Ford China sales rise 14% to 197,212 units in H1

Shanghai, July 7 (Gasgoo.com) Ford Motor Co. said yesterday that its sales in China surged 14% in the first half of this year to 197,212 vehicles, The Economic Observer reported.

It said passenger car sales climbed 20% in the six-month period and were up 55% in June alone from a year earlier.

Sales at its Chinese passenger car joint-venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, rose 20% in the first half to 140,386 vehicles. It said the Fiesta, which debuted in China in March, has sold 18,224 units.

Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford's commercial vehicle joint venture in China, sold 53,327 units in the first half, including 14,210 Ford Transit light commercial vans, the U.S. auto maker said in a statement. It didn't give year-earlier figures.

Automakers are counting on China's relatively healthy sales, boosted by government stimulus programs, to help drive global revenues amid sluggish demand in North America and other major markets.

General Motors Corp reported last week its China sales in the first half soared 38%  year on year to a record 814,442 units on strong demand for minivans and other small vehicles.