Ford China and India August Sales Increase 37 Percent on Strong Demand for New Products

SHANGHAI and NEW DELHI, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

• In China and India, Ford sold 51,972 vehicles in August, a 37 percent increase from August 2009

• Ford year-to-date sales for China and India were 422,779, up 52 percent from the year-ago period

• The Asia Pacific and Africa region will account for 70 percent of Ford's growth in the next 10 years

Strong demand for Ford Motor Company products in China and India led to a 37 percent increase in August sales compared to a year ago in the world's fastest growing automotive markets.

Ford India tripled sales in August with 7,925 vehicles sold, a 220 percent increase compared to August 2009.  In China, Ford and its joint ventures reported sales of 44,047 units in August, a 24 percent increase from August 2009.  Combined, Ford sold 51,972 units in August, up 37 percent from the same month last year.

"We are gratified that consumers in two of the fastest growing markets in the world are choosing the high quality, fuel efficient, fun-to-drive vehicles Ford offers," said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa.  "We are working hard to expand sales and production here, and to offer more of the stellar vehicles from our vast global portfolio to markets in this region."

So far this year, Ford has sold 422,779 vehicles in the two countries combined, a 52 percent increase compared to January – August 2009.

In China, Ford and its partners have sold 368,103 vehicles, an increase of 42 percent compared to January – August in 2009.  Ford has sold 54,676 vehicles in India so far this year, a 195 percent increase compared to January – August in 2009. Ford has sold more than 30,000 Ford Figos in the 25 weeks since its introduction.  

Ford expects 70 percent of its growth in the next ten years to come from its Asia Pacific and Africa region.  Last week, Hinrichs announced that Ford would bring eight new vehicles to India by mid-decade.

"We have big plans for India, China and the region," said Hinrichs.  "As part of our 'better plan' for the region we are investing in additional capacity, expanding our dealer networks and further developing our supply chain.  The growth potential in this part of the world in the next ten years is astounding. China will remain the largest car market in the world for the foreseeable future and we estimate India will be the third largest market in the world in the next ten years."

Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa region encompasses markets on three continents, including Australia, China, India, Thailand and South Africa.  Industry sales in the region will increase from 16 million units in 2009, to an estimated 35 million units by 2018.  

Ford's combined sales in the Asia Pacific and Africa region so far this year, totaled more than 572,000 units, an increase of 42 percent compared to January – August 2009.

Ford has invested more than US $3 billion since 2006 in the region and employs more than 25,000 people here.  

In India, Ford has invested $500 million this year to double production capacity, launch the hot-selling Ford Figo, expand exports, and increase engine production capacity to 250,000 units.

It is building two new vehicle plants in China; one in Chongqing with its joint venture Changan Ford Mazda Automotive (CFMA), and one in Nanchang with Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC).

The US$ 300 million JMC assembly plant will have the capacity to produce up to 300,000 vehicles per year and will produce both Ford- and JMC-branded vehicles. A strategic partner in producing Commercial Vehicles in China, JMC is 30 percent owned by Ford.

Ford is aggressively expanding in Thailand as well.  Construction is underway for a new $450 million Ford assembly plant scheduled for completion in 2012, and just last week Ford and Mazda Motor Corporation announced an investment of US$350 million in their AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) joint venture to support the production of next generation pickup trucks.

Ford is also building a new engine plant in South Africa that will come on line next year, and investing in sustainability initiatives in Australia for the first RWD application of Ford's global EcoBoost technology, which will be available on the Falcon in 2011.

Editor's note:

1- All Sales figures quoted are based on wholesale numbers.

2- As sale of Volvo operations was completed on August 2, 2010, this report does not include sales data for the Volvo brand

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 159,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.

Ford's wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and investment  in China include Ford Motor (China) Limited, Ford Motor Research & Engineering (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Ford Automotive Finance (China) Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. Nanjing Company, Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd. and Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.

For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com and www.ford.com.cn.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company