Ford Motor Company has fallen on hard times. The fresh new designs aren’t selling - the dependable old SUV’s and F150’s are sitting on the lots, endangered species threatened by looming $4 per gallon gasoline prices - and the competition is offering better looking, better running, more dependable vehicles at lower prices. Insular, “hide your head in the sand and maybe they’ll go away” management has failed to fill the pipeline with the cars and trucks needed to match the new market realities. The massive problems with quality that plagued them in the 70’s and 80’s are thankfully gone, but that just means that buyers are now shopping for style, performance and utility rather than simply how many tiny flaws can be spotted on a new car by J.D. Powers and Associates geeks.
Speaking of the paramount importance of styling, Ford VP Mays, self-anointed “chief creative officer“, has fled the s-storm in Detroit and set up shop in his preferred digs in London, his fresh, newly recognized “center of the creative universe”. While the white collar faithful back in the USA have their morale hammered by yet another decimation of their ranks (Ford has just announced plans to axe 20,000 workers, mostly white collared), he and his cronies lounge in the salons of Soho dreaming up ugly new Ford 500’s, Freestyles and diesel-powered Escapes so as to plague their long-suffering dealers. Bill Ford, a Mays admirer, doubtless has given them their marching orders: Design gorgeous bodies for the hybrid vehicles to make them more saleable (which would mean they were selling at all, of course) - design the successor to the Think electric cars (have they shipped all those ill-fated partial-birth abortions back to Euroland yet?) - oh, and be sure to pen some quickie layouts for the glue-on decals for the exciting new SVT Ford 500, SVT Escape (er, Adrenaline), and the SVT Freestyle (no, that‘s been canceled, but a new image for the Edsel-clone and utterly failed vehicle when its reintroduced in 2008 or whenever will doubtless be a high priority).
If Ford wants to save Ford (and how many entendre’s can one find in that simple phrase ?), he might give some thought to the following:
1. Quit blaming the lack of sales and profits on health costs, the unions and retirees. His competition has all the same problems, so a level playing field has already been achieved. Sure, some of the guys build components in countries where the labor is cheap and the UAW doesn’t exist - so does Ford. Just because folks have believed the old bromide that “they can’t make any profits because of the evil unions” in the past doesn’t mean that the same lame excuse will play today. He might even discover that the unions would talk sanely if management ceases to blame them for all the ills of the world… I'll buy this argument the day we see the union designing and engineering cars nobody wants to buy - a function wholy owned by Ford management, not union members.
2. Fix some recent mistakes. Axing middle management engineers creating things like the GT just before you bring it to market was unwise (yes, I’m talking about Colleti here). What should have been a shining corporate icon in a dark product universe has been dulled by bonehead problems with castings that break and $275,000, 200mph sports cars gathering dust in dealer’s maintenance bays waiting on parts. (Of course, why the $140,000 GT’s are being gouged at twice the price by desperate dealers is just another indication of systemic failure). If you can rehire some of the talent you ran off, it might save your ass.
Depriving the Ford SVT fans of their cherished Lightnings, SVT Foci and Cobras just so you could win some low level corporate coup was misplaced schoolyard ego at best.
3. Regain control over the design process. The picture of an American corporate icon like Ford lacking a design center and being totally dependent on the whims of a flake squatting in a flat in London is not a pretty one. Disconnecting from the American buying public and plugging into the non-car-driving, artsy set in urban England is no way to fix the problem. Many of the new designs don’t appeal and don’t sell. You’ve got a serious mismatch between your designers and your market. You need the American shopper - and they don’t live in Soho. This is a key problem. Fix it or die.
4. Finances. If you want to stop whimpering about money, and really want to make a change that can help everybody, pick up Neal Boortz’s new book about a national retail sales tax to replace the income tax. Want to streamline white collar labor costs and free up capital to invest in your company? Imagine the savings when you don’t need tax lawyers, accountants and the IT and clerical support staff that goes with them! Between the direct costs of complying with federal corporate income tax rules, and accounting for all your employee’s income tax withholding needs, the savings would be huge. Add the sudden lack of that overhead to price competition with foreign auto manufacturers, and suddenly it will be THEM squealing about unfair price advantage!
5. Dust off all those market segment studies and plan cars that match the segments. Wake up - forget the fantasy that you create markets, and realize that you need to respond to the real markets with real solutions.
5.1. Toyota’s Scion line is an excellent example. Do that, and do 2 versions - one for Mercury, too.
5.2. Give poor old Mercury some help - you simply can’t afford (unlike GM, who seems to think nothing of killing off entire car marques) to let Mercury die. Bring back the Cougar - use the power of the new Mustang (your sole success story this year, lack of Mustang GT supply and the disollution of SVT notwithstanding) to build up Mercury dealers. Get a young, meat-eating American designer to pen the simple changes (keep her close to the Mustang, keep the design changes simple but potent). Maybe make the lines just a touch more European… Make the BMW boys sweat.
