Jan. 9, 2007 (China Knowledge) – Changan Ford Mazda Automobile said that its sales for 2006 doubled, having sold 129,790 vehicles last year as compared to 61,022 units in 2005.

The joint venture between Mazda Motor Corp., Changan Automobile and Changan Automobile Co. Ltd. said that demand for the mid-sized Focus, launched in late 2005, was particularly strong with full-year sales amounting to 78,430 units. Its Mondeo sedan was the second most in demand, up 15% year-on-year to 47,651 units.

The company is also expected to list RMB-denominated A-shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange by the end of March or early April, a senior official said yesterday. The figures did not include those of affiliated brands, including the locally made Mazda3 and the imported Ford models. Rivals Volkswagen and GM have yet to release their full-year China sales figures but had given optimistic projections. However, not all foreign carmakers have positive figures - Hyundai Motor Co.'s joint venture in the Mainland sold only around 290,000 cars in 2006, 10,000 units shy of its earlier target of 300,000 units. Sales for the venture is estimated to climb only 6.9% to 310,000 units in 2007, mainly due to limited production capacity.