ford = one global company

NYSpeed Automotive
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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/UPDATE/611100435

Mulally: Ford needs to become one global company

Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. President and CEO Alan Mulally said Friday that it will take more than a North American restructuring campaign to save the struggling automaker.

He wants to weld Ford’s disparate regional divisions and brands into a single global operation capable of competing with the company he most admires in the world: Toyota Motor Corp.

“There’s just not just one Ford there’s a lot of Fords, and they’re operated very separately as business units,” Mulally said Friday in an interview with The Detroit News. “We’ve got to go from where we are to leverage our global assets to compete as one company going forward.”

That may require consolidating brands. It certainly means consolidating product lines, platforms and operations.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to consolidate and simplify,” Mulally said. “I look at that as nothing but opportunity.”

Mulally acknowledged that Ford has a long way to go to catch up with its competitors, and he said the best way to do that is by following their example.

“The best in the world is Toyota,” Mulally said. “I’m a disciple of the Toyota Production System. The Toyota Production System is the finest production system in the world they’re a magical machine it’s the machine that changed the world.”

Mulally said the transformation that is necessary at Ford will require support and sacrifices at all levels of the company. He said the 2007 negotiations with the United Auto Workers will be “a defining moment” in the history of the industry. He said will take his message directly to workers if necessary, but will not be stopped from making the changes necessary to save the company.

“We are all in it together. I want the hearts and minds of all the participants,” Mulally said. “We have to deal with reality We have to do what we have to do.”

Ford also has to win back the American consumer.

“We are going to have to get people back in the dealerships to try Ford again,” he said. “We have to show we are a viable alternative.”

I wonder if this means we will get the REAL focus ST

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That’d be nice, but I doubt it will happen.

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Would be a good idea, but would it happen. :shrug:

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totally the first thing that came to my head lol. turbo deisal focus FTW

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Watch they give everyone the USDM Focus “ST” instead, wouldn’t that be disappointing. :lol:

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^ yes it would, but the UK market is way bigger and more loyal, so they would probably drop the fiesta over there and give US the the REAL focus, the one built on the volvo C1 platform a.k.a. there will be an AWD version coming out competative with the WRX crowd

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my uncle in poland has a pimp focus, not sure what model it is exactly though. but i will be sure to annihilate the tires with it this summer when i go there :tup:

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Sweet. I’ve been there many times in my life to visit family as well :tup:

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+1

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There’s quite a bit of work that would need to go into the Focus ST to make it meet all US regulations. It’s not as simple as just bringing it over here and start selling it.

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:word:

GM needs to do the same damn thing.

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good then they better get started now.

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the only way that Ford and GM will ever truely globalize is if they do it the way Chrysler did it … by getting bought out

the big 3 have made soooooooo many attempts to get their shit in line … and it never fucking works …

i swear to got, its like listening to a little kid spend all day running up and down the stairs with a cape yelling “I CAN FLYYYYYYY”

STFU ALREADY!!! YOU CANT !!! fucking figure that out already mother fuckers

cliffs: american automakers can restructure as good as little kids can fly /story