Ford adds 40 new dealers in China

Ford Motor Co. inaugurated 40 new dealerships in China Wednesday in a bid to increase sales in the world's biggest auto market.

As part of its growth plans in China, Ford's goal is to have 100 new dealerships this year, mostly in secondary, inland cities, for a total of 340.

"Following the call to 'Go West,' we are expanding west and in developing cities in China where most of the future growth here in the world's largest automotive market will come from," said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford, Asia Pacific and Africa, and chairman and CEO of Ford China.

Ford Motor China and its joint venture partners sold 49,681 vehicles in China last month, a 33 percent increase from October 2009.

In the first 10 months of the year, Ford sold 468,754 vehicles in China, a gain of 39 percent over the same period last year.