• Amid the coronavirus business shutdown, Ford’s sales declined 34.9 percent year-over-year on delivery of 88,770 vehicles.
• Significant sales recovery in March with sales reaching 75 percent of March 2019 levels as Ford and Lincoln’s dealership networks resumed operations.
• Growing demand of the newly-launched Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair supporting dealer network and sales recovery.
• Sedans, light trucks and pickups helped drive sales during the quarter as customer care programs and virtual services strengthened customer engagement.

SHANGHAI, April 16, 2020 – Ford and its joint ventures, Changan Ford, JMC and Ford Lio-Ho, sold 88,770 vehicles in Greater China in the first quarter. Amid an unprecedented business slow down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford’s quarterly sales declined 34.9 percent year-over-year but fared slightly better than the industry. Ford’s market share in China grew to 2.2 percent and was aided by increased digital marketing, safe and timely resumption of dealer operations, and customer-focused care programs that ensured strong engagement and sales recovery from mid-February.

The resumption of sales and service operations at all Ford and Lincoln dealerships in China enabled a strong sales recovery in March when 40,707 vehicles were sold, accounting for approximately 46 percent of first quarter sales and achieving 75 percent of monthly sales levels reached during March 2019.

First Quarter Sales Summary:

• Ford brand vehicle sales reached 52,937 units during the quarter, down 29.1 percent year-over-year.
  • Sales of the all new Ford Escape reached 2,695 units during the quarter and more than 6,000 additional new customer orders were received.
  • JMC sold approximately 6,900 Ford Transit vehicles during the quarter to meet increased demand for ambulances during the pandemic. The nearly 3,700 units sold in March achieved 92 percent of Ford Transit sales levels from the same period last year.
  • Quarterly sales by Ford Lio-Ho in Taiwan reached 4,881 units, an increase of 25 percent year-over-year due to strong sales for Ford Focus and Ford Kuga.
• Lincoln brand vehicle sales reached 6,096 units during the quarter, down 37 percent year-over-year.
  • The all new Corsair, Lincoln’s first locally-produced vehicle, was launched in March, selling 755 units during the month and receiving an additional 1,200 customer orders.
• JMC brand vehicle sales reached 29,737 units during the quarter, primarily driven by light trucks (15,125 units) and pickups (9,057 units). Total JMC brand sales in the first quarter were down 42.8 percent year-over-year, with March sales at 18,437 units, recovering 76 percent of prior year levels.

During the first quarter, Ford focused on the safety of its employees, dealers, customers and partners amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual interactions, including online demos and transactions, helped maintain customer engagement. In addition, an array of product and services were offered to meet customer needs during the pandemic. These include payment assistance programs through Ford Credit, vehicle pick up and delivery, contact-free door-to-door maintenance services and vehicle sanitation to address customer health and safety concerns.