BEIJING, Jan. 24 -- Former Ford dealer Shanxi New Baoding Group has filed a lawsuit against the general manager of Chang'an Ford Sales Co for allegedly harming its reputation.

    Shanxi New Baoding, once the biggest Ford dealership in Shanxi Province, is suing David G. Thomas in Beijing's Chaoyang District Court, which has accepted the case.

    Though no monetary damages are sought, the suit demands that Thomas stop damaging the company's reputation and make a public apology, said Huang Weiming, general manager of the sales group.

    The legal action was filed a month after the auto venture terminated its relationship with New Baoding over allegations of poor management.

    The suit centers on statements made by Thomas at several news conferences in which he said the dealer failed to meet required standards of service and ranked worst in sales among all of its distributors.

    "That's clearly contrary to the facts," Huang said, pointing to a quality care certification it said it received from Chang'an Ford's Asia-Pacific division in May last year.

    From 2003 to 2005, New Baoding ranked first in sales and service in Shanxi Province and its after-sale service held the leading position in north China for the first half of last year, before the partnership broke down, Huang said.

    The dispute may get even more heated. New Baoding said that it plans to disclose alleged quality defects in Chang'an Ford's models on March 15, which is China's consumer rights protection day.

    Yao Yu, a public relations official at Chang'an Ford, said yesterday that Thomas hadn't received formal notice of the suit.

    "We appreciate his contribution to the company, and we will support him in responding to the case," Yao told Shanghai Daily, adding that the company might pursue its own legal action if its product quality is attacked.

    Despite its spat with Ford, New Baoding is still in business with the Chinese venture of General Motors Corp and with Hyundai Motor Corp.

    (Source: Shanghaidaily.com)