Foton Motor makes foray into sedan market

Shanghai November 19 (Gasgoo.com) Following its great success with commercial vehicles worldwide, Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. now plans to branch into the sedan segment, aiming to launch its first model in 2013, bitauto.com reported Friday, citing Foton brand director Zhang Bin.

New Foton logo

Foton Motor, a subsidiary of Beijing Automobile Group Co., Ltd., will change its logo completely starting early next year to coordinate with the adjustment to its product planning.

The company has already set up a special team to research, develop and manufacture sedans, and will officially begin its first foray into the sedan market in 2013, according to Zhang.

Foton, the world's second largest commercial-vehicle maker after Daimler AG, ranked first for selling 602,021 vehicles globally in 2009, exceeding Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle sales for the first time. In the first ten months this year, it produced 558,000 vehicles, up 9% year on year while seeing its sales jump 15% from a year earlier to 571,100 units.