Changan Ford Mazda to sell imported Mazda3 soon

Shanghai, November 18 (Gasgoo.com) Changan Ford Mazda, rather than FAW Mazda, will sell the imported Mazda3 hatchback starting December 1, SinoCast reported.

The new imported Mazda3 will debut at the 2009 Guangzhou auto show in Guangzhou later this month, when Changan Ford Mazda will announce its taking over the Chinese sale of imported Mazda3 cars and start to receive orders, according to insiders.

The imported Mazda3 hatchback has been sold by FAW Mazda, with Changan Ford Mazda making and selling the Mazda3 sedan. Since the new Mazda3 hit the Japanese market, imported Mazda3 cars have been in short supply in China. Mazda dealers confirmed the imported Mazda3 will shift to Changan Ford Mazda's sales network on December 1.

Retail sales of Mazda-branded vehicles last month reached 14,498 units in the Chinese market. Mazda's China sales came to 136,974 vehicles in the January to October period, up 31%. Mazda's sales in China rose 65% to a record 16,175 units in September.
 
FAW Mazda Motor Sales Co., Ltd. totally sold 8,122 vehicles last month, up 13%, thanks to the continued hot sales of Mazda6; Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. saw robust sales of Mazda2 and Mazda3, which totaled 6,376 vehicles, up 68%.

The dealerships of FAW Mazda and Changan Ford Mazda will increase from 212 at the beginning of this year to 250 or more by the year end. The figure stood at 245 at the end of October.