Ford has reached a cooperation with Jiangling Motors (JMC) after realizing the need to avoid single dependence on Changan Automobile via their joint-venture Changan Ford. With the Fords new SUV Everest coming off the production line, Ford and JAC has completed their first cooperation in passenger vehicle market segment.

According to the statement of JAC, the new SUV Everest will be sold at a price range of 269,800 to 369,800 yuan, almost 100,000 yuan lower than Toyota’s Prado. To assure the good sell of the new model, JMC-Ford will adopt globalized general suppliers of Ford.

Changan Ford reported sales slump this year partly resulting in the plain performance of Ford, who has been relying on only one partner in China in the passenger vehicle sector.

Given China remains the biggest auto market in the world even for the current recession, Ford realized the need to expand partnership in China instead fully depending on Changan Ford in passenger vehicle market segment.

Ford has kept cooperative relation with JAC for more than 20 years, but their cooperation was limited in the field of commercial vehicles.

However, the past several years allows Ford to see the rapid development of the Chinese auto market. China's SUV market soared, where Ford found itself has a sufficient advantage. Ford has introduced more and more products to Changan Ford production line over the past years, despite good results, but contradictions have been gradually exposed among radical product and low system capacity and loose quality control.

Under the influence of negative news, Changan Ford sales in China dropped 2 percent form a year earlier for the first 7 months to 452,700 vehicles. A year earlier, Changan Ford's total sales rose 36 percent from last year’s first seven months. Thus Chandan Ford dragged down Ford sales by 1 percent in the first 7 months, with cumulative sales of less than 620,600 units.

Source:Gasgoo