Ford Motor Company and its joint ventures in China, including Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA) and Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC) report 44,047 units in sales for August, a 24 percent increase from August 2009.

Total passenger and commercial vehicles sold in China as of end of August were 368,103 units, an increase of 42 percent compared to January – August in 2009.

CFMA, Ford’s passenger vehicle joint-venture in China, sold 251,046 units from January to August, an increase of 33 percent over the same period last year. Ford Focus, one of the best-sellers in its class, recorded 13,039 units in sales for August, marking its sixth consecutive month of over 10,000 units sold. Just last week, CFMA celebrated a historic moment when the one millionth Ford brand vehicle in China was handed over to a customer in Lanzhou.

Demand for the new Ford Fiesta remains strong with 4,629 units sold in August, pushing Fiesta January –August sales up by 75% as compared to the same period in 2009. The significant sales surge for Fiesta can be attributed to its recent inclusion in China’s national fuel-efficient vehicle directory, which qualifies new Fiesta owners for an RMB 3000 purchase incentive provided by the government.

Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), Ford’s commercial vehicle joint-venture in China, sold 15,572 units in August and 117,057 units from January to August this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 89% and 64% respectively over the same period last year. The exceptional performance was driven by sustained demand for the Ford Transit.

“We are encouraged by the strong sales performance of both our passenger and commercial vehicles in this fast-growing market. As we continue to implement our plan to make quality, fuel-efficient with smart technology that represent great value to consumers in China, we hope to accelerate this growth momentum with new investments that expand our product portfolio and distribution channels”, Robert Graziano, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China.