Gasgoo.com (Shanghai March 19) - Changan Mazda has set a sales target of 110,000 vehicles for this year, nddaily.com reported today. If the joint venture manages to achieve this goal, it will see its sales grow noticeably from 2011.

Changan Mazda has already completed successful transfer of its production site to Nanjing.

As with many other manufacturers in China, Mazda's performance last year was lackluster. The manufacturer was not only unable to achieve its original sales target of 280,000 vehicles, it also saw its overall sales volume drop. However, the Changan Mazda JV seems to be on its way to a strong recovery in 2012, with it setting a new personal record this January, having sold 7,683 vehicles in the month. The recently released Mazda3 Xingcheng, now available in hatchback (pictured above) and sedan versions, has been crucial in aiding the JV's sales performance.

Mazda previously announced that it hopes to sell a total of 270,000 vehicles in China this year. The CX-5 (pictured below) is planned to be sold in China as an imported model this autumn. It will employ Mazda's new SkyActiv technology to increase fuel efficiency and engine performance.