In China, Ford makes cars through Jiangling Motors Corp., in which it has a stake.Thomas Peter/Reuters
Ford Motor Co. said on Thursday that its China vehicle sales in the first three months this year fell 34.9 per cent from a year earlier to 88,770 units, as the novel coronavirus epidemic hit demand in the world’s biggest auto market.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based company said, however, all its dealers in China had resumed work and its sales in March had returned to 75 per cent of the same period last year.
In China, Ford makes cars through Jiangling Motors Corp Ltd (JMC), in which it has a stake, and a joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co Ltd.
Ford has been trying to revive sales in China after its business began slumping in late 2017. Sales sank 26 per cent in 2019, after a 37 per cent drop in 2018. In 2017, its China sales fell 6 per cent from a year earlier.
China’s auto sales dropped 8 per cent in 2019 and are expected to fall more than 5 per cent this year. Overall auto sales slumped 42.4 per cent in the first quarter.
Sales of Ford’s larger U.S. rival, General Motors Co, dropped 43.3 per cent in China in the first quarter.
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