Ford's aim: A successful global car

[Biker16]

Ford's aim: A successful global car

Failed past attempts at making a car for all countries include Mondeo, Escort

 

James B. Treece Automotive News Europe

September 1, 2008 06:01 CET

 

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan -- Ford Motor wants the next-generation Ford Focus to show that the automaker has finally figured out how to produce a global car.

 

The North American and European versions of the lower-medium car will share 90 percent of their parts, up from about 20 percent for the current models, Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas, said.

 

In addition, the North American car and other smaller derivatives built off a new global platform will deliver a double-digit percentage profit improvement compared with the company's current North American Focus, he said at the Center for Automotive Research's annual Management Briefing Seminars here.

 

Fields declined to specify the current car's profitability.

 

Ford will introduce the new Fiesta small car in North America in early 2010. The re-engineered Ford Focus will follow later in 2010.

 

The improved productivity will come from engineering and sourcing cars globally, Fields said.

 

By reducing build combinations, Ford gains engineering efficiencies, cuts prototype expenses and further drives quality improvements, he said.

 

Dealers will benefit from reduced inventory age, lowered floor plan costs, simplified vehicle orders and quicker days to turn.

 

"We've reduced the number of orderable combinations in North America -- including series, packages and options -- by 90 percent for the Ford brand alone in the 2008-2009 model years," Fields said. The Focus will offer "approximately 150 combinations by the 2010 model year," he said, "more than a 95 percent reduction" from the 2008 model.

 

Big difference

 

Ford's previous attempts at global cars largely foundered. The Escort in the 1980s, followed by the Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique and European-market Ford Mondeo cars ended up quite distinct from the European cars they were supposed to share parts with.

 

Today, though, North American and European consumer tastes and requirements "are converging and that's helping us tremendously," Fields said.

 

In addition, he said, "We now have a truly global product development organization. That really forces, in a positive way, the product development, manufacturing, marketing and sales, and financial community to work together in a global way."

Edited September 2, 2008 by Biker16

[RichardJensen]

The Escort in the 1980s, followed by the Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique and European-market Ford Mondeo cars ended up quite distinct from the European cars they were supposed to share parts with.

 

Geez. That guy is an IDIOT.

 

1) The Escorts ended up sharing nothing worth speaking of. One report I heard said that the only common component was a waterpump gasket but that's almost certainly an exaggeration.

 

2) The Contour & Mystique were practically carbon copies of the Mondeo.

[Hugh]

Geez. That guy is an IDIOT.

 

1) The Escorts ended up sharing nothing worth speaking of. One report I heard said that the only common component was a waterpump gasket but that's almost certainly an exaggeration.

 

2) The Contour & Mystique were practically carbon copies of the Mondeo.

Yeah, I gotta agree with you on that. I remember my first post here was about the Contour/Mystique.

 

Today, though, North American and European consumer tastes and requirements "are converging and that's helping us tremendously," Fields said.

 

I know that's gonna be a point of contention here. It's a matter of individual taste not geography.

[Biker16]

Geez. That guy is an IDIOT.

 

1) The Escorts ended up sharing nothing worth speaking of. One report I heard said that the only common component was a waterpump gasket but that's almost certainly an exaggeration.

 

2) The Contour & Mystique were practically carbon copies of the Mondeo.

 

there were alot of small differences between the Mondeo and Contour. they were not carbon copies. The US roofline was " sportier " than the EU mondeo.

[RichardJensen]

there were alot of small differences between the Mondeo and Contour.

Hence my use of the word 'practically'.

 

As to the degree to which US & EU tastes are converging, I'm not holding my breath. It's been my experience that little real convergence has taken place in the world. It's a fractious, disharmonious place, and balkanization is the norm, not the exception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mean, how many Kraftwerk songs went #1 in the US? Exactly.

[jpd80]

Idealogical and cultural differences.

 

Europeans see the Focus as a completely acceptable family sedan/hatchback

while Americans see the same car as a punishment for not earning enough to afford a real car.

[RichardJensen]

Idealogical and cultural differences.

 

Europeans see the Focus as a completely acceptable family sedan/hatchback

while Americans see the same car as a punishment for not earning enough to afford a real car.

convergence means that the Focus is no longer looked at as punishment in the US, but it's still no kind of family car.

