FORD MEDIA CENTER Ford Starts Its Biggest New Vehicle Launch Ever in China; Builds Stronger Local Partnerships to Drive New Customers Debuts a broad range of new vehicles at Auto China as part of its China 2025 plan, encompassing next generation passenger cars, electric vehicles and trucks Expands midsize car lineup to compete and win in the large c-car segment in China, including the new Escort, current Focus and all-new Focus Reinforces its commitment to working with local technology companies and announces that Ford Kuga SUV customers will be able to order a huge 10.4-inch center screen and software powered by Alibaba services later this year Deepens joint venture partnerships with new National Distribution Services Division (NDSD) that will be responsible for marketing, sales and services associated with all Ford-branded passenger vehicles sold in China, regardless of source; confirms that the current Ford Explorer will be available to all dealers and that the next generation Explorer will be manufactured locally by Changan Ford Announces two senior local hires as part of its in China, for China strategy; Henry Li will be the vice president of Marketing and Sales for Ford Greater China, leading the transition to the new NDSD, and Richard Chen will be the vice president of Strategy and Partnerships for Ford Greater China BEIJING, April 25, 2018 Ford Motor Company has started its biggest new vehicle launch ever in China with the auto show debut of a broad range of new models under its ambitious plan to launch 50 new vehicles by 2025. These include Ford s next generation midsize passenger cars and its first new energy vehicle for China, the Mondeo Energi plug-in hybrid. The Ford Ranger Wildtrak also makes its Auto China debut, bringing the Built Ford Tough promise to Chinese consumers.
Fresh from its global media reveal in Chongqing earlier in April, the all-new Focus sedan and hatchback, including the exciting all-new Focus ST-Line, were on display at the Ford stand. Together with the new Escort and current Focus, which will continue to sell in the market, Ford s three-car strategy will help meet the diverse needs of customers in China s large and critical midsize car segment. Ford confirmed its popular Ford Ranger midsize pickup truck will be available for sale in China later this year. Building on the early sales success of the F-150 Raptor, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the newly upgraded F-150 Raptor are poised to help Ford capture the growth opportunities in China s premium pickup truck segment. We are repositioning our business for a new chapter of profitable growth in China, said Peter Fleet, group vice president and president, Asia Pacific, Ford Motor Company. What better testament to the strength of our local partnerships and unwavering commitment to China than the outstanding new vehicles and technologies on show at our Auto China stand. Expanded midsize car offerings With over 7.3 million Chinese customers buying a midsize passenger car last year, making up 31 percent of the passenger car market, Ford is committed to competing in this critical segment. The company knows that the larger the segment, the more diverse the customers are, and they all have different tastes and stories to tell. That is why Ford will offer three highly-competitive cars in this segment the new Escort, the all-new Focus lineup and the current Focus. Each of these vehicles has been developed by Ford s talented global design and engineering team with the specific needs and wants of Chinese customers in mind, from the very start of development, and all of them will be manufactured by Changan Ford. The all-new Ford Focus is the most innovative and dynamic Focus ever. It promises to excite and delight Chinese consumers with its striking design, excellent interior space and groundbreaking new technologies. Its sculpted exterior gives it a powerful, assertive and charismatically elegant look, while interior roominess has been improved, thanks to an all-new architecture, with a wheelbase that has been extended by over 50mm. It will also be the first vehicle in China to come equipped with Ford Co-Pilot360, a segment-leading suite of advanced driver-assist technologies, to help customers drive more safely, freely and confidently. In addition, it s packed with features - such as Ford s SYNC 3 connectivity system - that are designed to keep customers connected and in control. The next generation Ford Escort sets a new standard for a midsize family sedan in China, with its modern looks, enhanced safety, added convenience and smart features.
Technology partnerships to attract and delight new customers As Ford builds towards its future of smart vehicles for a smart world, the company is striving to make life simpler for its customers and put time back on their side through technology. By 2019, 100 percent of new Ford vehicles sold in China will be connected to the internet, and Ford is working closely with companies such as Apple, Alibaba and Baidu on areas including vehicle HMI, customer retail experiences and research of autonomous solutions. Following the letter of intent signed by Ford and Alibaba last year, the two companies have been collaborating on a number of digital marketing initiatives such as the Super Test-Drive vending machine in Guangzhou. Leveraging facial recognition technology, mobile payments and big data, the pilot project attracted more than 1,000 three-day test-drive customers. In addition to Ford s award-winning SYNC 3 system, the company also confirmed that later this year Ford Kuga customers will be able to order a 10.4-inch center screen and software powered by Alibaba services. This is in response to Chinese customers demands for large infotainment screens and software customized to their daily needs. It will enable car owners to easily pay for parking with Alipay, share their location and destination and have a group conversation using team-driving mode. We re working aggressively to help shape the future of mobility, said Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. By collaborating with local technology companies, we can engage with customers in new ways and help seamlessly converge their online and offline experiences. Stronger dealer network and more localized vehicles Ford will establish a new National Distribution Services Division (NDSD), as part of the Changan Ford joint venture, to make life simpler for customers and improve operational efficiencies. It will be responsible for all the marketing, sales and services associated with all Ford-branded passenger vehicles sold in China. This will start with the Ford Explorer, America s bestselling SUV, which will be distributed through the entire Changan Ford dealer network. Ford also confirmed that the next generation of its flagship Ford Explorer will be manufactured locally by Changan Ford. Building on the success of vehicles like Escort and Edge, Ford plans to design and engineer more vehicles for China through its investment in local product development and manufacturing, including assembly of its first all-electric small SUV and the next generation Ford Explorer.
Ford will also be significantly increasing its product development timetable to accelerate time-to-market delivery in China, reducing the time it takes from sketch to production by 20 percent. It will enhance its human-centric design by introducing better customer insights into the vehicle creation process, earlier than ever before. Our relationship with partners is more important than ever as we work together to build a bigger, better and brighter future for the Ford brand in China, and offer more choice to customers, said Nigel Harris, president, Changan Ford Automotive Company, Ltd. By 2021, dealers will have the opportunity to more than double their showroom products, encompassing Ford passenger cars, SUVs, electrified vehicles and trucks. Two new local hires for China As part of its in China, for China strategy, Ford today announced two newly created roles. Effective May 7, Henry Li will become the vice president of Marketing and Sales for Ford Greater China, and Richard Chen will join on May 16 as the vice president of Strategy and Partnerships for Ford Greater China. Li will play a significant role in launching the NDSD in China, bringing considerable benefits to Ford s brand, partners, dealers and customers. At his previous company, Henry built a highly efficient, profitable and sustainable distribution network in China. Chen will be responsible for overall China business strategic planning, as well as management of external partnerships and stakeholder relations. The hiring of these two outstanding talents is an important part of our in China, for China strategy, said Fleet. We are confident that with their leadership, we will further strengthen our ability to respond to the ever changing demands of Chinese customers. The all-new Focus, Escort and Ford Ranger go on sale in China later this year. About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is
pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 203,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com. Ford's wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and investment in China include Ford Motor (China) Limited, Ford Motor Research & Engineering (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Ford Automotive Finance (China) Ltd., Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd., Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd., and Zotye Ford Automobile Co. Ltd., which will start operations in 2018. Subject to regulatory approval, Zotye Ford will produce small all-electric vehicles under a new indigenous brand.