东风小康DFSK

Who owns DFSK? The ownership chain, Seres Group's stake and the 2020 deal

Facts checked Chinese holding 100%

DFSK is Chinese. Dongfeng Sokon is the joint venture between Dongfeng and Seres' parent that makes small vans, pickups and the Fengon SUVs; both partners are Chinese. Its vehicles are exported widely to Latin America, the Middle East and South-East Asia under the DFSK name.

Sokon, now Seres Group, completed the buyout of the Dongfeng Sokon joint venture in April 2020. The manufacturing company was renamed Seres Auto (Hubei) in October 2023; the DFSK and Fengon badges continue on the vehicles.

The short answer

Controlled by Seres Group
Stake100%
SinceApril 2020
Kindbrand
OriginCN
Name in Chinese 东风小康 Dōngfēng Xiǎokāng “dong-fung shyao-kahng”
Top of the chainZhang Xinghai
Is it Chinese? Yes

The chain, step by step

  1. Zhang Xinghai controls Chongqing Sokon Holding (Group) Co., Ltd..

    Founder and chairman Zhang Xinghai and his family control Seres through Chongqing Sokon Holding. The precise family shareholding was not verified.

  2. Chongqing Sokon Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. controls Seres Group.

    Chongqing Sokon Holding, the Zhang family's vehicle, is the controlling shareholder of Seres Group. Wikipedia lists the stake at 26.53% without a date; it was not checked against a filing, so no figure is recorded here.

  3. Seres Group owns DFSK at 100% since April 2020.

    Sokon, now Seres Group, completed the buyout of the Dongfeng Sokon joint venture in April 2020. The manufacturing company was renamed Seres Auto (Hubei) in October 2023; the DFSK and Fengon badges continue on the vehicles.

Former owners

Holdings that have ended. They are here because the story needs them and are never part of the current tree.

  1. Dongfeng Motor Group formerly held DFSK at 50% from 27 June 2003 until April 2020.

    Dongfeng held half of Dongfeng Sokon Automobile from its founding on 27 June 2003. An attempted transfer in 2018-2019 failed; Sokon acquired the remaining 50% in September 2019 and held 100% by April 2020.

Every holding above this entity, with the stake and the date it began.
Holder Holds Kind Stake Since
Zhang Xinghai Chongqing Sokon Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. controls controls not published
Chongqing Sokon Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. Seres Group controls controls not published
Seres Group DFSK owns 100% April 2020

DFSK: questions people ask

What does DFSK stand for?
Dongfeng Sokon — the two partners in the 2003 joint venture. 东风 Dōngfēng means 'east wind' and 小康 Xiǎokāng means 'moderately well-off'.
Does Dongfeng still own DFSK?
No. Sokon, now Seres Group, bought Dongfeng's half in 2019 and has owned the business outright since April 2020. The manufacturing company was renamed Seres Auto (Hubei) in October 2023.
Is Fengon the same as DFSK?
Yes, in effect. Fengon (风光 Fēngguāng, 'scenery' or 'glory') is the passenger-vehicle line of the same company, sold in some markets as DFSK Glory.
Where are DFSK vehicles sold?
Widely across Latin America, Southeast Asia and parts of Eastern Europe, usually through importers. Local assembly has run in Indonesia since 2015 and Pakistan since 2017.

Related

Sources for DFSK

  1. Wikipedia, Seres Auto (Hubei). Read . Founding date, ownership timeline, brands, plants, models and the 2023 renaming
  2. CarNewsChina, The Big Read – Dongfeng (6/6) – Sokon, a family business. Read . History of the Dongfeng-Sokon relationship and the DFSK export name
  3. Wikipedia, List of automobile manufacturers of China. Read . Seres Group and Dongfeng listed among Chinese manufacturers.
  4. Wikipedia, Seres Group. Read .