Lexus Made in Japan Risks China Irrelevance as Audi Surges: Cars

When shopping last year for his first car, Will Zhang considered a Lexus CT200h and a BMW 320i. Though he preferred the Lexus, he went with the BMW because at 340,000 yuan ($55,400) it was 18 percent cheaper.

“The Lexus has superior quality, performance and fuel economy,” said the 32-year-old manager at a Shanghai property developer. “But I chose the BMW for the price.”