Topic: Ford Future Plans and 2nd Quarter Info

[MKII]

Long version including 2nd financials
http://www.ford.com/doc/ir_20080724_2q08_earnings.pdf

The interesting stuff starts on slide 33.

Highlights that I saw include

* 2010MY Taurus (intro mid-2009) will have V6 EcoBoost

* 2010MY Lincoln CUV (MKT, intro mid-2009) will have V6 EcoBoost rebagded Flex

* NO I4 ECOBOOST ANYTHING UNTIL 2010CY (i.e. 2011MY
 
* Fiesta in 2010 (2011MY) ( 4 door and 5 door only)

* New Focus in 2010 (2011MY) (4 door and 5 door only)

* New Explorer in 2010 (2011MY)

* New small car in 2010 (2011MY; in addition to Fiesta and Focus) (My guess C-Max)

* New small Mercury in 2010 (2011MY) (My guess Capri  based on Focus platform)

* MTP shutdown in December of 2008; resume production 2010 (Production of the Expedition and Navigator at Michigan Truck Plant (MTP) has been suspended until late August 2008. The new plan states that MTP will begin retooling in December 2008 for the one world Focus. 

* 4 van platforms (E-Series, E-Series Super duty, Transit FWD and RWD) to merge to 1 (likely Transit RWD

* CD3, CD3-2 and EUCD to merge to 1 platform. (Fusion etc merge with Mondeo)

[tpl]

from slide 36
"• EcoBoost engine technology (gas turbocharged direct-injection
  technology) introduced on V6 applications next year and I4
  engines in 2010. Offered on 80% of the lineup by 2012
• Other fuel-saving technologies planned – PowerShift twin-clutch
  transmissions, start-stop engines, electric power-assisted
  steering, and direct injection and Twin Independent Variable Cam
  Timing engines
"


My GTI has all but two of these already ( but  it does have variable valve timing to a certain extent) and it has been on the market since 2006.   

[PJungnitsch]

Nice to see. Leaps and bounds ahead of the vague plans for the future GM is throwing around.

[MKII]

Just heard from contact in Ford Germany that North America will get the Focus CC (convertible) as MY2011.

Also worker inside MTP said the new Focus (platform) vehicles slated for this plant are the C-Max and Kuga.

[mrthompson]

C-Max and Kuga.....

[carcrazy]

It seems like the right plan for Ford: bring all or most Euro models over as Ford so this way they can implement the "One Ford" idea and make Mercury and Lincoln as the North America specific brands with cars for the American tastes. This way they can satisfy both Euro-inclined and conservative American buyers.

I noticed no word about Mondeo and S-Max making the trip, but I suspect the next Taurus would be related to it as some spy shots reveled.

[johngenx]

Ford is THE company to watch.  They are on the right track, and have hit full throttle.  Quality is up, the move to quickly (!) bring Euro econo cars here shows that they are FINALLY thinking "market" and not "same old , different grille and badge."

GM and Chrysler and stuck in the mud compared to Ford.  Their new CEO is really making a difference and I think he has a real vision for the company instead of just trying to lay off a few thousand workers to bump the stock price this quarter, make himself rich on his options, and then run off.

I think Ford is the only one of The Big Three to understand that they can't sit on truck and SUV sales alone, and without developed and profitable car lines, they are doomed by each energy crunch.  They seem to be thinking way more like Honda and Toyota than ever before.

I am seriously impressed.

[carcrazy]

Is the Focus we are going to get the new generation? The Euro Focus 5-year cycle should be up in 2011 since the 2008 model was just a mid-cycle redesign not a full model change.

[PJungnitsch]

They seem to be thinking way more like Honda and Toyota than ever before.

That's exactly what Mulally is doing. He openly admires how Toyota does business, and having no historical hangups about 'doing things the Ford way' he is copying from them what he thinks will benefit Ford.

Mulally is gambling that by globalizing the Ford brand, which covers everything from $15,000 subcompacts like the Fiesta to $60,000 diesel-powered pickup trucks, he can raise margins, which are now less than zero: The company is losing money on every car and truck it sells in North America. "We know [this strategy] works," he says, "because this is the way Toyota grew up."

http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/21/news/companies/saving_ford.fortune/index.htm

[MKII]

Is the Focus we are going to get the new generation? The Euro Focus 5-year cycle should be up in 2011 since the 2008 model was just a mid-cycle redesign not a full model change.

Yes, you will be getting the same Focus as the rest of the world, finally.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

C-Max and Kuga.....

Tellin' me.


Look out for Ford, they'll be hot and surprise a lot of people. Good for them!!!

Think a change of consumer perception generated by Ford will rub off on the other Domestics if they work a little harder too.

