Tag Archives: Ford

The Lincoln Motor Company

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Introducing-The-Lincoln-Motor-Company

What is going on with Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln The Lincoln Motor Company? Ford says the brand is going strong and even gave it a new name at the beginning of this year. But much of the automotive press has dismissed Lincoln and some have even predicted its death. Nevertheless, they continue introduce new models, but we have to wonder what Ford’s plans are for the “new” Lincoln Motor Company. To better understand what Lincoln’s future may hold, we need to take a look at its competition and its newest products.

Competition

Lincoln's new MKZ is too much like Ford's Fusion

Lincoln’s new MKZ is too much like Ford’s Fusion

Lincoln has long been the luxury brand of Ford. That is to say, Lincolns have simply been nicer versions of Ford vehicles. However, the automotive world is changing, and Ford has been leading the charge with its global platforms. But Lincoln seems to have been left behind and lost its character. What does Lincoln do that is different from Ford? Not much really. So, who are Lincoln’s top competitors?

Lexus? Yes and no. Lexus has been much like Lincoln in that it has only sold rebadged versions of Toyota, but Lexus has really stepped it up. New Lexus models such as the GS and the soon to be released IS prove that Lexus has a new target: Germany. Lexus is going after BMW and Mercedes by building rear wheel drive cars with a fair amount of power and competitive handling. Lincoln makes front wheel drive cars with very little power. Not Lexus models are sporty, so Lincoln could compete with the luxury and styling elements of these models, but even here Lincoln falls a little short.

Infiniti? Yes and no. Like Lexus, Infiniti is reinventing itself by creating models that offer sportiness and luxury. But again, Lincoln falls short.

Cadillac? No. The ATS, CTS, and XTS are all rear wheel drive and have a decent amount of power (when properly equipped, but is for another post). Again, Cadillac is gunning for the Germans, and by all accounts, the all new ATS has brought them close. But Lincoln’s current offerings cannot compete with the power and handling these cars offer.

BMW and Mercedes? Hell no.

Buick? Finally a competitor for Lincoln. But Buick is about it. Much like Lincoln and Ford, Buick sells rebadged versions of Chevrolet vehicles (much like all GM’s brands, but again, that is for another day). They are all front wheel drive and are primarily sold to…more mature Americans. This accurately describes Lincoln.

So what does Lincoln need to do? Clearly they cannot keep selling rebadged Fords and compete only with Buick. Mercury was axed because the cars were only rebranding Fords, but so does Lincoln. So why did Ford keep Lincoln? Perhaps we are beginning to see why. There has been a lot of talk lately about Lincoln developing a rear wheel drive platform based on the current Mustang’s platform. Could this be used to take on the Germans and Japanese luxury carmakers? Can Lincoln pull off what Lexus has done over the past several years. I believe it can, but it is going to take some fresh ideas and fair amount of resources to do so.

Welcome the MKC

lincolnmkcconcept33hr

Yesterday, Lincoln unveiled the MKC, the new SUV concept it is bringing to the Detroit Auto Show. Based on Ford’s new Escape, the MKC does not look like a Ford. Some suggest it looks like an Infiniti or a Range Rover Evoque, but the important thing is that it has a design unique to Lincoln.

When I first saw the MKC this morning, I wondered why it was not a Ford. It would sell better as a Ford, and it would look great with Ford’s new Aston Martin-like styling. But the more I thought about it, this really needed to be a Lincoln. Lincoln needs a vehicle that has styling that differs from the Ford that shares its platform. This model is the first step for The Lincoln Motor Company to separate itself from Ford.

As I look at the MKC’s beautiful body and luxurious interior, there is one question nagging me. How will it drive? The Escape has been well reviewed, but the Lincoln MKC needs to be different. It needs to offer something more. As I discussed above with the cars, Lincoln’s SUVs need a new target. Land Rover seems like a good target for Lincoln. Like a Land Rover, the MKC offers great looks and a luxurious interior, but will the MKC perform off-road? We will have to wait to find out. There are already a wide variety of luxury SUVs on the market today but there are only two companies, that I can think of, that sell nicely equipped off-road capable SUVs: Land Rover and Jeep. These companies should be Lincoln’s target with all future SUV offerings.

We do not know much about the new MKC, or about the new Lincoln Motor Company’s future plans, and we may find out more about both over the next few days. But if the “new” Lincoln Motor Company wants to compete on global scale like Ford, they will need all new models with new goals. Rear wheel drive luxury cars and an off-road capable luxury SUVs would set Lincoln apart from Ford and could save the company.

Driving the 2013 Ford Fusion

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This morning, I drove the all new 2013 Ford Fusion. My local dealer received this car yesterday; only one, and they had not put it inside yet. So, I asked if I could drive it. I have wanted to drive the Fusion since it was unveiled in Detroit earlier this year. It is a beautiful car, but good looks will not be enough in the competitive mid-sized sedan market. After spending a short time with this car this morning, I can assure you that the Fusion is a good car. There are some faults, but it is a good car nonetheless.

