Changan Ford Auto to build 300 4S shops by year end

Shanghai, April 2 (Gasgoo.com) Changan Ford Automobile Corp. has set up and put into operation nearly 200 4S shops nationwide by March 2008, and the carmaker plans to bring the number to 300 by the end of this year.

The number of 4S shops under Changan Ford hit 195 across China last month, surpassing the expected 193. The auto-making company, a joint venture launched by Changan Auto Group and Ford Auto Corp. on April 25, 2001, has already tripled its dealership network in the past three years. At the same time, starting March, the sales volume of various vehicle models by Changan Ford also started to surge after the transportation difficulty and energy shortage caused by the heavy snowstorms in southern China in the first two months of 2008.

Last year, Changan Ford sold 174,018 Ford brand vehicles, with the annual sales volume growing by 33%. Sources from Changan Ford said that in 2008 the growth rate of China’s automobile industry will reach 15% approximately, and the growth of Changan Ford will keep this industry level, with its sales volume to reach 192,000 units.

While introducing new models and boosting its brand recognition, Changan Ford will also promote its after-sales services further this year. The company has announced that from April it will implement the VOR system for special urgent ordering, to make sure distributors can receive the urgent components within 24 hours. It is estimated that 92% of the distributors can receive goods within 48 hours after ordering them and the components supply rate will rise to 95.50%.