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Ford CEO Claims Company Made $600M In China In 2024

While China seems to be a money pit for GM in recent years, its cross-town rival Ford is having very different fortunes in the region. Our sister site, Ford Authority, reports that Ford earned $600 million in China in 2024.

Ford Bronco SUVs parked on rocks.

“I’m happy to say that Ford makes money in China, and I’m very proud of that because not many [automakers] can say that,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told reporters at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show, according to CNBC, revealing that Ford China earned around $600 million in that market last year amid challenging conditions.

Ford calls its strategy in China an “asset-light footprint.” It’s been working to pare down its Chinese lineups compared to the more bloated product portfolios it had previously. While tailoring more carefully selected product offerings in the Chinese market, it’s ramped up Chinese production and exports, namely the recently redesigned Lincoln Nautilus crossover. The announcement that the Blue Oval made $600 million last year in a notoriously competitive market indicates that this strategy is working.

Lincoln Nautilus driving on a road.

Barring a few halo products like the Mustang, Bronco, and Ford F-150 Raptor, the Chinese Ford lineup looks quite different from its U.S. lineup. In China, Ford offers a different Explorer, a 3-row Edge L, the Equator and Everest SUVs, the Mondeo sedan, and a few other models. The Chinese Lincoln lineup, however, is very similar to the American one, except for the addition of the Zephyr sedan.

Meanwhile, GM’s Q3 2024 financial reporting showed bad news in China. GM stated that its $137 million loss in equity income in China for that quarter was driven by intense competition in challenging market conditions, partially mitigated by proactive measures to optimize inventory levels through production control.

Ford F-150 Raptor jumping.

However, GM remains committed to the Chinese market. “We’re committed to maintaining cash stability there at a point where it’s self-sustaining. That means not needing any capital from outside,” GM CFO Paul Jacobson said last August. “I don’t necessarily accept the notion that we’re struggling to make money there.”

A month later, GM CEO Mary Barra spoke of The General’s plan to turn a profit in China through more upmarket offerings rather than through sales volume. “I think GM can play especially with the strength of our Cadillac brand and our Buick brand,” said Barra. “I think in some cases we were later than we should have been to get the right portfolio of EVs there.”

George is an automotive journalist with soft spots for classic GM muscle cars, Corvettes, and Geo.

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Comments

  1. Yeah, cause GM has bought the chi-coms coolaid that if they build the industry there, they will make a profit, and there’s no way Chin@ will stab them in the back.

    Ford, be careful, as China’s trying to sweet talk you into the same gig. Don’t let them!

    Reply
  2. First of all, the pencil pushers won’t know about 2024 results for a few months so he’s blowing more hot air. If they made SOME money fine, but I don’t think China wants either of them there. Jim and Mary have MORE things to justify during their tenures, like the EV mistake, for example.

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    1. Bing, bing, bing. Beach, you nailed it all!

      Reply
  3. Ford has a long way to recover from their China market losses in 2017 / 2018. You can’t cost-cut your way to profitability….

    Reply
  4. If GM lost $137 mil on the Cadillac sedans, they would be gone tomorrow. Lose $137 in China, “we’re in for the long haul.” Or don’t they know, like the rest of the world does, that the Chicom economy is in the toilet? The way GM does buisness, makes zero sense. I have a theory that its that easy because, all of those execs have never worked anywhere else where making budgets, being responsible, being accountable to the point where, ” you F up and you’re gone” means anything… No one at the top of GM is ever in danger of getting canned, because it’s the GM boys ( and girls) club. For 2-3 years, they all need to go find a private company and not be the CEO, but work in the mail room and learn everything that no one at GM teaches them.. Accountability 101.

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  5. Ford did not make $600M “in” China. They made $600M from vehicles produced in China and exported elsewhere. For an apples-to-apples comparison, we need to know what Ford’s profit/loss for sales in China were. We don’t have that data. Either way, the Chinese government is done with the useful idiots from the West, now that their IP has been extracted. It is all downhill from here for the West in the Chinese market.

    Reply

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