5.3. Add back the Mustang niche models you axed - the new Shelby is great, but add a Mach 1 (the new body lines were meant for this) and an IRS option for the Shelby, if not a complete new Cobra (use the 4.6 with a blower and IRS - finely tuned suspension - leave the Shelby for the cruizers and drag racers, make the Cobra the road racer).
5.4. Revive the Lightning. Put the same 5.4 in as the new Shelby.
5.5. Bring out the Adrenaline, too, but don’t plan on selling as many of these as you do of the Lightning. Its still a butt-ugly overall design.
5.6. Revive the SVT Focus. Get some AWD action in this lineup to compete with the Subarus. Add a turbo.
5.7. Kill the Freestyle ASAP. Money pit, and that’s it. No need to resurrect the corpse - let it die.
5.8. Put some effort into a new Ranger pickup - grab your scattered design staff and get them moving right away on this. Use some imagination.
5.9. Revamp the brand new, but not working, design for the Ford 500. Rethink the CVT - it can work, but not the way it does now. DO NOT wait the “normal” grace period for new designs to take hold. That’s 90’s think - and defunct. Otherwise, by the time the next 5 year plan cycle rolls around, Toyota will own GM and Nissan will own you.
5.10. Lincoln needs to be competing with Cadillac, Lexus, and Infiniti - not Saab and, er, Ford. Rethink dropping the Aviator SUV - gas prices may change that market a lot. Instead of building a troublesome all-new Jag SUV, shift the Aviator over for them. Moving a small Jag car design in for the LS was a good idea at the time, but it has rotted on the vine. More promising would be a BIG Jag design as a new Continental - leave the large-format Town Car as is - totally refresh the small Jag Lincoln - and add a new sports car Mark IX based on the Jag XK. Once set up, the same production line (moved to Atlanta?) might even be expanded to include some Jags, with little effort… Add a supertruck to the new LT - drop that blown 5.4 motor in there - don't be shy. Think of the profit margins...
5.11. Mercury would benefit from the ideas I’ve espoused above, with the following new moves: Dump the euro-cougar and add the new Mustang-clone cougar… Advertise the Marauder more, make some strong gears optional, and put some giant tires on her… Give Mercury a pickup truck, with front end styling similar to the Mountaineer - don’t worry that it will compete with the Lincoln LT, the price differential should be substantial, particularly with the blown 5.4 in the LT…
5.12. Jaguar needs the Mays touch. How about this idea: Keep him in London, let him fix the Jag designs, and hire a North Americano who lives in Detroit to design cars for us? Jaguar’s dealer network sucks - work on bringing them up to BMW specs, and steal all the best engineering from Jag for Lincoln’s dealers to capitalize on. Redesign the new XK (looks like an Aston Martin) to be the true child of the XKE that it deserves to be. If closing the one plant in England doesn’t stem the red ink, maybe making some Jags in the USA will…
5.13. Volvo needs to start assembling cars in the US, too. Transform one of the troubled Ford plants (maybe the big Canadian item currently on the kill list) to making Volvos. Stay focused on the station wagon market for Volvo - its coming back…
5.14. Aston Martin - just keep making them.
5.15. Used Fords. Start a highly publicized effort to offer warranties to old Fords. Sure, you already do this in a half-hearted fashion - not good enough. Use this as a tool to insert the “We really care about our customers, now and always” line into the national psyche. Add on a new program to plug parts for Fords of all ages, yes, including ancient items from the 30’s, into the parts pipline going to the Dealers. Make it clear that you want people to continue driving their Fords for a hundred years, and you’re committed to help that happen. This is great PR, reminds everyone of the good times in the past, and helps funnel money to you and your strapped dealers - helping them compete with the aftermarket, which is growing in power every day. Everyone wins.
Not just about the SVT, but its in there. Actually, without a Ford Motor Company, no more Mustangs, period.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Last edited by ScottHalliday; 04-06-2008 at 05:13 PM.
I think tripleback should be hired by ford. also think that the ranger should get the v8 that is in the explorer. to compete with the dakota. design is a big thing. is the 500 even selling. chysler is bringing back the real american car...you know RWD. awd would be nice too. I had the idea of the cougar when they came out with the 05 mustang. that wouldbe great. base cougars with the 4.6 and xr7 and super charge it with the eliminater name. mercury does need help and their own idenity. I am a ford man but I do believe they are falling way behind. giving us cars we dont want. under powering others. plus they have great stuff down under that they could bring up here. please help us ford. love the idea about bringing back parts for older cars. I have a 85 exp. and a 84 mustang gt. parts are few and far between.
