Ford China sales drop 3% in June, but expects sales boost from new models
Retail sales of Ford Motor Co. and its two local joint ventures dipped 3 percent year on year to 83,506 vehicles in June as demand weakened in tandem with the slowing Chinese economy.
During the month, Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ford's passenger vehicle joint venture, sold 61,979 vehicles, a 3 percent increase from a year earlier.
Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford's commercial vehicle partnership, delivered 19,016 vehicles in June, down 5 percent. Sales of imported models, including the Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST and Ford Mustang, declined 7 percent to 2,511 vehicles.
In the first six months, Ford and its two joint ventures delivered 543,488 vehicles in China, virtually unchanged from the same period last year.
This year, Ford plans to launch four models in China, including the redesigned Ford Taurus sedan.
"We expect to see a stronger second half as new products we've been launching continue to build momentum and as we launch additional products, including the new Ford Taurus, which has been uniquely designed to cater to the needs and demands of Chinese consumers," said John Lawler, Ford's China chief, in a statement.
Ford disclosed no information about the other three models it will bring into China this year.
Despite the sales slowdown, Ford is expanding production capacity. In 2014, the automaker's sales in China grew 20 percent to 1.1 million vehicles. By the end of this year, Ford will have capacity to build 1.9 million vehicles in China.
The company will add 200,000 vehicles to that in 2016 after taking over an assembly plant from Changan Hafei in the northern city of Harbin.
Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford's commercial vehicle partnership, delivered 19,016 vehicles in June, down 5 percent. Sales of imported models, including the Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST and Ford Mustang, declined 7 percent to 2,511 vehicles.
In the first six months, Ford and its two joint ventures delivered 543,488 vehicles in China, virtually unchanged from the same period last year.
This year, Ford plans to launch four models in China, including the redesigned Ford Taurus sedan.
"We expect to see a stronger second half as new products we've been launching continue to build momentum and as we launch additional products, including the new Ford Taurus, which has been uniquely designed to cater to the needs and demands of Chinese consumers," said John Lawler, Ford's China chief, in a statement.
Ford disclosed no information about the other three models it will bring into China this year.
Despite the sales slowdown, Ford is expanding production capacity. In 2014, the automaker's sales in China grew 20 percent to 1.1 million vehicles. By the end of this year, Ford will have capacity to build 1.9 million vehicles in China.
The company will add 200,000 vehicles to that in 2016 after taking over an assembly plant from Changan Hafei in the northern city of Harbin.
