THE first batch of cars wholly developed by a Shenzhen company went on sale Sunday.

The 80 BYD F3 cars were for the Shenzhen market, the BYD company, based in Shenzhen's Longgang District, said.

The car, with a 1.6-liter engine and conforming to Euro III emission standards, was priced at 73,800 yuan (US$9,099).

Xia Zhibing, general manager of BYD, said the F3, which took the company three years to develop, had been gaining popularity in China without much publicity. The company had received more than 10,000 orders for the car, Xia said.

When the car made its debut in Shandong and Zhejiang provinces two months ago, it caused a "sensation," Xia said, with 12,000 orders flying in.

"The orders from Guangdong and Guangxi have approached 1,000, which is very satisfying," he said.

Foreign brand names have been dominating China's car market with a reputation of reliable quality and better after-sale services, while most customers view domestically made cars with skepticism.

"I hope the F3 could reverse the trend," Xia said.

BYD boasts a 2,000-member car research team, including more than 200 car designers from China and abroad, according to Xia.

Editor: Wing