BEIJING - Vehicle sales in China, the world's biggest car market, tumbled in February as customers stayed at home and away from dealerships due to the coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 3,100 people in the world's second-biggest economy.

Automakers in China are calling on the government to help after industry-wide sales plunged 79% in February from year ago levels, their biggest ever decline, with demand pummelled by the coronavirus outbreak.