Ford Motor‘s high-end unit Lincoln is thinking whether to produce cars locally in China, the brand’s China chief said on Monday, as its sales rise in China.
Lincoln almost tripled its China sales in the third quarter to 8,546 automobiles, the company stated.
Despite fast growth, Lincoln sales distantly trail those of more established German competitors along with American rival General Motor’s Cadillac, all which produce vehicles locally to prevent substantial taxes on imported cars.
Lincoln is speeding up its entry into China with strategies to have 65 Lincoln shops by the end of this year, instead of past plans of 60, with 80 planned for year-end 2017, Lincoln China President Amy Marentic informed.
Marentic said the company will also start 5 to 10 smaller sales branches to take advantage of fast-growing car sales in lower-tier Chinese cities.
The automaker is furthermore studying the potential of local production, she stated.
In the very first 3 quarters of the year, Lincoln sales in China jumped 191% to about 21,000, Ford stated.
Even with the rising sales, Ford’s Lincoln lagged Detroit competing General Motors and its luxury Cadillac brand name, which got a much earlier start. In September in China, General Motors sold 12,500 Cadillacs, rise of 63%.
In 2016 through September, General Motors has sold about 77,000 Cadillac vehicles in China, rise of 35%, more than three times Lincoln’s sales.
Ford stated it hopes its China sales will be increased by a new version of its flagship sedan, the Lincoln Continental, to go on sale at Chinese car dealerships in the 4th quarter.
