US AUTO giant Ford has formed a joint venture with their longstanding Chinese partner Jiangling Motors, to reinforce Ford's sales efforts and reach in China, reports Reuters.

Jiangling Ford Automobile Technology (Shanghai) Co aims to sell Ford passenger vehicles - mainly SUVs and vans - built by JMC through a network of 181 showrooms in major Chinese cities.

The portfolio includes the recently launched Ford Equator Sport, a five-passenger mid-size SUV with such features as advanced driver assist, a Tencent infotainment system and mobile device interface and wireless over-the-air software updates.