TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. said it is expecting double-digit percentage profit improvement based on the fuel efficiency, smart technologies and shared global nature of its upcoming new Focus small car in North America and new global offshoots.
Ford announced that it is forming a new customer connectivity team to accelerate its leadership in vehicle smart technology solutions that are increasingly important to small car customers, including Ford SYNC, SIRIUS Travel Link and Ford Work Solutions and HD radio.
Mark Fields, executive vice president and president, The Americas, announced the details about the company’s plan to introduce several new fuel-efficient small cars during a speech at the Center for Automotive Research’s annual Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Mich.
"We at Ford see this year’s consumer shift to smaller vehicles as an opportunity and one that Ford is uniquely positioned to answer using the strength of our European small car lineup and our fast-moving global product plan," said Fields. "We plan to answer the call with dynamic, fun-to-drive small cars — and we intend to make them profitably."
Ford is significantly accelerating small car development by leveraging global platforms that it says will deliver major savings through increased economies of scale.
Ford announced last month that it plans to bring six small vehicles from the company’s acclaimed European lineup to North America by 2012 as part of a strategy to leverage its leadership in B- and C-car sized vehicles in Europe in North America and around the world. As part of this product plan, Ford will introduce the new Fiesta small car in North America in early 2010 and the new Ford Focus small car later in 2010.
Ford also is speeding the introduction of its fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine technology and four-cylinder engines, boosting hybrid production and converting three existing truck and SUV plants for small car production, with the first conversion beginning this December.
Ford already has shifted the balance of its North American product portfolio from a 70 percent emphasis on trucks and large SUVs in 2004, to nearly 60 percent cars and crossovers today. By the end of 2010, two-thirds of the company’s spending will be on cars and CUVs. Much of that investment is aimed squarely at small cars – particularly the C-segment in which Focus competes today.
New Ford Team to Accelerate In-Vehicle Connectivity
Ford also announced it is dedicating a new team to further enhance the driving experience for customers and accelerate the company’s connectivity leadership.
This new 40-person customer connectivity group will leverage Ford’s industry-leading portfolio of on-board technologies — including SYNC, SIRIUS Satellite radio, SIRIUS Travel Link, Ford Works Solutions and HD radio — to deliver information and services from the Internet in a way that maximizes convenience and limits distractions.
Ford said the team will build on partnerships the company has established with world-class technology service providers to ensure customers have “seamless access to best-in-world data and information services — affordably.”
Ford has appointed Doug VanDagens, 50, to lead the team. He joined Ford in 1986 and most recently has been leading Ford’s electronic product development and business operations, which already has been working to bring industry-leading features such as SYNC and Travel Link to market.
For more information, visit: www.ford.com.
