Ford China sales jump in November as automaker expands dealer network
Ford Motor Co. says its China sales jumped 35 percent year-on-year to 56,800 vehicles as the company opened 40 new dealerships.
Ford operates two production joint ventures in China. Its passenger car venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, recorded a 28 percent sales increase to 39,800 units.
Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford's commercial vehicle joint venture, sold 17,000 units in November. Ford did not publish Jiangling's year-ago sales.
In November, sales of the Focus mid-sized car and Transit commercial van rose 34 percent and 58 percent respectively.
In the first 11 months, Ford sold 525,100 units in China, up 39 percent.
Ford, which ranks 8th in China sales among international automakers, trails far behind General Motors and Volkswagen AG. But the automaker is trying to catch up. Changan Ford is building a third assembly plant in Chongqing, which will start producing the Focus in 2012.
The U.S. automaker has been expanding its dealer network as it expands production.
Changan Ford recently opened 40 new dealerships, and is adding another 66 stores. By the end of the year, Changan Ford will have 340 dealerships in China.
