Ford Says No Plans To Hike China Prices Despite New Tariffs

[franco + 96]

Ford Motor Co (F.N) said it has no plans for now to hike prices of imported Ford and Lincoln models in China, despite additional tariffs on U.S. vehicles due to be applied from Friday.The U.S. carmaker, which has been facing sluggish sales in the world’s largest auto market, said in a statement on Thursday “it has no current plans to increase the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) on its import line-up in China”.
 

[Petar + 76]

That’s because nobody in China buys a Ford ! All I see there are Mercedes and BMW’s!

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

On 7/5/2018 at 10:22 AM, franco said:

 “it has no current plans to increase the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) on its import line-up in China”.
 

That seems to suggest that Ford is having problems moving the metal in the Chinese market, to the point that Ford now has to eat the tariff.  As that is going to wipe out profits on those cars, you have to wonder if Ford's management thinking is that the tariff fight is strictly temporary, and to avoid losing market exposure (and share), it is cheaper to eat the tariffs than it is to withdraw from the market and try to rebuild later. 

Ford has already announced that it will become a pick-up and SUV company, and no longer build sedans. Looks like sedans will be built only in foreign markets.  How about the Ford Focus in Europe?  ANybody know what is happening with that one?

Edited July 7, 2018 by Jan van Eck