Mazda Q1 sales in China exceed 57000 units

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai April 8) - Mazda China sold a total of 57,600 vehicles in the country over the first three months of the year, Caijing reported today. The amount represents year-on-year growth of 16 percent. Despite the overall increase, the manufacturer's March sales totaled a mere 21,000 units, only two percent higher than last March's figure.

FAW Mazda was responsible for moving 35,100 vehicles over the three month period, while Changan Mazda sold a total of 22,500 vehicles. The year-on-year growth figures for both joint ventures were five percent and 37 percent, respectively. Changan Mazda owed a lot of its strong performance to the Mazda3 Xingcheng (pictured).

"The 16 percent sales growth over the first quarter will provide a strong foundation for Mazda's goal to sell 270,000 vehicles in China this year," Mazda China Chairman and CEO Noriaki Yamada said.

Mazda sold a total of 214,800 vehicles in China last year, failing to meet its yearly sales target of 280,000 units. Although the manufacturer's sales goal for this year is a full 10,000 units less than 2011's, it is still 26 percent higher than the actual number of vehicles sold in the year.