[carcrazy]

Is the Focus we are going to get the new generation? The Euro Focus 5-year cycle should be up in 2011 since the 2008 model was just a mid-cycle redesign not a full model change.

Yes, you will be getting the same Focus as the rest of the world, finally.

I only hope that Ford would not alter them in and out for one bit other than the way they package the features.

[rrocket]

Ford is THE company to watch.  They are on the right track, and have hit full throttle.  Quality is up, the move to quickly (!) bring Euro econo cars here shows that they are FINALLY thinking "market" and not "same old , different grille and badge."

GM and Chrysler and stuck in the mud compared to Ford.  Their new CEO is really making a difference and I think he has a real vision for the company instead of just trying to lay off a few thousand workers to bump the stock price this quarter, make himself rich on his options, and then run off.

I think Ford is the only one of The Big Three to understand that they can't sit on truck and SUV sales alone, and without developed and profitable car lines, they are doomed by each energy crunch.  They seem to be thinking way more like Honda and Toyota than ever before.

I am seriously impressed.

Yep.  I agree.  Mullaly, when he took over, was like "WTF....are you telling me why CAN'T get the Euro cars in North America?  WTF!!!" 

It looks like he's trying to correct that stupidity in a hurry.  The Euro Fords are very pleasing to the eye IMO...

[Snowman]

Ford is THE company to watch.  They are on the right track, and have hit full throttle.  Quality is up, the move to quickly (!) bring Euro econo cars here shows that they are FINALLY thinking "market" and not "same old , different grille and badge."

GM and Chrysler and stuck in the mud compared to Ford.  Their new CEO is really making a difference and I think he has a real vision for the company instead of just trying to lay off a few thousand workers to bump the stock price this quarter, make himself rich on his options, and then run off.

I think Ford is the only one of The Big Three to understand that they can't sit on truck and SUV sales alone, and without developed and profitable car lines, they are doomed by each energy crunch.  They seem to be thinking way more like Honda and Toyota than ever before.

I am seriously impressed.

I also agree, Ford is taking the right steps towards sustainability while the other two domestic manufactures are waiting far to long to change strategy.

[TopGun]

It's classic "crisis curve" management...when a company is doing well, they say "Ah man...we're good...ya we'll get to that small car stuff".

However, when faced with an absolute crisis...things seem to get done a lot more quickly!

All of the "2010" dates strike me as a shot in the dark.  They likely can't get it done "today"...so they stick a date on there that seems reasonable.

[tpl]

To be fair:    2010 MODEL YEAR is only 12 months away.     I bet that it takes all of that to do the following for a car:

User manuals that satisfy a US lawyer.  In English French and Spanish.
Removing Eurostuff that no one cares about here.  Rear foglights etc.
Ensuring that apparently simple stuff like  windshields, tail light and headlight lenses fit NA standards and use DOT approved parts.
 Same for seatbelts, child seat anchors and so on.
Ensuring that there are parts available in sufficient quantity   NA is the same size as Euland just about so  that implies double the number of dealers who'll will require at least some brake pads and oil filters and glass  on day one
Emission and crash certification.
Advertising stuff.
Training technicians.

And thats for a car that already has available automatic transmission and an engine in an engine family that has been certified for NA.


I can why something like a Mondeo or the current euroFocus which by all accounts was not designed at ALL with NA in mind would be a huge effort to get over here.

[mrthompson]

Perhaps these issues are already being taken care of, and Ford waited to make their plan public (wishful thinking)? 

[ovr50]

Ford is THE company to watch.  They are on the right track, and have hit full throttle.  Quality is up, the move to quickly (!) bring Euro econo cars here shows that they are FINALLY thinking "market" and not "same old , different grille and badge."

GM and Chrysler and stuck in the mud compared to Ford.  Their new CEO is really making a difference and I think he has a real vision for the company instead of just trying to lay off a few thousand workers to bump the stock price this quarter, make himself rich on his options, and then run off.

I think Ford is the only one of The Big Three to understand that they can't sit on truck and SUV sales alone, and without developed and profitable car lines, they are doomed by each energy crunch.  They seem to be thinking way more like Honda and Toyota than ever before.

I am seriously impressed.

I also agree, Ford is taking the right steps towards sustainability while the other two domestic manufactures are waiting far to long to change strategy.

+1 Agree with that.

[safristi]

Ford LOST wot $8.7 Billion in the latest quarter...........Focus Man ...Focus Mullaley onna a nice beach inna Bahamas..........

[conwelpic]

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/autos/0807/gallery.european_fords/index.html

check out these photos, that Kuga, kinda makes the Escape look pretty pathetic