China has two types of vehicle maker – homegrown brands and importers.

‘Importer’ here means non-Chinese brands, ones we’re all familiar with. They’re not strictly importers, mind – Chinese law and economies of scale all means they actually build over there, too (by forming a joint venture with a home maker).

So, what were they doing at the Shanghai Auto Show this year? Providing us with a means of gauging just what the Chinese market is all about, mainly.

This is familiarity with a twist specifically for China. The differences provide a clear indicator as to what the Chinese market demands. So, to what was new at Shanghai Auto Show 2011…

Peugeot

Peugeot is planning 1 new model a year for China in the next few years. This year’s car is the 508, developed from scratch with China in mind. It joins the 207, 207 CC 308 CC, 308 SW, 408, 3008 and (soon) the RCZ in a surprisingly Euro-familiar line-up. A popular one, too: this year, Peugeot will sell 200k cars in China.

Peugeot also showed the SxC, fully designed in its China Tech Centre and displaying what China wants from a car. Hence, it’s a tall crossover, with a petrol version of the Hybrid4 drivetrain. With a 1.6 THP turbo, the four-wheel drive setup pumps out 313hp. Why no HDi engine? Because China’s predominately a petrol-driven market.

Subaru

Subaru chose China to reveal its compact crossover XV, again showing what’s important to Chinese buyers. The 2012 Impreza saloon and wagon? That was reserved for New York…

SEAT

SEAT is not yet in China: Shanghai 2011 was its debut. It plans to go on sale there next year, with exports of the Leon and Ibiza from the massive Martorell plant. This will give SEAT much-needed extra volume as it carries on justifying itself to VW Group paymasters.

It’s actually a good fit, though, said SEAT MD James Muir. China likes cars with young, sporty, design-led attributes, conveniently displayed in all SEATs. The market also likes distinctive European cars, with lots of performance and good dynamics. Hence, the late-minute China debut, using show stand real estate from brand partners Audi and VW.

Bentley

China was Bentley’s 3rd largest market in 2012. In Q1 2011, it had already jumped up to second place, with 302 cars sold chalking up a 64% increase. That’s why Bentley’s expanding the dealer count by a third, and that’s also why it’s making a special Flying Spur China edition: China is the single largest market for Flying Spur.

The Mulsanne is also now going to China. Astonishingly, Bentley plans to ship 300 over there this year, ‘each one of them different’. These are rapidly becoming very big sales of cars that command very big price tags. Making Bentley another brand VW Group needs worry about no longer?

Audi

ANOTHER A3 concept saloon – yet another category Audi’s inventing (or, rather, reinventing)? It’s a petrol-electric hybrid, called e-tron, which can do 34 miles under electric power only, before the 211hp 1.4 TSI takes over. Behind the rear seats, there are 12Kwh of lithium ion batteries, but this doesn’t affect interior space: Audi’s given it the longest wheelbase in the compact sector, for bags of rear passenger knee room.

China, of course, likes saloons. Thus, a prediction: the Chinese market is going to lead to more ‘world’ compact saloons such as this. Making that VW Derby prescient?

Volvo

Massive 5 metre long Volvo Concept Universe previews the replacement for the S80. But, because it’s massive, it’s also THE perfect car for China, even though Volvo says its plan is to make world cars. It’s in China first to gauge what ‘the most demanding Chinese customers think’: an illustration of the market’s importance is that Europe and the US will have to wait. Volvo will show it in these markets. But only once China’s seen all it wants…

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is another posh Brit brand going great guns in China. That’s why it’s showing the Ghost Extended Wheelbase there for the first time – even though it don’t be ready for series production until 2012. It’s the first Rolls-Royce ever to be revealed in China, ‘underlining the strategic significance of the market and the Asia-Pacific region’. 170mm in the wheelbase means a doubling of rear knee room: just what well-heeled Chinese buyers are after.

That’s not all. There is a bespoke China Edition Phantom, with a red interior, twin gold coach lines, gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy and stainless steel pinstripes. In a nutshell, revealing what Chinese buyers like in a car. There are more models from the Centenary Collection (marking 100 years of the Spirit of Ecstasy) too – China is the biggest market for these specials.

Oh, China is also the biggest market for bespoke Phantoms, too. To help buyers choose, Rolls-Royce is expanding from 8 to 11 dealers, which will be the highest number in a single market, and second only to the US. Power to you, Goodwood.

Land Rover

Land Rover sales rose 59% in China last year – it’s the firm’s fastest-growing single market. Thus, the appearance of the uber-expensive Range Rover Autobiography Edition. China loves this edition, which sees each single model crafted  to the customer’s specification. 50 have already been sold in the US. How many in China? 150…

Kia

Further proof the compact saloon is back comes from Kia. The K2 is a stretched, widened Kia Rio platform build especially for China. Is Audi’s trend already being followed?