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crusin cool....now that I have a mustang, crusin fast too.
i gotta agree, these are good ideas. let mercury be the platform for new ideas like it was in the past and let them have there own identity. a retro design cougar on the mustang platform would be excelent. just dont start slapping classic badges on underpowered crap(hello..im talking to you dodge and chevy.)
start leading the way instead of following. the only thing you are doing right is keeping prices competative with the competition( f 150)
americans know what they want, the new mustang popularity should prove that, lets see if detroit will listen.
05 mustang GT,stock
Every country that has tried it lost their middle class (The folks who buy cars in the numbers Ford needs to keep afloat).
It hits people the more they spend, meaning the greater percentage of your income you spend the more percentage of income you pay in taxes.
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Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
KS, please do a little homework - the "flat tax" proposal (floated by Forbes, mainly) is still an income tax - just with only a few (ie a flat curve) % categories, as few as "one" with some groups. I don't support this plan, nor will it free up any resources tied up with the current system. I recommend you find a copy of Boortz's book (its #1 on the Best Seller list right now, so its easy to find - most local libraries will have copies), which is promoting a National Retail Sales Tax (something like the VAT systems used throughout Europe - but modified). Its not simple, but it is worth the investment of a little time to see what it offers. You should also check out the groups web site (it includes "fairtax" in the acronym). KS, I like your style - not trying to shut you down at all. I also know from your posts you're sharp enough to grasp the system, once you check it out. You may still disagree with the concept, but do yourself a favor and do just a little research - in particular as regards the handling of payments from the system to the low or no income segments of society.
Like any likely replacement for our current labyrinthine system of taxation, the NRST (alias "Fair Tax") is neither easily grasped nor a panacea for all of society's ills - but it has some powerful advantages.
We could probably find a home discussing this on one of the alt.politics usenets, but I inserted mention just as a counterwieght to Ford's hackneyed excuses about financial burdens from union contracts and retiree commitments, neither of which they have the ability to either eliminate or renegotiate to any important extent.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
KS, please do a little homework - the "flat tax" proposal (floated by Forbes, mainly) is still an income tax - just with only a few (ie a flat curve) % categories, as few as "one" with some groups. I don't support this plan, nor will it free up any resources tied up with the current system. I recommend you find a copy of Boortz's book (its #1 on the Best Seller list right now, so its easy to find - most local libraries will have copies), which is promoting a National Retail Sales Tax (something like the VAT systems used throughout Europe - but modified). Its not simple, but it is worth the investment of a little time to see what it offers. You should also check out the groups web site (it includes "fairtax" in the acronym). KS, I like your style - not trying to shut you down at all. I also know from your posts you're sharp enough to grasp the system, once you check it out. You may still disagree with the concept, but do yourself a favor and do just a little research - in particular as regards the handling of payments from the system to the low or no income segments of society.
Like any likely replacement for our current labyrinthine system of taxation, the NRST (alias "Fair Tax") is neither easily grasped nor a panacea for all of society's ills - but it has some powerful advantages.
We could probably find a home discussing this on one of the alt.politics usenets, but I inserted mention just as a counterwieght to Ford's hackneyed excuses about financial burdens from union contracts and retiree commitments, neither of which they have the ability to either eliminate or renegotiate to any important extent.
Ah, I haven't seen that one. I've just seen the type proffered by Forbes, and that other guy who was running for VP in 1996.
So I reserve judgement until I see the one you're speaking of . . .
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Ah, I haven't seen that one. I've just seen the type proffered by Forbes, and that other guy who was running for VP in 1996.
So I reserve judgement until I see the one you're speaking of . . .
Fair enough. It really is a powerful alternative - and worthy of a little reading. Boortz is a rather strident Libertarian, and these points of view color the work - but also keep it from being an instrument for partisan Republican/Democratic Party talking points. Perhaps as an outsider's vision of federalized taxation, it can do some good.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Fair enough. It really is a powerful alternative - and worthy of a little reading. Boortz is a rather strident Libertarian, and these points of view color the work - but also keep it from being an instrument for partisan Republican/Democratic Party talking points. Perhaps as an outsider's vision of federalized taxation, it can do some good.
I used to be a strident Libertarian (Oh, the lofty idealism of youth!), until I saw the Libertarian ideals in practice.
People, on the whole, aren't moral enough, or sympathetic enough for the utopia that is Libertarian. They're by and large, pathetic.
Libertarianism always devolves into either oligarchy, tribalism (dispersed oligarchism), or lawlessness, or some combination of the three.
That's the thing about utopian ideals, the reality always seems to lead to madness.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Fair enough. It really is a powerful alternative - and worthy of a little reading. Boortz is a rather strident Libertarian, and these points of view color the work - but also keep it from being an instrument for partisan Republican/Democratic Party talking points. Perhaps as an outsider's vision of federalized taxation, it can do some good.
