“Together with our partners, we are leveraging the strength of the One Ford plan and our global platforms to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, reinforcing our commitment to offer a full portfolio of vehicles for our Chinese customers," said Joe Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. "Our new lineup will significantly strengthen Ford's penetration in existing segments and drive new growth in others. The 15 new vehicles are part of Ford’s plans to introduce 50 new products and powertrains to the Asia Pacific region by 2015.”

 

As part of this growth, Ford will more than double the number of dealerships it has in China by 2015, from 340 today. Ford will also double the size of its professional workforce here by 2015, adding 1,200 new jobs.

 

The One Ford plan helps the company achieve scale and efficiency by producing global platforms, which serve as the underpinnings for a host of new vehicles, across the company's worldwide operations.

 

When the all-new Ford Focus -- the first of the 15 new vehicles for China -- goes into production in China in 2012, Ford will be closer to its plan of delivering a C-car family of vehicles that will reach 2 million units annually across 120 global markets. Construction of Focus’ new Chinese home, a US$490 million, state-of-the-art passenger-car assembly plant in Chongqing with an initial capacity of 150,000 units, will be complete next year.

 

Ford expects 70 percent of its growth in the next ten years to come from its Asia Pacific and Africa region.

 

Ford's sales in China were up 19 percent in the first quarter this year, compared to the same period last year, with 140,566 vehicles sold. During the first quarter, Ford sold 241,831 units in its Asia Pacific and Africa markets, an increase of 28%.