Comments on: DetN Reveals Ford’s Not-So-Secret Secret Plan For Survival

By: AG

AG — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:37:12 +0000

Citing dire economic conditions at Ford Motor Company, the patriarch of the Ford Family, William Clay Ford, Sr., was forced to announce the sale of his NFL Franchise, the Detroit Lions…

If only dreams came true…

By: Droid800

Droid800 — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:04:15 +0000

@Robert SD, et al.

Its not a revelation or breaking new ground for Ford, but it IS compared to what GM and Chrysler are doing.

While Ford is going full steam ahead with a product-driven revival, even if it means burning through a lot of cash and risking the entire company (literally, from the buildings to the logos), GM and Chrysler are just cutting products and development to try and get by.

DetN really was giving a back-handed comparison to show why GM and Chrysler are failing, and why Ford is likely to be the last one standing without a major reorganization.

By: RobertSD

RobertSD — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:39:22 +0000

Wait, was there anything actually new in this article? No, not really. We’ve known for two years that Ford’s turnaround was going to be “product-driven” (whether or not you believed it), and it takes about 3 years to execute a new product. We are just now three years in from Mark Fields rejoining NA and will be three years in from Mulally joining in September next year – you can see inflection points in the product lines with both these exec changes.

I suppose it’s good to know that they are preserving their product plans, but it’s still not new ground.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:24:24 +0000

Well…wake me up when Ford builds something desirable…

By: shaker

shaker — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:17:09 +0000

Actually, Ford stepped into a pile of shit, while GM and Chryco fell in…

The crap-tastic Focus sells because it’s cheap and fuel-efficient (better than the smaller Aveo, I’ll bet).

They’ve also been shrinking/consolidating their dealer network for some time, too.

Their near future looks bright, too if they can get the Fusion Hybrid to market, they can probably make a dent in Prius’ market share.

But, they have to get their Euro designs here quickly, to strike while the iron is hot.

By: RedStapler

RedStapler — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:33:30 +0000

They don’t have to outrun the bear, just the two fat guys who are also running away. Ford would be one of the biggest benificaries from a Chrysler and/or GM C11. They would be able to pick up most of the government fleet and remaining xenophobes.

Having witness the cram-down carnage at Chrysler and GM the UAW would be more willing to negotiate.

Mulally already has a proven track record of turning around a bloated unionized manufacturer with Boeing. Contrast that with a delusional insider or the boob who screwed up Home Depot.

By: garllo

garllo — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:58:22 +0000

When do they start??

By: TexN

TexN — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:06:26 +0000

Ingenius! High 5, Big Al! Worth every penny of that $30M!

By: Stein X Leikanger

Stein X Leikanger — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:04:22 +0000

Ingenious. Who’da thunk it!

By: chuckgoolsbee

chuckgoolsbee — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:01:44 +0000

When Chrysler is a smoking hole in the ground and GM is a shadow of its former self, with two brands and one remaining customer, Ford will look like geniuses in hindsight for hiring a true outsider with actual experience in reviving the fortunes of a large multi-national manufacturing company to take the helm from another inbred Detroit insider.

I’m not laying bets on the levels of Ford’s success though, merely its survival.

–chuck

By: barberoux

barberoux — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:58:39 +0000

Maybe finally they got it. Up until now it’s hard to understand what they were trying to do. Was their plan building junk and hoist the patriotism flag to get people to buy. Or was it massive advertising to get people to buy unsuitable but profitable SUVs. Or is begging the government to reward bad management the plan. Building good products that people want to buy, that is so novel, for an American car company.

By: autonut

autonut — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:36:27 +0000

Thanks God they got it! The rest is so easy even Toyota could do it!