With global sales trending upward since January, annual worldwide light vehicle sales will return to 2007’s peak level of 70 million units by 2011, predicts J.D. Power and Associates. This compares to 67 million units last year and estimates of 63 million for this year and 64 million in 2010.

The California-based market research firm expects global sales to soar to 76 million vehicles in 2012 and reach 80 million per year by 2013.

Emerging markets have grown from just 28% of the world vehicle market in 2003 to 44% last year, Power notes. This year is tracking at 48%, which is expected to be maintained through the 2013 forecast period, with emerging markets adding 8.8 million units for a total of 38.8 million, and developed countries gaining 8.5 million in sales to 41.5 million units.

By regions, Asia is expected to account for 52% of the 17 million-unit global increase projected between 2009 and 2013. J.D. Power says North America will contribute 15%, while Europe and South America’s shares of the increase will be 13% and 6%, respectively. The remaining 14% is attributed to the rest of the world.

Government stimulus packages will push growth in Asia at a combined 15.5% rate this year, Power says. Such programs could be extended if export markets remain weak.

Power expects vehicle production in Asia to jump 35% to 35 million by 2013. China will continue to add capacity and gain 2 million units of output for a total of 14 million in 2013. After several years of decline, Japan is likely to build 9 million cars and trucks next year and 10 million in 2012 and 2013 vs. an estimated 8 million this year.

Asia is a collection of individual markets, many of which avoided a true recession and already have begun to rebound from the global downturn, J.D. Power notes.

China surpassed Japan two years ago as Asia’s largest market, and it should easily top the U.S. this year to become the number-one vehicle sales market in the world. Although it is unlikely to match this year’s 40% growth rate in the future, China should continue to grow at a healthy mid-single-digit rate per year, with vehicle sales reaching 15.1 million units by 2013, the researchers say.

India, which is starting from a much smaller base, is expected to grow proportionally faster than China over the next several years. Power estimates vehicle sales in India will rise 13.5% this year before dropping off to growth rates of 4.5% and 8% in the next two years. Power expects annual growth to accelerate to 11% in 2012 and 2013. By then, India’s sales are expected to reach 2.8 million units vs. 1.7 million for each of the last two years and about 2 million this year.

High single-digit growth also is expected for members of the Assn. of Southeast Asian nations. Even so, total sales for the 10-member countries would only total 2.1 million units in 2013.

China’s Changan Automobile and SAIC were the biggest winners this year, with vehicle sale growing at more than 75% and 60% respectively, Power says. Several other OEMs enjoyed gains of about 25% or more, including Chery, General Motors, Hyundai and Volkswagen. Next year Tata is expected to lead with nearly 15% growth. Power anticipates high single-digit growth for Ford, Chery and Renault-Nissan.

Sub-compact cars will equal compact cars as the leading segment by 2012 and overtake it by 2013, the research firm says. At that time, compact cars are expected to have 18% of the market in Asia. After peaking at 14% of the market in 2006, minicars fell to just over 13% the past two years and are expected to plateau at about 12% for the next five years.

In addition to domestic sales, Chinese and Indian companies also are beginning to expand internationally and likely will continue to do so both organically and through acquisitions, Power says. As a result, Chinese and Indian manufacturers are expected to grow 72% and 69%, respectively, from 2008 to 2013. This compares to an overall industry growth of 19% forecasted for the period.

The organizers of the China Sourcing Fairs in Mumbai say exhibit space at the event, which will be held Nov. 20-22, has been sold out. Billed as the largest Greater China-products exhibitions ever held in India, the event will feature more than 800 booths-120% more than last year.

Based on strong demand, the show is adding a separate auto parts and accessories exhibit this year. The section joins dedicated space for electronics and hardware/building materials.

Some 13,600 buyers attended last year’s event. Additional details about this year’s expo are available online at www.chinasourcingfair.com/india.

Ford Motor Co. has appointed Joe Hinrichs, 42, to head its Asia-Pacific and Africa unit effective Dec. 1. He will be based in Shanghai.

Currently group vice president for global manufacturing and labor, Hinrichs joined Ford as a plant manager at a Michigan transmission facility in 2000. He rose quickly through a series of manufacturing-related posts, including leading the company’s manufacturing operations in North America, and became Ford’s top manufacturing executive in January 2008. He also headed the company’s material planning and logistics organization and was CEO of Ford Canada.

Hinrichs succeeds John Parker, who will retire on Jan. 1 after 41 years at Ford. Parker, who has been in his current job for three years, has held numerous senior leadership positions within Ford’s Asia-Pacific and Africa region, including Southeast Asia, South Africa, Taiwan, Australia and India. He also served as senior executive vice president with Mazda Motor Corp.

