Ford's Cheerleaders Warming-Up for the Big Defeat
Of The Big 2.8, there's no question that Ford has the best chance of emerging from America's Summer of Shiva, uh, intact. But that doesn't mean they will, or can– despite the Obama-like blessing bestowed upon the ailing American automaker by the mainstream automotive press. Tomorrow, The Blue Oval Boyz are taking a leaf out of GM's PR playbook. FoMoCo will announce its new new new turnaround plan on the same day that they reveal some shocking financial losses. To say the press is in the tank for Ford would be something of an understatement, as two of its heavy hitters have already praised Ford for its courage, perspicacity, common sense, speed and general good looks. Self-styled Autoextremist Peter DeLorenzo leads the charge. The big news here: Sweet Pete's finally using a typeface that doesn't make you want to do an Oedipus. But seriously, "Instead of doing a series of baby-step changes over the next three years, Ford will bring its 2012-2014 products forward to the 2010-2011 time frame in a blaze of models and configurations that will set the U.S. market – and its competitors – on its ear." Woo-hoo! While The Detroit News' Daniel Howes is a lot more cautious, his piece is generally supportive. "Ford is taking giant steps in the right direction," Howes pronounces, without waiting for a glimpse at the big picture. "At last."
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RF: "Tomorrow, The Blue Oval Boyz are taking a leaf out of GM's PR playbook. FoMoCo will announce its new new new turnaround plan on the same day that they reveal some shocking financial losses. I don't disagree with your statement---just think it is a myopic view through the lens of the auto industry. This is SOP in corporate America when bad results are announced...rightly or wrongly.
The cars don't matter. As long as Ford cars keep getting red circles all over Consumer Reports and getting the top spots in JD Power they'll be OK and will be on top before long.
At a town hall-style meeting this year, he (Mulally) expressed frustration when one employee suggested that making small cars was a money-losing proposition. “Why can’t we make money on small cars?” Mr. Mulally said, according to two people in attendance. “Do you think Toyota can’t make money on small cars?” At virtually every management meeting, Mr. Mulally would repeatedly refer to charts showing that smaller vehicles constituted 60 percent of the global automotive market. Each time an executive suggested that Ford’s future lay in expanding its truck business, Mr. Mulally pulled the charts out.
I am starting to get concerned about Ford. This Flex thing seems like it will be a big loser. Not good. The Flex is a great vehicle for the 20th century when gas prices were cheap. PDL is full of the same hot air as many detroit exec's. His ego is about as big as Rick Wagoners. I find him arrogant and a self-important knowitall.