FAW, Mazda to co-develop luxury sedan (Xinhua) Updated: 2004-06-23 10:33
Major Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp. will strengthen ties with China
FAW Group Corp. by jointly developing a remodeled compact luxury car and
outsourcing production of a mainline minivan, a Japanese business daily reported
Wednesday.
The company aims to sell 300,000 vehicles in China in 2010 by adding eight
models to its product line-up in the Chinese market in three to four years,
Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.
China FAW, which develops its current compact luxury sedan with the help of
Germany's Audi AG, plans to replace Audi with Mazda as its development partner
for the remodeled version.
Mazda, based in west Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture, also plans to outsource
production of its latest MPV minivan in as early as 2006, with China FAW's group
firm, FAW Car Co., to produce about 10,000 units a year, the newspaper said.
Mazda also plans to jointly produce passenger vehicles in China with Ford
Motor Co. and Chang'an Automotive (Group) Co. Its closer alliance with China FAW
will enable the company to pursue a two- pronged strategy in China's rapidly
growing auto market.