[focus05]

Europeans see the Focus as a completely acceptable family sedan/hatchback

while Americans see the same car as a punishment for not earning enough to afford a real car.

 

See, but what high gas prices are doing in the U.S. is making so that the C-class is beomcing a perfectly acceptable family-sized vehicle. There is a new emergent demand for well-equipped and very dynamic small vehicles. The Civic and Mazda3 are in the lower-end of this space. The Evo and Impreza are sort of the sport fringe. The Volvo S40 is moderate. The 3-series, IS, A4/A3 are all on the next level, what people aspire to. It's no longer about how big your car is... it's about what toys you have and what mileage you get versus performance and your safety features.

 

So, Ford comes out with the 2011 Focus with 5-star crash ratings all around, leather, nav, a great sound system, optional DSG, 40 mpg on the highway with dynamics that are better than the current Mazda3 all for about $25k, and you have a winner. Not everyone will want that car, but a lot of people will. Two of the top six selling vehicles are small cars. The small car segment is now the largest.

 

Yes, our tastes are converging. We'll never consider the Focus a mid-size car like the EU, but we will demand that class of cars approaching similar levels of purchase with similar dynamics, overlapping feature sets and closer powertrain demands than we used to.

[jpd80]

Thanks guys, just drawing out a few comments.

If you look at the internal space dimensions of C1 Focus versus your current CD3 Fusion,

you'll see that if Ford does a 2" x 2" stretch on the C1 platform they have a new Fusion.

The only problem is getting people to believe a car nearly 10" shorter can give

the same internal space and canopy affect:

 

Dimensions: Fusion (C1 Focus 4 DR)

Length: 191 (176.7) (-14.3)

Width: (W/O mirriors) 72.2 (72.3) (0.1)

Height: 57 (56.8) (-0.2)

Wheelbase: 107.4 (103.9) (-3.5)

Track Front: 61.6 (60.4) (-1.2)

Track Rear: 61.3 (60.3) (-1.0)

Leg Room Front: 42.3 (41.6) (-0.7)

Leg Room Rear: 37 (35.7) (-1.3)

Shoulder Room Front: 57.4 (55.5) (-1.9)

Shoulder Room Rear: 56.5 (54.4) (-2.1)

Head Room Front: 38.7 (39.2) (0.5)

Head Room Rear: 37.8 N/A

Hip Room Front: 54.4 (52.4) (2.0 ) - I measured at dealership

Hip Room Rear: 53.3 (51.3) (2.0) - I measured at dealership

Edited September 2, 2008 by jpd80

[armadamaster]

Idealogical and cultural differences.

 

Europeans see the Focus as a completely acceptable family sedan/hatchback

while Americans see the same car as a punishment for not earning enough to afford a real car.

 

LMAO, hit that right on the head.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

there were alot of small differences between the Mondeo and Contour. they were not carbon copies. The US roofline was " sportier " than the EU mondeo.

 

Just gotta say l hope this thread does not decend into another negative Mondeo bashing thread you can count me out.

 

Alan Mulallys new baby the 737 type global car of Fords range the Fiesta will be a big hit where ever it is sold soon worldwide, those sales numbers that get released at the start of the month will make you :D instead of in the future.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Ford Jellymoulds

[Edstock]

Americans see the same car as a punishment for not earning enough to afford a real car.

A valid point, but in built-up urban areas over the last 25 years, there is a slow change. IMHO, this is caused by smaller parking spaces everywhere, but especially underground parking. IMHO, the garages in a lot of lower-price housing have also shrunk.

 

So for a growing number, the Lexus EScamry is too big for the condo parking. So a smaller alternative would not necessarily be seen as a punishment, but as an acceptable choice.

[timmm55]

A valid point, but in built-up urban areas over the last 25 years, there is a slow change. IMHO, this is caused by smaller parking spaces everywhere, but especially underground parking. IMHO, the garages in a lot of lower-price housing have also shrunk.

 

So for a growing number, the Lexus EScamry is too big for the condo parking. So a smaller alternative would not necessarily be seen as a punishment, but as an acceptable choice.

 

Agreed!

 

Parking spaces in urban areas have shrunk drastically since the 80s. I'm very selective were I'll park my Mustang....annoys my friends/passengers to no end LOL.

