Ford Motor Company (F +1.27%) said on Wednesday that its sales in China rose 30% in the fourth quarter from a year ago, as its revamped product line and SUVs from its Lincoln luxury brand continue to gain traction with Chinese consumers.
For the full year, Ford's sales in China were up 6.1% from its grim 2019 result, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ford China CEO Anning Chen said that the sales gains were a result of the company's decision roughly a year ago to refocus its efforts on delivering vehicles tailored to Chinese tastes. The result was Ford's third quarterly year-over-year sales gain in a row.
SUVs like the Ford Explorer are driving Ford's sales rebound in China. Image source: Ford Motor Company.
Chen said that Ford will build on its momentum by continuing to localize production of Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
Lincoln has once again become a bright spot for Ford in China. The brand's sales rose 75% in the fourth quarter, to roughly 22,600 vehicles, driven by brisk demand for locally made versions of the Corsair and Aviator SUVs. The two together accounted for about three-quarters of Lincoln's China sales in the quarter.
Ford said in November that it will begin making Lincoln's midsize SUV, the Nautilus, in China as well.
Sales of Ford-brand vehicles in China rose 24.7% from a year ago, to over 100,000. Roughly half of those were SUVs, with the new Explorer and Escape accounting for about 22,000 units, the company said.
