Ford’s Sales Fall 7% in China

Ford Motor Co. says its vehicle sales in China dropped 7% to 84,500 units in July, as shrinking demand for the company’s passenger vehicles offset a surge in commercial truck deliveries.

Sales by Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford’s commercial venture in China, climbed 11% to 19,800 vehicles last month. But volume for Changan Ford Automobile Co. plunged 16% to 58,300 units. Ford blames the latter slump on the higher purchase tax on small cars that began in January.

Ford sales in China through the first seven months of 2017 declined 7% to 622,000 cars, vans, trucks and SUVs, according to the company.