• Ford Motor Company achieved record first quarter sales of 90,791 units in China
• Ford brand passenger vehicles posted sales of 47,214 units, a 54 percent year-over-year increase.
• Ford’s passenger car joint-venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), increased year-over-year sales volume by 58 percent to 61,789 units
• Ford Motor’s commercial investment in China, Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC), recorded sales of 23,785 units, with Ford Transit sales up 19 percent.

Ford Motor China delivered record first quarter sales of 90,791 units, a 47 percent year-over-year increase, continuing the company’s strong growth in the critical China market and outpacing the overall industry.

Ford posted record first quarter sales despite the severe winter storms that slowed commerce in China in January and February.

“Ford Motor Company has now achieved four consecutive years of strong, continuous growth in China,” said Robert Graziano, president and CEO of Ford Motor China. “Our first quarter performance clearly indicates that our brand momentum is still very strong.”

Ford brand passenger vehicles posted first quarter sales of 47,213 vehicles, a 54 percent year-over-year increase.

“Continued strong sales of Ford Focus, Ford S-MAX, Ford Transit and the new Ford Mondeo helped drive our successful start to the year,” added Graziano. “We expect our new model introductions this year in China will allow us maintain significant growth through 2008.”

Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA)
Ford Motor’s passenger car joint-venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), posted first quarter sales of 61,789 units, or a 58 percent year-over-year increase.

The Ford brand line-up produced by CFMA includes Ford Focus, the new Ford Mondeo and Ford S-MAX. Sales of the Ford Focus, one of the ten best-selling cars in China last year, continued to accelerate in the first quarter, rising by 58 percent year-over-year to 32,326 units.

Lauded for its design and driving dynamics, the new Ford Mondeo achieved first quarter sales of 13,391 units. The popular Ford S-MAX line will be enhanced with a new 5-seat version that will make its debut at Auto China 2008 in Beijing on April 19.

Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC)
Jiangling Motor Corporation, Ford Motor's commercial vehicle investment in China, delivered 23,785 commercial vehicle sales for the first quarter, including Ford Transit sales of 6,908. The company introduced a new Ford Transit in January, which boasts a class-leading design, features and advanced technology.

“We certainly need to be aware of both global and local economic conditions through the remainder of the year, but consumer demand for Ford vehicles remains very strong in China straight across our product range, and we continue to be very confident in our outlook,” Graziano said. “Ford Motor Company is accelerating the introduction of new products with advanced technologies, and we plan to further expand our operations in China by continuing with their introduction in the China market.”

Editor's Note:
Following industry practice, Ford Motor China will report sales performances of its joint-ventures and invested companies in China, including passenger cars and commercial vehicles produced by Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. (CFMA) and Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC), respectively. CFMA produces passenger cars under the Ford, Mazda and Volvo brands. JMC produces commercial vehicles under the Ford and Jiangling brands. The report also includes sales of imported cars under the Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover brands .

Ford Motor China 2008 Q1 Sales Performance

¹Sales data of Jaguar and Land Rover are still included in Ford Motor China's Q1 sales figures. Ford Motor China Q1 sales, not including Jaguar and Land Rover, are 87,332 units.