China’s 4S dealership model, once a cash cow in the early 2000s, is unraveling under mounting pressure. The sector, which peaked around 2017, has been hit hard by fierce price wars and a market pivot toward domestic new energy vehicles (NEVs). From 2020 to 2024, over 10,000 dealerships are expected to shut down, with losses accelerating annually, according to the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA).