By Arun Kumar

Washington, July 31 (IANS): Every fourth new car buyer in the US is now ready to buy the next vehicle from India or China, threatening to challenge the dominance of Japanese and Koreans in the American auto market, according to a new survey.

The "Opportunity for Chinese and Indian Brands in the USA" survey by AutoPacific shows that 15 percent of the new buyers would look at buying a car from China, while 11 percent would go for a car from India.

"As Hyundai and Kia have been on the American scene for decades now, it's surprising that consideration for Chinese and Indian brands would be about as strong as it is for the Korean brands," automotive research firm AutoPacific president George Peterson said.

"It appears that buyers in America are willing to give Chinese and Indian vehicles a chance right out of the box. Understanding these consumers will be critically important to the success of any newcomer," he said.

"Not only are a significant number of people willing to consider Chinese and Indian brands, this group consists of highly desirable buyers who would be coveted by any manufacturer," Peterson said.

The study shows those looking out for Chinese and Indian cars are likely to currently own Japanese and Korean brands, indicating that these brands may face a lot of competition from the new entrants, rather than domestic brands - Chrysler, Ford or GM.

More than 30,000 buyers across the US were interviewed for the survey.