Chongqing Chang'an Automobile Co, the Chinese listed partner of troubled US car giant Ford, sold 739,307 cars in 2008, down 4 percent from the previous year's figure of 770,546 units, the company said yesterday.

It sold 43,684 units in December 2008 alone, the listed arm of China's fourth-largest automaker Chang'an Automotive Group said in a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Chang'an produced 736,353 units in 2008, down from the 760,065 cars it produced in 2007.

Chang'an Ford Mazda Automobile Co Ltd, its joint venture with Ford Motor Co, sold 17,148 vehicles in December, with production of 9,528 units. It sold 204,674 units and produced 200,758 units in 2008.

(China Daily January 7, 2009)