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.December 08, 2004
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This Week:

• Porsche(R) Reveals New 911 Cabriolets for 2005

• Explorer Sport Trac concept: More Powerful, More Versatile, More Advanced

• GM To Reduce Stationary CO2 Emissions 8 Percent By 2005

• BMW Group's Year-To-Date Sales Increase 5.9 Percent

• Toyota to Create Consolidated R&D and Manufacturing Operations

• Saab to Launch 9-5 BioPower Flex-Fuel Vehicle in Sweden

• Mercedes Car Group: Sales of Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles up sharply in November 2004

• Hyundai Boosted Sales Growth in Europe

• Mondeo 2.5 V6 Wins China's 2005 Car Of The Year

• Maybach expands its Asian sales network by establishing a new Center in Shanghai

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Mondeo 2.5 V6 Wins China's 2005 Car Of The Year

Photo: Ford

''The award is a great honour for all of us here in China. Once again, it has confirmed Ford Motor Company's strong commitment to Chinese consumers by providing them with best-of-class, value-for-money products and services,'' said Mei-Wei Cheng, Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor (China) Ltd., at the ceremony.

The award also represents a major step forward in Ford Motor Company's business development strategy in China, Cheng noted.

"We're doing more than just introducing a top-selling car to China," said Cheng. "We're building up a new automotive enterprise model in China by integrating the full capabilities and resources from Ford Motor Company around the world. Over time, we want our China operations to resemble what we have already well established in Europe and North America.'' ''With all these efforts, we're speeding up towards the goal of becoming a major player in China's automobile market,'' Cheng stressed. ''Winning of the Car of the Year by Mondeo 2.5 V6 is just one example of how we'll achieve that goal.'' "It is really an exciting time for Changan Ford. The award is a recognition of all the hard work we've done before and completes a fruitful year of 2004 for Changan Ford, '' said Ron Tyack, President and CEO of Changan Ford. ''As the flagship of Ford's family of world-class cars, the new Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6 has enabled the China market to stand at the very front.''

The Mondeo series, particularly the new Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6, also serves as the major driving force behind the significant growth of Changan Ford in the year 2004, Tyack added.

Since its debut in China in January 2004, the locally made Ford Mondeo has gained a rapidly increasing brand reputation as well as market share. Many Chinese industry analysts and journalists attribute the success of the new Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6 to setting the new benchmark for the mid and upper segment of Chinese car market by offering Chinese customers world-class levels of driving capabilities and highly competitive price performance and value.

According to Ron Tyack, the year-to-date sales of Changan Ford in 2004 have registered a 200 percent growth rate compared to 2003 despite the market slow-down that began earlier this year.

The success of the Ford Mondeo highlights the key role of Ford's European Product Development team in meeting the needs and aspirations of rapidly increasing numbers of new car consumers in Asia. Vehicles developed by Ford of Europe are pivotal in the Company's strategy to compete successfully and expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific and African markets.

(Dec. 3, 2004)