More automakers finding elbowroom in premium-vehicle market

Foreign automakers are expanding their lineups in China's premium vehicle market segment, hoping to reshape a segment that has been dominated for years by three German luxury car producers with more than 80 percent market share combined.

At the ongoing Beijing International Motor Show, which opens to the public on Monday, luxury automakers presented their aptitude for design and production of high-end vehicles through new brands and strong product offerings.

US auto giant Ford introduced its premium brand Lincoln to the China market right before the exhibition. The company will open eight Lincoln showrooms in seven Chinese cities, starting with Beijing and Shanghai in October. The company also plans to boost the number of stores to 60 in some 50 cities by 2016.