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China Daily | Updated: 2016-01-11 08:09

Qoros CEO resigns, chairman to take over at end of January

Qoros CEO Phil Murtaugh will quit by the end of January because of "personal reasons", said the Chinese automaker. Qoros Chairman Chen Anning will take over. Murtaugh joined Qoros in February 2014 to boost its sales. The joint venture between China's Chery Automobile and Israel Corp sold about 2,000 units in December, almost three times the monthly sales when Murtaugh joined the company. Qoros president Chen is also president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover. Qoros did not comment on when it would seek another CEO. Qoros sales chief Sun Xiaodong, who was seen as Murtaugh's right-hand man, remains in his position. Both previously worked for SAIC GM.

SAIC Volkswagen retains top position in passenger car market

SAIC Volkswagen announced on Tuesday that it sold 1,812,077 vehicles last year, making it the sales leader in China's passenger car market.

Volkswagen retained its leading position in the country with annual sales of 1,532,009 units last year. Its models, which include the Polo, Lavida, Passat and Tiguan, are best-sellers in their segments.

More than 180,000 units of the Polo sold at a growth rate of 13 percent year-on-year. Sales of the Lavida reached more than 470,000 units, Passat at 205,000 units and the Tiguan at 256,000 units.

Skoda, another brand produced by SAIC Volkswagen, sold 280,068 vehicles last year. It sold more than 150,000 units of the Octavia, up 26 percent year-on-year.

Ford Motor Co's sales in China set record of 1.12 million units

Ford Motor Co's China sales grew by 3 percent year-on-year to a record of 1.12 million units in 2015. In December alone, its sales in China rocketed by 27 percent to a monthly record of 124,768 units. Ford's joint venture with Chang'an Motor sold 836,425 cars last year, up 7 percent.

Joint venture Guangqi Honda launches fully owned affiliate

Sino-Japanese joint venture Guangqi Honda Automobile Co last week formed a 100-percent-owned sales affiliate with two business units - one for the Honda and Everus brands, and the other for the luxury marque Acura. The first Acura model will be produced at the joint venture in Guangzhou in the middle of this year. The joint venture sold 602,315 cars last year, a rise of 30.9 percent.

Chinese automaker calls trucks back due to poor driver's manual

China's quality watchdog said last week that four models of a domestic company's trucks were recalled in China from Jan 4 due to a lack of information in the driver's manual about the vehicles' air pressure, which is a violation of regulations.

More than 4,500 units of Guangqi Hino Motors' SS64, SH42, FS2P and FY2P, made between March 1, 2013, and Jan 31, 2015, were recalled.

Motoring -Agencies

(China Daily 01/11/2016 page18)