and EcoSport
· Ford Focus named China’s best-selling nameplate in 2012 by IHS Automotive
· Ford launches all-new Kuga, announces presale pricing for all-new EcoSport
Ford continues Go Further in China as independent industry sales data show the Ford Focus was the country’s best-selling nameplate in 2012. For the full year, sales of the Focus totaled 296,360 vehicles, more than any other domestically manufactured passenger car, according to industry consultancy IHS Automotive.
Coming soon after Ford China announced an annual sales record in 2012, the IHS data illustrate Ford’s growth momentum entering 2013 as it launches two new SUVs in the world’s largest auto market. Ford sold 626,616 wholesale vehicles in China in 2012, up 21% from a year earlier.
“It’s really exciting for us to see how enthusiastically Chinese consumers have taken to the Focus, making it the best-selling passenger vehicle in 2012,” said John Lawler, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China. “And now with the all-new Kuga and all-new EcoSport, we’re preparing to go even further in 2013 as we aggressively expand our SUV lineup.”
The all-new Kuga and all-new EcoSport SUVs will be produced at Changan Ford’s advanced manufacturing facility in Chongqing, giving Ford a strong position in the SUV market, the fastest-growing segment in China’s auto industry.
The Kuga was officially launched on Jan. 22, with six models priced from CNY193,800 to CNY275,800 featuring 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter variants of the EcoBoost® GTDi Engine. Ford has also announced pre-sale pricing for the all-new EcoSport at CNY94,800 to CNY129,800, featuring the award-winning 1.0L EcoBoost engine or 1.5L Ti-VCT engine. While aimed at different market segments, both vehicles bring class-leading quality, safety, and advanced green and smart technologies to Chinese consumers.
“Kuga and EcoSport are the latest examples of our commitment to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, while also doubling our production capacity and our China dealership network,” said Lawler. “We’ve seen that Chinese consumers love the Focus, and we think they’ll love our all-new SUVs, too.”
