Lincoln China’s finance and billing system will be merged into Ford China from next year, simplifying and integrating the complex internal financial system to achieve more efficient internal operations, according to Jiemian.com.

The company’s statement was in response to a recent rumor saying Lincoln China would no longer serve as Ford’s domestic sales and service company, and Lincoln’s domestic sales, marketing, and customer service functions would be integrated into Ford China.

Officials from Lincoln China told cls.cn: “Lincoln China’s businesses will remain unchanged, and it will continue to operate independently in the Chinese market as a wholly-owned foreign enterprise of Ford.”

After selling 91,000 vehicles in China in 2021 and surpassing the US for the first time to become the world’s largest single market, Lincoln’s performance in the Chinese market began to turn sharply downward.

In 2023, Lincoln China’s annual sales fell to just over 70,000 units.

This November, Lincoln’s domestic sales were 4,251 units, down 37.2 percent year on year, and cumulative sales from January to November were 48,300 units, down 17.7 percent year on year.

“Lincoln China will adjust its sales target downward in 2025 based on market changes,” an insider told cls.cn. “Internal reforms after this financial merger are also right around the corner.”