John Fleming, 58, will add Hinrichs’ role of global manufacturing and labor affairs to his current duties as executive vice president and chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe, effective Dec. 1. Fleming will continue to be based in Cologne, Germany.

Phil Spender, a Mazda executive vice president, also will retire on Jan. 1 after 34 years at Ford. His replacement hasn’t been named yet. Ford reduced its stake in Mazda to 13% from a controlling 33% holding last November.

After starting his career in New Zealand and Australia, Spender is credited with helping to establish operations at Ford India and automotive joint ventures across China. He also played a key role in the Ford-Mazda AutoAlliance joint venture in North America.

Renault SA, which had temporarily frozen its spending in India, will resume investing in the operations, CEO Carlos Ghosn told The Economic Times yesterday during the India Economic Summit in New Delhi. He says the company’s new plant in Chennai, which is shared with affiliate Nissan Motor Co., will be inaugurated early next year.

Acknowledging problems with existing joint ventures, Ghosn says Renault-Nissan’s India foray has been humbling. But he says talks are underway with partners Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto to figure out what went wrong and how to proceed in the future.

Renault’s partnership with Mahindra has had trouble selling the Logan small car, which is popular in other markets. M&M reportedly wants more control in the venture regarding product specifications.

The proposed ultra-low-cost car venture with Bajaj has been slow to develop due to disagreements over design, branding and technical specifications. Ghosn insists that he is optimistic about the potential of India contributing to engineering and product planning for Renault-Nissan and becoming an export base.

Rico Auto Industries Ltd., a supplier of transmission parts based near New Delhi, has reached an agreement with workers to end a 50-day strike that idled Ford and General Motors assembly plants in the U.S.

As part of the agreement, Rico will reinstate eight workers it had previously suspended during the dispute. Other workers may face disciplinary measures from the state of Haryana’s labor department, the company says. Issues such as wage and benefit improvements still are being negotiated.

Beijing-based Beiqi Foton Motor Co. plans to introduce its Midi electric car domestically by the end of the year. After test-marketing the car in China, the company will evaluate the potential to export the vehicle.

Beiqi Foton, which was founded in 1996, is part of the Beijing Auto Industry Co. group and is China’s largest commercial vehicle maker. It also is developing electric buses.

The five-seat Midi will use a lithium-ion battery supplied by an unnamed Chinese company. The car is expected to have a driving range of about 125 miles. The battery can be fully charged in six hours. A half charge can be done in two hours, and an unspecified “fast charge” replenishes 40% of the battery and allows the vehicle to travel up to 50 miles, according to the company. Top speed is listed at 62 mph.

Beiqi aims to tap into China’s growing emphasis on alternative power. Beijing recently set up an automotive industry association. The group includes automakers and research institutes for new-energy vehicles. Local media reports suggest that domestic production and sales of “green” cars will reach at least 10,000 units next year.

BMW AG says it has no plans to form a venture with Shanghai Auto Industrial Co. (SAIC) to build the German company’s flagship 7 Series in China. SAIC has declined to comment on the matter.

The Dongfang Daily, one of the papers that reported the earlier story, says the two automakers have been in talks three times in the past about making high-end sedans in China and other potential cooperative ventures. BMW has a venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. SAIC currently has partnerships with General Motors and Volkswagen.

Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., has been named one of 12 China Entrepreneurs of the Year by Ernst & Young.

Li founded Geely in 1986 as a maker of refrigerator parts. The company later expanded into decorating materials, motorcycles and, in 1998, cars. The company now ranks as China’s seventh-largest automaker and it is one of the few domestic OEMs to have grown without the aid of a major foreign partner. Geely recently bought an Australian transmission supplier (Drivetrain Systems International) and a stake in Manganese Bronze Holdings plc, which is the company behind the iconic London taxis.

Li says the company made a strategic transformation two years ago by shifting its competitive focus from price to brand, quality, technology, service and corporate responsibility.

The China Daily says Li was China’s 14th-most-generous philanthropist last year. He gave about $150 million to various efforts, including the poor, earthquake relief, universities and other research organizations.

The most recent Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year also is from China’s auto sector. Cao Dewang, chairman of China’s Fuyao Glass Industry Group, was bestowed the award earlier this year.

Cao, who launched his own tobacco business when he was 16, began work as a merchandiser for the Fuqing Gao Shan Special Glass factory in 1976 and founded Fuyao Group 12 years later. Fuyao specializes in automotive safety glass and industrial technological glass. The group now has more than 10,000 employees in Australia, Germany, Korea, Japan, Russia and the U.S.