Auto sales set record with unprecedented growth

"We are still optimistic about the outlook for this year but it will be quite difficult to achieve the growth rates of 2009," said John Zeng, a Shanghai-based analyst at IHS Global Insight.

Zhu Yiping, the CAAM's assistant secretary general, said it is likely the growth rate will slow to around 10 percent in 2010.

Deutsche bank said in a report that last year's outperformers in the consumer sector such as auto and real estate will underperform in 2010 and predicted a precipitous decline in auto sales starting in the second quarter of this year.

AFP contributed to this story