Hongqi's sedan H7 is displayed at Shanghai auto show. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China's leading automaker FAW Group said Wednesday that it saw an 88-percent year-on-year growth in the auto sales under its Hongqi brand in the first quarter of this year.

Despite the novel coronavirus outbreak, Hongqi sold more than 25,000 cars in the first quarter as the company expanded its sales channels both online and in brick-and-mortar stores.

Hongqi fulfilled its 2019 sales target of 100,000 cars and has doubled the target for 2020. The brand plans to roll out 21 new models, mostly electric or fuel-electric hybrids, in the next five years.