Ford: Refresh 90% of Vehicles by 2012!

[rickaren]

Ford To Refresh 70%-90% Of Worldwide Vehicle Portfolio By 2012

August 06, 2009: 10:10 AM ET

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Ford Motor Co. said it will refresh as much as 90% of its vehicle lineup by 2012 as it uses more common parts and platforms across its product portfolio.

The auto maker is also on track to cut as much as $15 billion from its structural costs compared with 2005, the company said in a statement at the Management Briefing Seminar here Thursday.

The cost-cutting and vehicle plans underscore the progress Ford is making outside of the bankruptcy process to restructure itself. Ford has also sidestepped the need to access any U.S. government bailout funding unlike competitors, Chrysler Group LLC and General Motors Co.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based auto maker said the product refreshment will take place in the company's North America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Ford is attempting to reduce the number of platforms and different parts used to build vehicles in order to speed production.

For example, the auto maker is introducing the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Transit Connect around the world based on one platform with only minor tweaks to meet safety and emission requirements in different regions. The Fusion and Mondeo midsize cars will also move to a global platform along with commercial vans.

Ford expects to build 680,000 vehicles per global platform within the next five years, up from about 345,000 currently. The auto maker is also planning to cut more of its nameplates.

"In the worst of economic times we are taking the actions necessary not only to strengthen Ford's business but also to deliver world-class levels of product freshness globally," said Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth.

LINK:Ford To Refresh 70%-90% Of Worldwide Vehicle Portfolio By 2012

[rickaren]

Ford to refresh most of lineup over next three years

Posted Thursday, Aug 6, 2009, 3:38 pm in Employee News

Ford Motor Co.’s chief financial officer Lewis Booth said the company plans to refresh 70 to 90 percent of its vehicle lineups by volume in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa by 2012, The Detroit News reported.

“In the worst of economic times, we are taking the actions necessary not only to strengthen Ford’s business but also to deliver world-class levels of product freshness globally,” Booth said.

Booth told reporters that vehicles are like doughnuts—they don’t get better with age. “We’re going to have fresh products,” Booth said. “I don’t know—what’s the world’s best doughnut? (The vehicles) are going to be the Krispy Kremes of the world.” (The Detroit News)

[rickaren]

Ford assessing production after U.S. sales increase

Posted Thursday, Aug 6, 2009, 3:39 pm in Employee News

Ford Motor Co. is watching its inventories closely and waiting to see if the U.S. government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program gets extended but does not plan to announce any production decisions until early September, a top executive told reporters.

“We are going to continue to manage our production to keep our inventory in control,” Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth told reporters Wednesday in Traverse City, Mich. Booth said Ford would assess production needs this month and release a decision on any changes in production plans in early September when it releases August U.S. sales figures, Reuters reported.

Ford posted a 2 percent U.S. sales increase in July, its first year-over-year monthly increase since November 2007, supported by the “Cash for Clunkers” program, which provides up to $4,500 to a customer for turning in a low mileage vehicle that is scrapped and buying or leasing a new vehicle, the news service said. The Ford Focus compact car is among the top new vehicle purchases for customers trading in a vehicle under the U.S. “clunkers” program. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Corolla has been the top seller most recently and Honda Motor Co.’s Civic also has been among the top sellers, the story said. (Reuters/Automotive News)