Upcoming JMC SUV rumored to be the Ford Escape

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai April 16) - Last week Jiangling Motors announced that it would be bringing over a Ford brand SUV to China. Although JMC did not reveal which model was selected, a nddaily.com report appearing today speculated that it will be none other than the Ford Escape crossover.

According to the report, in early 2010 JMC trademarked two Chinese names that sound extremely similar to the Escape's (pictured) current Chinese name. If the rumor is proven to be true, JMC should receive technological and other support from Ford when the Escape is brought over. JMC's board of directors has already decided to invest 222 million yuan ($35.17m) for engineering and purchasing costs associated with the project.

Ford has been cooperating with JMC since 1995, and is the manufacturer's second largest stockholder, owning a 29.96 percent share. Sales of JMC-sold Fords have grown over 30 percent over the last decade, bringing in a good amount of money for the US company.

In order to deal with increasing demand, JMC began construction work on a new production site in Nanchang, Jiangxi capable of producing 100,000 vehicles per year. In June 2010, the manufacturer agreed to invest 600 million yuan ($88.38m) to increase the annual production capability of the new factory to 200,000 vehicles.