BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - FAW-VW, Volkswagen's joint venture with First Automotive Works C

Ford Motor Company has taken the lead for the auto industry in China with its 105.5 percent year on year growth for the first three quarters of 2006, with the overall retail sales record jumping to 114,685 units*

Ford brand vehicles, including both passenger cars and commercial vehicle and with both locally produced and imported, posted a 111 percent sales growth compared to the same period of 2005. Altogether 106,237 units of Ford brand vehicles have been sold in the China market from January to September in 2006.

Mei Wei Cheng, Vice President of Ford Motor Company, Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor ( China) Ltd, says : "I am very pleased to see that Ford Motor Company is gaining the industry leading growth here in China. The fabulous sales performance since 2005 and continued in the past nine months of 2006 proved that our strategy is working very well in the China market."






Changan Ford Mazda Co., Ltd, Ford Motor Company's passenger joint venture in China, made record sales of 87,930 units during the past nine months of 2006, a 147 percent increase over 2005.


Ford Focus, the star product in China's mid-size car market, contributed to the triple-digit growth rates to boost the sales at Changan Ford Mazda in the first three quarters of 2006. Sales of Ford Focus amount to 49,259 units for the first nine months of 2006. Beginning in August this year, the Focus Hatchback also became available in China, gaining market popularity and being quickly recognized by the local automotive media as the leading hatchback C car in the China market. 2,827 units of Focus Hatchback have been delivered to Chinese customers within just a little over its first 30 days in the market.


35,750 units of Ford Mondeo were sold in the China market from January to September in 2006, growing 33 percent compared to the same period of 2005. Mondeo was Car of the Year in China for 2005 and customer preference of the model continues to grow over time.


On the commercial vehicle side, Ford Transit produced by Jiangling Motor Corporation in Nanchang, recorded continued sales growth in the past nine months of the year, rising by 29 percent to 16,315 units. This is way above the overall commercial vehicle category growth of the market.


Premier Automotive Group (PAG) of Ford Motor Company's luxury brands delivered total sales of 8,162 units for first nine months in 2006. 5,265 units of Volvo, 2,124 units of Land Rover and 773 units of Jaguar have been sold in the China market during this period, growing 42 percent, 127 percent and 60 percent respectively compared to same period of 2005. The locally produced Volvo S40, which was launched in China in July, 2006, has delivered 1,007 units to Chinese customers in just over two months of time.


The year 2006 witnessed remarkable business developments of Ford Motor Company in China, with the Changan Ford Mazda Nanjing manufacturing site and Changan Ford Mazda engine plant undergoing significant progress in construction. Both of the new plants are expected to start operation in 2007.


Combining the new manufacturing plant in Nanjing and its Chongqing assembly, Changan Ford Mazda is going to boost its annual production capacity to above 360,000 units by 2007. The company also plans to launch new vehicle models into the China market in the remaining months of 2006, further broadening and upgrading the product line of Ford brand in China.


To help promote the vehicle sales in China, Ford Automotive Finance ( China) Co., Ltd. (FAFC) has been actively expanding its market penetration since the auto financing company officially started operations in July, 2005. By the end of 2006, FAFC will have provided retail financing services to consumers in over 20 major Chinese cities and wholesale financing to the majority of around two hundred Ford brand dealerships in China.


Ford Motor Company's portfolio brands --- Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover will jointly participate in the ninth Beijing International Auto Exhibition o***n November 18, 2006. With the total show space reaching 5000 square meters this year, the enterprise will feature 52 vehicle models, including 4 concepts among them.


Showing his confidence in future prospects of the company, Mei Wei Cheng says: "Ford Motor Company is poised for an exciting full year performance of 2006 in China and ready to continue its rapid growth in the year of 2007.


Appendix:

Retail Sales Record of Ford Motor Company in China (2006 first three quarters)

2005 Jan - Sept 2006 Jan - Sept Year-on-year growth
Ford Brand / Lincoln 50,684 106,523 +110%
Changan Ford Mazda 35,585 87,930 +147%
PAG 5,123 8 162 +59%
FMC in China total 55,807 114,685 +10 5.5 %