Chongqing Changan Automobile, which has a three-way partnership with Ford and Mazda in China, said the joint venture is considering rolling out its own brand.
Changan general manager Zhang Baolin added the move was being considered by the three partners as more Chinese automakers plan their own brands.
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The JV makes and sells the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Mondeo in China and also sells the Mazda 2 and 3.
Ford is planning to increase its presence in China with the introduction of 15 new vehicles, and doubling its dealerships from 340 as well as adding 1,200 new jobs in the country by 2015.
The first of the 15 new models, the redesigned Focus, will go into production in 2012 at a planned US$490m factory in Chongqing with an initial capacity of 150,000 units.
Ford also plans to introduce a test fleet of electric vehicles to China later this year, including the Fusion hybrid. On the eve of the Shanghai show, the carmaker unveiled three EVs, the Focus all-electric, the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid, and the Fusion hybrid.
Joe Hinrichs, head of Ford’s Asia-Pacific and African operation, said: “With China aiming to go green on the road with new-energy vehicles, the country is the perfect platform to showcase Ford’s advanced technologies in the electrification plan.”
