Ford Motor Company has announced that it will begin exports of Lincoln vehicles to China from 2014. The firm believes sales of luxury vehicles will reach 10% of the local market by 2020.
“Lincoln is an important part of our plan, and introducing Lincoln in China marks the next step in our expansion in Asia and our commitment to serving customers in the luxury market,” said Ford Motor Company president and CEO Alan Mulally. “We recognize the growth potential for Lincoln in China, building on the growing appeal of our new Lincoln products and unique, personalized customer experience in North America.”
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The first model to be sent to China will be the Mexican-made MKZ sedan, from the second half of 2014. This rival for the Lexus ES is about to go on sale in North America and the few markets where the brand is sold outside that continent.
While Ford is yet to state whether or not it plans to build Lincoln models locally, it recently announced that it will begin manufacturing its turbocharged 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in China. This is one of two engines offered in the new 2013 MKZ.
The cars will be retailed through what Ford calls an ‘independent dealer network’.
Ford has announced the construction of five new vehicle plants for China as part of plans to double the firm’s local production capacity to 1.2 million passenger vehicles a year.
Author: Glenn Brooks
