up 152%. Geely, JAC and Chery make five Chinese brands in the top ten. DFSK dropped out of it with market share halved.

Photo: Jetour (Dashing) Perú. Geely (GX3 Pro) Perú.

Panamá Car/LCV Sales: 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Panamá has many brands, a trend that is happening in many countries. The arrival of so many Chinese makes is the reason. Toyota is still the choice for over one in six buyers, Hyundai and Kia above one in ten. Yet there are some loss of sales, spread fairly evenly across all the legacy brands. 

The 212 is a rugged off road jeep style vehicle made by BAW. As the picture shows, it's ideal in jungle and that covers a large part of the country. Rox is another Chinese brand, which makes premium electric SUV's. As seen below, not so much for conquering the jungle as glamping. 

Bentley Torcal

The EV market is growing, especially with higher fuel prices due to issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. So why not a Bentley EV? The fact is the increase isn't being felt in the highest stratospheres of car purchasing. The rich can afford the fuel. 

That's not to say there isn't a market for this sort of car, but it's a small one. So why has Bentley come to the party with the Torcal EV? It's the most affordable Bentley and it appeals to people who may not have otherwise considered one. Half of initial enquiries are from people who don't currently own a Bentley.

It's also the first all new Bentley in over a decade, which surprised me. For those who like the sound of a V8, the artificial V8 sound was created using real musical instruments. It's also more attractive than I was expecting, in a conservative sort of way. I like unnecessary grill. 

It's a very powerful beast too, so the departure from fossil fuel won't inhibit thrust. Data on that is yet to be revealed but it will be the strongest accelerating Bentley yet.Has that tipped the scales in favour of my purchasing one. It would a be a tight squeeze to fit in my garage, so a pass for me. Otherwise...maybe.

Photos: Bentley Motors.

Freelander Is Back

This new Freelander brand has me flummoxed. Is it Chinese. Is it British? It features British design led by Land Rover with Chery engineering and technology. So that already says to me more Chinese input than British. Does it matter? It may be a sign of things to come. 

The model range: The Freelander 8 is first up, as a large luxury EV SUV, carrying only the Freelander name. More models will be coming along at a rapid clip, with several expected over the next four years. 

The new Model 8 size: It is a large, three-row SUV, 5,100 mm in length, seating up to seven people. 

Power: It comes with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing a combined 610 kW (818 horsepower) and 813 Nm of torque. It uses a 60 kWh battery and a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine used as a generator, offering about 200 km of electric range. It also has an 800V architecture. 

Release: Deliveries are already taking place in China with 5,000 firm orders within 12 hours of official launch. An international brand rollout is also happening. Right-hand drive configurations are engineered for international markets, with regional rollouts confirmed for markets like Australia and the UK, although for the UK, for example, it's a late 2027 expected ETA.  

Likely sales success: Early indications are it will be a strong selling marque. It won't be making it to the USA, but there is enough world out there to keep production lines moving. 

Greece Passenger Car Sales : 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 37% in August but up 2% YTD. A shortage of licence plates has severely impaacted on vehicle registrations. Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon.

Toyota is miles ahead with over 16% market share. In second place, Peugeot has less than half that figure at 7.9%. Citroën and Dacia have done well. The Chinese brands are here in numbers but for now are yet to have a big impact. 

Data source: SEAA.
Photos Citroën (e-C3) & Suzuki Vitara.

A McLaren SUV? Apparently So

I recall writing some time back that I thought that McLaren was very brave to resist the temptation to have an SUV. Every other luxury sports car manufacturer had yielded and gone to the dark side. The competition decided that it was a route they had to take. It's more profitable and reduces the financial impact if the sports car market is soft. 

McLaren has surrendered and common sense has prevailed. Every manufacturer needs an SUV. Its code name is P47 but if you want to see some images, a bit early for that. There are some images circulating but as they are not from McLaren, I decided not to post guesswork. 

This isn't simply about designing a different sort of the car, big as that is in itself. It also needs to be built somewhere, driven by something new and the increased volume also means expansions in other areas of the operation. So what are some of the details?

Plant Expansion: A second vehicle manufacturing plant, possibly in Sheffield. There will be expansions in facilities in Woking and Bicester. 

In House Manufacturing: McLaren is shifting away from external suppliers, in that it plans to design and build two new engines and transmissions. 

Timing: It is expected to be ready around 2028, all going well.

A Full EV Variant: This won't be happening as demand isn't sufficient to justify an EV.  

Competition: The Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX are obvious ones. 

McLaren is doing this from scratch, without collaborating with anyone else.  It's a shame that there isn't a way to share with others and save on costs. That said, I can see why they want to do the car to match the McLaren ethos.

Nissan Sunderland Gets a Kick

Nissan Sunderland in the UK was making 500,000 cars up to 2014, then it slipped slightly below that before falling away from 2018. It now sits slightly below the 300,000 mark. It was just the Qashqai and Juke in 2025 and the Leaf is back in 2026. Still, the Leaf isn't of the volume of the other two, so the factory isn't running at optimal production levels.

To address that, the Kicks e-POWER small SUV will commence production there in 2027, aslthough I'm unsure when will exactly kick off. It makes sense to fully utilise a factory and this will help in that regard. 

Nissan and Chery are in early discussions about Chery also producing there, but that is still up in the air. I assume the plant is versatile enough to cope. It certainly has the total capacity. It's nice to see the plant alive and kicking. 

Mexico Passenger Car Sales: 2026 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 2% in August and 5% YTD. Nissan maintained its long standing leadership here with 17% of the total market. Chevrolet likewise is a popular brand with 12.0% share. 

In 2026, imported Chinese cars had tariffs increased from 20% to 50%. China called the move protectionist and seeing as they have various duties to limit imports, they should know.  

Some importers are not reporting. BYD, GAC and Tesla haven't been, although none of those are stellar performers in Mexico anyway. Chirey (Chery), Jaecoo and Omoda pulled out after reporting last year. 

Chirey's has had a sales slump as it sorts out spare parts availability, delays in repairs, and problems with customer service quality. To limit negative press, they are holding back data until those issues are sorted. 

Data source: AMDA. Photos: Nissan Sentra & Chevrolet Tracker.