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- In 2014, China's locally-made passenger vehicle sales volume increased 9.9 percent to 19.7 million units, showing a drop a pace due to economic slowdown in the second half of the year. As a result, the actual volume did not reach the combined sales target of 20.07 million units set by automakers in the beginning of the year. In particular, the achievement rate of Japanese automakers was 87.4 percent in 2014, the lowest among all manufacturers.

- While both Honda and Nissan increased in 2013 compared to the previous year, up 27.7 percent and  12.2 percent respectively,realizing their annual sales target, both companies went up only single digit in 2014, becoming unable to reach their set annual goal. In contrast, EU automakers registered an annual achievement rate at 115.8 percent in 2014, the highest among all manufacturers, driven by VW and PSA, up 15.4 percent and 31.6 percent respectively.

- Looking at results by segment, SUVs performed well, posting an achievement rate of 142.2 percent in 2014. According to our partners based in China, a combined sales target of 22.49 million units is set by automakers for 2015, a 14.2 percent increase compared to 2014's actual result.

- In March 2015, the government announced its anticipated GDP growth rate of around seven percent for the year, indicating a drop in growth target from the previous year. Although they are unable to make any prediction regarding economic recovery, Chinese, US and EU automakers are setting high sales targets for the year with an aim to capture demand in inland China. In contrast, taking into consideration the current economic slowdown, Japanese and Korean automakers are taking a more cautious position and setting lower sales targets compared to other manufacturers.

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- Indonesia's automobile sales volume in 2014 dropped 1.8 percent from the previous year to 1.2 million units. Although sales surpassed 1 million units for the third consecutive year, volume fell below compared to the previous year's level for the first time in five years. Decline in demand is attributed to three factors; 1. market slowdown as a result of rising prices due to the weakening national currency against the US dollar, 2. the government's plan, put forth in October 2014, to gradually decrease fuel subsidies which have been putting pressure on finances, and 3.30 percent increase in fuel prices, implemented in November 2014.

- Looking at results by type, passenger vehicle volume of 879,000 units was  on par with that of the previous year. LCGCs (Low Cost Green Cars), which began to enter the market in September 2013, pushed up sales, enabling passenger vehicles to maintain the previous year's level. LCGCs sold 172,000 units, increasing their share within the passenger vehicle sector to 19.6 percent. As LCGCs seized a greater portion of the market, sedans (down 36.8 percent) and non-sedans (down 13.7 percent) declined across the board. Meanwhile, impacted by market slowdown, commercial vehicles fell 6.2 percent to 329,000 units.

- Looking at results by brand, top brand Toyota dropped 8.1 percent to 400,000 units, seeing a decline in share to 33 percent, down 2.3pp (percentage points). Toyota's best-selling model the Avanza went down 24.1 percent due to the launch of the Honda Mobilio. Brisk sales of the Mobilio drove up Honda's sales volume 73.9 percent to 159,000 units, enabling the automaker to surpass Suzuki and take third place. Apart from Honda and Ford, all other brands of the top 10 group declined.

- As for 2015, although fuel prices have settled down thanks to declining crude oil prices, it is very likely that prices will continue to increase driven up by the weak national currency. Indonesia's automotiveindustryassociation projects that sales volume in 2015 will remain on the 2014 level.

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- The Ford Group (Ford, Lincoln) is becoming the fourth non-Chinese manufacturer in China and the fifth manufacturer regardless of the country of origin (behind Changan). While it ranked in seventh position in 2014 behind VW, GM, Hyundai-Kia, Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Honda. In terms of sales, it has overtaken Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Honda in the first three months of 2015, its growth proving stronger than that of its competitors.

- With nearly 220 000 vehicles sold and an increase of 11.6% in the first quarter of 2015 (compared to the first quarter of 2014), Ford is increasing faster than VW (+ 1.8%), GM (+5, 2%), Hyundai-Kia (+ 0.1%), Renault-Nissan (-10.9%), Toyota (-10.4%) and Honda (+ 5.8%).

- Ford has become the fourth non-Chinese manufacturer in China and it has just opened its fourth assembly plant (in Hangzhou), which has a production capacity of 250 000 vehicles per year. In 2014, Ford produced nearly 810 000 passenger cars for a capacity of 950 000 per year. With the new plant in Hangzhou (dedicated to the Edge and Taurus, of American origin), Ford will produce 1.2 million vehicles per year, to which will be added 200 000 units a year from HafeiAutomotive's Harbin plant bought by the JV Changan-Ford (Changan being Ford's partner in China).

- With a volume of 1.4 million vehicles per year, Ford will now be located in terms of capacity behind Volkswagen (3.65 million units) General-Motors (3.5 million units), Hyundai-Kia (1.95 million units) and ahead of Renault -Nissan (1.3 million units), Toyota (1.25 million units) and Honda (1.25 million units).

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