Ford China sales jump 52% in Dec., up 40% in 2010
Ford Motor Co.'s sales jumped 52 percent in December over the year-ago period to 56,900 units, as the company enjoyed healthy sales of the Focus and Fiesta cars.
In December, Ford's passenger car joint venture -- Changan Ford Mazda Automobile -- reported a year-on-year sales increase of 63 percent. Ford's commercial van joint venture, Jiangling Motors Corp., said December sales rose 26 percent.
For the year, Ford China's sales rose 40 percent to 582,500 units.
After a slow start, Ford is moving quickly to expand its presence in China. The company's commercial van joint venture, Jiangling Motors Corp., is building a new $300 million assembly plant in Nanchang.
Ford also plans to build a $500 million engine plant in Chongqing, where Ford's passenger car joint venture -- Changan Ford Mazda Automobile -- is constructing a second assembly plant.
Changan Ford also opened 100 new dealerships, raising its total to 340 outlets.
Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa region, predicted strong growth in 2011 "while we continue to expand exponentially in China and across Asia Pacific."
