Changan Automobile in talks to export China-made Ford vehicles
- Source: Global Times
- [08:24 January 30 2011]
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Ford Motor is in talks with its Chinese partner, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, to export China-made Ford vehicles to emerging markets, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Ford, which competes with General Motors among others in the world's largest auto market, aims to expand its joint efforts with its Chinese partner.
"Ford and Changan are exploring ways to expand their partnership. Export of China-made models is only one of the possible options," said one source with direct knowledge of the situation.
Another source said the on-going discussions are in line with Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally's call to broaden and deepen ties with its Chinese partner.
The sources declined to be identified because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
A spokesman for Ford, which makes Fiesta, Mondeo, Focus and X-MAX models in a three-way tie-up with Changan and Mazda Motor, said the company has no plans to export from China.
"We are building high-quality, fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive vehicles in China, for China, and have no plans to export vehicles from China," said Trevor Hale, a China-based spokesman with Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa operations, in an e-mailed statement.
A Changan spokesman declined to comment.
Ford, the only Detroit automaker to have steered clear of a US government bailout and bankruptcy in 2009, is a relatively latecomer in China, where GM and Volkswagen AG have built up a lead.
However, Ford has been accelerating its expansion - building a green field car plant with Changan and Mazda - while its 30-percent owned Jiangling Motor is also adding a $300 million new facility.
In 2010, Ford, which also holds 30 percent of major Chinese light commercial vehicle maker Jiangling Motors Corp, was the fastest growing foreign automaker in the country.
The company sold 582,467 vehicles, up 40 percent from the year before, outperforming a 32 percent overall increase in China.
