Ford Motor stated its China vehicle sales boosted 3% in April-June from a year earlier, its first quarterly sales increased in the world’s bigggest auto market in nearly three years.
Ford has been seeking to recover from a decline in sales unprecedented for a major global automaker in China, with sales declining 26% last year after a 37% decline in 2018.
Company sources have earlier said those sales were harmed by an aging model lineup, a breakdown in relationships with its joint venture partners and dealers, and also missteps by past management teams.
China sales for the second quarter increased to 158,589 units, Ford stated, attributing the increase to a stronger vehicle lineup including new sport-utility vehicles and locally-made luxury Lincoln cars and “strong demand following the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions”.
By contrast, rival General Motors stated its sales in China for the quarter dropped 5.3% to 713,600 units.
Industry-wide vehicle wholesale sales increased by 4.4% in April and 14.5% in May and are expected to increase by 11% in June, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) has said.
In China, Ford makes cars through its joint ventures with Chongqing Changan Automobile and Jiangling Motors.
In the United States, where sales have been hit by coronavirus led lockdowns and travel restrictions, Ford’s sales declined 33% during the quarter.
