FORD Motor Co launched its first multi-purpose vehicle in China, joining the competition in the rapidly growing MPV market.
The world's third-largest car maker equipped the new Chinese-made S-MAX with a 2.3-liter engine and a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The company set a price of 219,800 yuan (US$28,375) to 239,800 yuan for two configurations, the company said yesterday in Bo'ao, Hainan Province.
"Other car makers, who are bigger and have been in the Chinese market longer, have more models to sell than the Chang'an Ford Mazda," said David G. Thomas, general manager of Chang'an Ford Sales Co. "S-MAX is important because it's an additional model and additional revenue stream."
Although the auto maker classifies the new model as a sport activity vehicle (SAV) to emphasis its sporty features, S-MAX will challenge Honda Motor Co's Odyssey, General Motors Corp's GL8 and Nissan Motor Corp's Geniss in the high-end MPV market.
Chang'an Ford Mazda has set a monthly sales target of 800 to 1,000 S-MAXs for this year.
"The new model reflects Ford's focus on a more diversified and niche market in addition to its currently well-developed car segment," said Zhang Xin, an analyst from Guotai Jun'an Securities Co Ltd. "MPV market enjoys fast sales growth and the mid to high-end models have higher profit margins."
The Dearborn, Michigan-based car maker will launch production of S-MAX at its second plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, in the second half of this year. The new manufacturing facility, with a capacity of 200,000 units annually, will boost Ford's total capacity to 400,000 units in China by the year end.
Struggling with sales and massive losses in North America, Ford has accelerated investment in China to catch up with GM and Volkswagen AG. It has expanded its product line-up by introducing at least one model a year following the launch of the Focus in August.
Sales of MPVs rose 28 percent in China in the first two months this year, beating the passenger car market, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Last year, car makers sold 191,100 MPVs nationwide, up 22.6 percent from a year earlier.
Source:佚名