Jim Hackett, Ford president and CEO, discusses the plans to expand sales in China.

Ford Motor Co. suffered another sharp reversal of fortune in China during February where it reported vehicle sales dropped 30% from a year earlier while General Motors continues to roll up sales.

The sales drop by Ford appeared to reflect a dearth of new products as the company continued to struggle in the world’s largest auto market.

Ford’s sales dropped 18% in January and in February totaled just 47,483 vehicles, accounting for the 30% drop mentioned earlier.

Sales volumes in the first two months of the year fell 23% to 123,473 vehicles from the same period a year ago.

In sharp contrast, GM and its joint ventures partners in China delivered 265,994 vehicles in February, an increase of 7.8% on an annual basis despite fewer selling days due to the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday occurring last month versus in January in 2017.

(Geely Chairman Shufu shaking up the industry. Click Here for the story.)

The debut of the new Baojun 530 is likely to only continue GM's strong sales results.

Cadillac and Baojun both set February records. Buick had its highest growth in 17 months, while Chevrolet had its seventh month of double-digit growth in the past eight months, GM reported.

In the first two months of 2018, GM and its joint ventures enjoyed a 12% sales increase with 633,706 units delivered. GM is introducing 15 new and refreshed models this year in China for sustained growth in its largest market.

General Motors and its joint ventures in China delivered 265,994 vehicles in February. Sales grew 7.8% on an annual basis despite fewer selling days due to the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday occurring last month versus in January in 2017.

Cadillac and Baojun both set February delivery records. Buick had its highest growth in 17 months, while Chevrolet had its seventh month of double-digit growth in the past eight months.

(Click Here for more about the Chinese government extending EV incentives.)

In the first two months of 2018, GM and its joint ventures had 12% sales growth with 633,706 units delivered. GM is introducing 15 new and refreshed models this year in China for sustained growth in its largest market.

GM and its Chinese partners are also moving out to other markets in Asia.

Earlier this month, GM-SAIC-Wuling introduced “the new MPV choice” for Indonesian consumers, the Cortez with features such as LED headlamps, 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels, dynamic fog lamps, a daytime running lamp and a 7-inch multi-information display into Indonesia.

“The Cortez embodies the spirit of ‘driving for a better life,’” said Wuling Motors Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing (VSSM) Cindy Cai. “We want to provide our customers an extraordinary experience.”

(To see more about GM and Ford sales in China, Click Here.)

MPVs accounted for more than 40% of the passenger vehicle market in Indonesia, the biggest car market in Southeast Asia.

Don't miss out!
Get Email Alerts
Receive the latest Automotive News in your Inbox!
Invalid email address
Give it a try. You can unsubscribe at any time.