But I'll look it up after I finish Harry Potter, and Confessions of an Economic Hitman . .. The latter really interests me, as I was approached by the CIA my 3rd year into college . . . That was an offer that was tough to refuse!!
I'll have to tell you about that sometime . . .
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Political philosophy in anything approaching pure (ie, enclosed logically within its own limited parameters) form is usually a precursor to other things. Start to curtail civil liberties in the name of national security, nationalize poorly run corporations to preserve jobs, provide support benefits for displaced workers... and before you know it, a guy with a funny moustache gets 31% of the vote and takes over the place. Good intentions (or devious actions disguised as good intentions) are often the grease that sends the sled of state careening down the slippery slope.
Cynically (or realitistically, depending on one's point of view), some system among all the competing systems must be installed, else anarchy (itself a system of sorts, and often the end of the Libertarian philosophical logic train) results. In the rather non-judgemental infancy of the Libertarian Party, two of the competing influences were the Objectivist philosophy espoused by followers of Ayn Rand, and the even more fiercely individualistic Libertarian anarchists. One of the more unabashed anarchists actually estimated the maximum world population for their utopian vision - about 100,000 people, as I recall.
A little hard on the other 99.99% of the human race, of course...
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
I used to be a strident Libertarian (Oh, the lofty idealism of youth!), until I saw the Libertarian ideals in practice.
People, on the whole, aren't moral enough, or sympathetic enough for the utopia that is Libertarian. They're by and large, pathetic.
Libertarianism always devolves into either oligarchy, tribalism (dispersed oligarchism), or lawlessness, or some combination of the three.
That's the thing about utopian ideals, the reality always seems to lead to madness.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Ranger should be leaner, meaner Dakota - I like that!
"Eliminator" with supercharger (Whipple) - XR7 the luxury cruiser with the Mach 1 type DOHC - standard cougar available with 4.6 and V6. How could they go wrong?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dawaki
I think tripleback should be hired by ford. also think that the ranger should get the v8 that is in the explorer. to compete with the dakota. design is a big thing. is the 500 even selling. chysler is bringing back the real american car...you know RWD. awd would be nice too. I had the idea of the cougar when they came out with the 05 mustang. that wouldbe great. base cougars with the 4.6 and xr7 and super charge it with the eliminater name. mercury does need help and their own idenity. I am a ford man but I do believe they are falling way behind. giving us cars we dont want. under powering others. plus they have great stuff down under that they could bring up here. please help us ford. love the idea about bringing back parts for older cars. I have a 85 exp. and a 84 mustang gt. parts are few and far between.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Mercury used to be the up-market, up-scale stop between Ford and Lincoln. Why they changed this formula, who knows?
Turn Lincoln into Lexus and you'll have plenty of marketing room for Mercury.
Leave Lincoln twisting, dredging sales from octogenarians and cannibalizing sales from F150's and Expeditions with Lincoln products too closely priced and optioned... And you have Ford's current game plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 05GTCB
i gotta agree, these are good ideas. let mercury be the platform for new ideas like it was in the past and let them have there own identity. a retro design cougar on the mustang platform would be excelent. just dont start slapping classic badges on underpowered crap(hello..im talking to you dodge and chevy.)
start leading the way instead of following. the only thing you are doing right is keeping prices competative with the competition( f 150)
americans know what they want, the new mustang popularity should prove that, lets see if detroit will listen.
05 mustang GT,stock
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Political philosophy in anything approaching pure (ie, enclosed logically within its own limited parameters) form is usually a precursor to other things. Start to curtail civil liberties in the name of national security, nationalize poorly run corporations to preserve jobs, provide support benefits for displaced workers... and before you know it, a guy with a funny moustache gets 31% of the vote and takes over the place. Good intentions (or devious actions disguised as good intentions) are often the grease that sends the sled of state careening down the slippery slope.
Cynically (or realitistically, depending on one's point of view), some system among all the competing systems must be installed, else anarchy (itself a system of sorts, and often the end of the Libertarian philosophical logic train) results. In the rather non-judgemental infancy of the Libertarian Party, two of the competing influences were the Objectivist philosophy espoused by followers of Ayn Rand, and the even more fiercely individualistic Libertarian anarchists. One of the more unabashed anarchists actually estimated the maximum world population for their utopian vision - about 100,000 people, as I recall.
A little hard on the other 99.99% of the human race, of course...
The whole premise of Rand, as I recall (It's probably been 20 years since I read her work), is the notion of "enlightened self-interest."
It's one of the reasons I keep directing folks to the GAO reports, as this is the same information Senators and Representatives have when determining funding, policy, and law.
The problem is that most folks are more loyal to party than to the country, and that they are not enlightened, they are only self-interested.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Ford Needs Saving 
