Ford to launch new brand in China

China is filled with lots of people and things – including lots of bizarre laws and regulations. One child per family is perhaps the most well known, but did you know you have to pay homage by bowing to the elderly on the street, or that you're actually prohibited from stopping your car at crosswalks? This next one may seem sane by comparison, but has got automakers vying for a piece of China's growing car market jumping through hoops.

Apparently foreign carmakers wishing to manufacture in China for local consumption by joint venture have to set up a new brand under which to sell. Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen are already setting up Chinese brands of their own, and now Ford is reportedly joining the fold.

The Blue Oval is teaming up with Mazda and Chinese automaker Chang'an on the joint venture that is targeted to help Ford catch up to GM, whose two million units sold last year nearly quadruples Ford's figures in the Chinese market. No word yet on what name the Ford sub-brand will carry, but it's a bit of an interesting development considering how many brands under the once sprawling Ford Motor Company have been jettisoned in recent years.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/12/f...rand-in-china/

 

Good to see Ford working if Mazda again