BMW’s Chinese partner reported first-half profit surged 52 percent on demand for new models including its 5-series sedan in the world’s largest auto market.

Net income at Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. rose to 2.03 billion yuan ($332 million) from 1.33 billion yuan, the company said today in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Sales fell 9 percent to 2.57 billion yuan.

BMW has said China will probably surpass the United States as its top market this year as the brand enters more communities and wins buyers with its 3- and 5-series sedans. The automaker, which trails Audi in China, has grown faster than its competitor for at least four straight years since 2009.

“BMW Brilliance has taken a vital role in helping China surpass the United States to become BMW’s single largest world market in 2013 in terms of sale volume,” Brilliance Chairman Wu Xiaoan said in the statement. “The joint venture will continue to execute its capacity expansion plans.”

China’s environmental protection ministry last month sent back an application by BMW Brilliance to expand production capacity at the partners’ plant in Shenyang, citing inadequate wastewater analysis and the plan’s failure to meet anti-pollution targets. Brilliance has resubmitted documents to the environment ministry and doesn’t expect its plan to expand capacity to be affected, Wu said in an earnings briefing in Hong Kong today.

Vehicle recall

Earlier this month, BMW Brilliance issued a recall for 143,215 vehicles in China for power steering faults, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Brilliance, which assembles the 3- and 5-series sedans and X1 SUVs, said deliveries increased 31 percent in the first six months of the year to 105,692 units.

BMW deliveries in China — including vehicles shipped from Germany — climbed 18 percent to 214,994 vehicles in the first seven months of this year, according to company data.

The first battery-driven model for Zinoro, Brilliance’s joint venture brand with BMW, will be sold in China by the end of the year, according to today’s statement. The company plans to introduce a hybrid version of the 5- series sedan next year, Wu said. BMW Brilliance is also planning to add more BMW models for local production to widen its reach in China and expanding its dealer network, which exceeded 380 outlets as of June 30, according to the statement.