People are gun shy, they will not be flocking back to SUVs even if gas prices fall back to $3.00.

30 is the "new "20, and 40s are the "new" 30s (MPGs and age :shades: not sure what the "new" 50s (as I am) are???? )

[EMDEE]

American's distaste for small B and C class cars has little to do with their size. No matter what size the car, there is usually only one person in a car, the driver. What has kept people from buying small cars in large numbers is mostly their cheap presentation and generally lower quality. Nobody likes a car with a cheap looking dash, painted door panels, flimsy seats and thrashy, under powered engines. Both American and Japanese manufacturers have been guilty of equating "small" with "cheap." Even Honda hasn't always made the Civic a pleasant place to be. But look what happens when the companies start making small cars that feel solid, ride and drive well and put quality materials in the dash and interior. Examples: the smallest recent Audis, the Lexus-like touches on the Corolla, and in Europe the small Fords. People buy them and are proud to be seen in them. It's really not that difficult to do. Every manufacturer today seems to know how to make solid car chassis and decent quality interiors and they're all racing to produce a new generation of cars with these properties. Still, we've already heard that Ford USA will not invest as much quality material in the dash and interior of the NA Fiesta compared to the EU version. Bad move. US companies will have just one chance convince buyers that they know how to build high quality small cars. Blow it and they'll lose the market to the Japanese and Europeans.

 

I guess the only real trick isn't so much knowing how to make really attractive, high quality small cars, but knowing how do so and still make a profit. The current weakness of the dollar against the Euro will give the home team an advantage, at least for a while. Let's hope they make the best of it.

[Noah Harbinger]

Bad move. US companies will have just one chance convince buyers that they know how to build high quality small cars. Blow it and they'll lose the market to the Japanese and Europeans.

 

I'll worry about that when Toyota can produce a B-car that doesn't look and feel cheap...

[Biker16]

Americans have an obsession with size. bigger is better, seems to rule the average consumers mind.

 

 

gas prices, have hit this obsession where it hurts.

[Edstock]

I'll worry about that when Toyota can produce a B-car that doesn't look and feel cheap...

IIRC, Toyota is working on that, and will be showing a luxo A/B size concept in EU.

[Deanh]

Americans have an obsession with size. bigger is better, seems to rule the average consumers mind.

 

 

gas prices, have hit this obsession where it hurts.

so...to counter we have 4 cyl engines with Eco inmstead of 6 cyls ( TBA )....pretty smart huh?

[Project-Fairmont]

Geez. That guy is an IDIOT.

 

1) The Escorts ended up sharing nothing worth speaking of. One report I heard said that the only common component was a waterpump gasket but that's almost certainly an exaggeration.

 

2) The Contour & Mystique were practically carbon copies of the Mondeo.

 

Regarding the Escort, US and Euro; shared chassis, suspension and CVH engine design. Although they did not share any specific parts.

[Biker16]

so...to counter we have 4 cyl engines with Eco inmstead of 6 cyls ( TBA )....pretty smart huh?

 

people are not buying large cars. The move to CUVs was only going to work when gas was less than $3.00 a gallon.

[NickF1011]

people are not buying large cars. The move to CUVs was only going to work when gas was less than $3.00 a gallon.

 

Let's point...yet again.....CUV market share has increased this year.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

UK new car sales in August have fallen to their lowest level since 1966, figures revealed yesterday the worst set of numbers in 42 years.

 

SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: 'August is one of the quietest months for the new car market, but this year it was the lowest since 1966. Daily Mail reports.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10...t-42-years.html

 

UK August car sales

Ford Focus 2,993 (1 in every 3 Focus's sold in Europe gets sold in Britain)

Ford Mondeo 1,392 (1 in every 3 Mondeo's sold in the World gets sold in Britain)

 

Gotta say l don't think the Mondeo will become a global car for Ford, the UK is the biggest market in the world for the Mondeo, UK buyers buy 1 in every 3 Mondeo's sold in the world.

 

1,392 Mondeo UK sales made in its biggest market in the world in August is not a World global car class.

[chiefstang]

people are not buying large cars. The move to CUVs was only going to work when gas was less than $3.00 a gallon.

Oil's down to $107 a barrel. It's comin'!

Edited September 5, 2008 by chiefstang