'Quite extraordinary': major milestone as family gets keys to second new car
Why have one new car when you can have two?
That was the case for a Portland family who took delivery of car company BYD's 150,000th sale in Australia on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Tiffany McCormack was handed the keys to her first new car - a Seal 6 Touring - at Warrnambool's Callaghan Motors, which rolled out the red carpet for the event.
Just four weeks ago, her partner took possession of his new BYD Seal Performance sedan.
"We'd been looking for a while and looking to upgrade something a bit easier for the family to fit in," she said.
Until now, she has been driving a 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer, but after five years, she decided to upgrade to the hybrid BYD.
Her partner's new car is fully electric.
"That's saved us a lot of money on the cost of fuel just in the last month. We're very, very happy with it," Ms McCormack said.
Callaghan Motors' Steve Callaghan said he and business partner Scott Moysey were "absolutely delighted" when they were told they had sold the 150,000th BYD.
"It really just confirmed what we believed about BYD from the outset," Mr Callaghan said.
"The brand is experiencing incredible growth in the Australian market. We've seen this growth first-hand."
BYD Australia's public relations managing director Paul Ellis said the delivery of the 150,000th BYD vehicle was an important moment for the company.
"We're a relatively new brand. We've been in the market for four years and already we're delivering our 150,000th vehicle," Mr Ellis said.
"I'm so wrapped that it's Warrnambool, that it's a provincial area that we're actually celebrating this milestone. I'm glad it's not in the smoke."
Mr Ellis said BYD was not a brand that was just going to focus on the metro market.
He said its relatively new luxury brand Denza had been in the market since February and already had 3000 customers.
Mr Ellis announced Warrnambool had now become an authorised service point for Denza and said Callaghans was keen to bring the brand to its dealership.
Mr Ellis said there were up to 70 brands competing for sales in the Australian car market. "To be number two is quite extraordinary," he said.
Mr Callaghan said sales of BYD were "very strong" in Warrnambool.
"Quite surprised at the growth. It's just been amazing, the local uptake, even of EVs.
"We thought hybrids might be stronger but the uptake of EVs has been really strong in the last 12 months.
"From February onwards, it's been really strong."
Mr Callaghan said the total car sales market in Warrnambool was similar to last year. "So it's recovered a bit from where it has been, which is good," he said.
