Ford Credit seen as key driver of carmaker's strategy in China
Ford Motor plans to expand its retail financing business in China to boost growth after robust first-quarter growth which saw sales increase 121 per cent year on year to 33,511 units, the company said yesterday.
The carmaker said the result was mirrored by its other brands - Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar - which are part of its Premier Automotive Group (PAG).
The combined sales of the PAG brands were up 143 per cent over the same period last year for the quarter.
Ford sees its wholly owned subsidiary, Ford Credit, which launched its retail financing business in July last year, as a key driver to its China strategy.
'Individual financing is critical for growth. Nowadays, less than 10 per cent of total car sales rely on individual financing. We're planning to extend our financing business to a dozen cities in China by the end of the year,' said Kenneth Hsu, a spokesman for the group.