The first thing you notice about the Fusion is its looks. The exterior is very clean, but aggressively styled. Even though this car was the base model, starting at $22,500, it had a chrome grille and chrome trim. The European influence in evident in the cars lines, but the Fusion’s best feature is its face. The grille and headlights give the car an aggressive stance. The car’s styling has been compared to an Aston Martin, and there is definitely some Aston influence. While most automotive critics agree the car is good looking, the general public will have to decide if they prefer the Fusion’s bold looks over the Camry’s conservative exterior styling.

The interior of the car has been redesigned as well. While the interior feels a bit cramped, it is laid out well. The cloth interior of the car I drove was nice, but the front bucket seats are uncomfortable. There is too much lateral support for a car that you are not going to throw around a track. The rear seats were better, and have plenty of headroom and legroom. On the tech side, thankfully, the model I drove did not have MyFord Touch, but it did have Sync and a decent tech package for a base model, although the dealer was not able to figure out how to work the radio without pressing several buttons. But this has been Ford’s problem. Its infotainment systems have not been the most intuitive.

Driving impressions of the Fusion have been very positive. The ride is comfortable and very quiet. It may not be Cadillac quiet, but it much quieter than the Camry and Accord, which I find have too much road noise. What really impressed me about the Fusion was the suspension. It is not overly soft, nor it is not too hard. It feels sporty and gives the road feedback a driver will like. The Fusion performed well in town and on the highway. The transmission is smooth and there not a lot of engine noise – although, I really like a great exhaust sound.

The car I drove had the base 2.5 liter four-cylinder. It is a solid engine, but nothing exciting. And the car only comes with a variety of four cylinders and Eco-Boost fours. I think this is Ford’s biggest mistake. The car may look aggressive, but it does not have the power to back it up. Yes, people want fuel efficiency in a mid-size sedan, but the Mustang’s V6 gets 31 MPG, and the 300 HP would make the Fusion a very fun car.

Overall, the Fusion is a great car and steps up the mid-size sedan market in terms of styling. It is entering a very competitive market, but it should do well. The 2012 Fusion was the second best seller in the class, and this car is much better than the outgoing model. Will the new Fusion dethrone the Camry? Probably not yet, but it is going to force the others to make some changes to their cars. As Ford says, the new Fusion is, “Not just a new car model, but a new model for cars.”

Photo Credit: Autoblog

Book Review: American Icon

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Bryce G. Hoffman. American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford motor Company. New York: Crown Business, 2012. 422 pp. $26.00 (Hardcover), ISBN 978-0-307-88605-7.

Today the automotive world looks to Ford Motor Company as a standard in quality in the industry. This had not always been the case. In fact, this is a very recent development, coming only in the last five years. Like General Motors and Chrysler, Ford had been viewed as complacent in the market and bloated in brands in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This was only made worse under the leadership of CEOs Alex Trotman and Jacques Nasser. In 2001, Bill Ford become CEO of the company that bore his family’s name, but he began to realize Ford was in poor shape, and he was not the man to run the company.

Automotive journalist Bryce G. Hoffman explores this early history briefly in his book American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company. Bill Ford realized that Ford was desperate and needed to find someone who could save it. The man chosen for the job was Boeing executive Alan Mulally. Mulally had worked at Boeing after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 when Boeing’s sales were cut by over 50% following the attacks, and Mulally began to cut Boeing and reorganize it into a global business. This record attracted the attention of Bill Ford and he brought him to Ford as CEO in September 2006.

Hoffman uses his connections, as well as the cooperation of Mulally and many within Ford, to tell the story of one of the greatest turn-arounds in business history. When Mulally arrived at Ford, he encountered a poison corporate culture that encouraged competition and backstabbing among its executives. His job was to save Ford from bankruptcy, by some estimates Ford was only a few months from this reality, but Mulally would have to train the executives to think, and act, as a team. He did this by having weekly meetings with all senior executives who were required to present the data from their respective departments to Mulally each week. He wanted openness, something that had never been stressed in Detroit.

CEO Alan Mulally, Chairman Bill Ford, and VP of North American Cars and Trucks Mark Fields

As the openness began to spread, the problems within Ford became clear to Mulally and this allowed him and the team to begin restructuring the company. His goals was to simplify the Ford lineup by eliminating the majority of its brands (Ford owned Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, and a stake in Mazda). At the same time, Mulally brought the organization methods used at Boeing to make Ford global. This organization saved Ford a great deal of money allowing them to sell the same cars worldwide and build a number of cars on the same vehicle platforms.

What set Ford apart was the fact that it was not bailed out by the United States government during the 2008 economic crisis. Ford had begun its restructuring two years before the meltdown and had seen the recession coming. It borrowed $23 billion in preparation for the crisis and came through the recession as a winner. The brand was praised by the public for not having to take federal bailouts like its competitors, but Ford had also begun improving quality and this was getting the attention of automotive publishers and Consumer Reports.

Hoffman’s description of Ford’s recovery is extremely detailed. This is due to his access to Ford executives and Mulally, but also due to the fact that he promised to not associate particular stories and quotes to their respective sources. This made people from Ford open up to Hoffman and he uses every piece of information to his advantage. His exploration of Ford’s restructuring is both informative and instructional.

The story of Ford’s resurgence is nothing short of amazing. It is striking similar to Steve Jobs’s return to Apple in 1997. But the one difference is Mulally. While Jobs is often described as a product visionary and, at times, difficult to work for, Mulally is more business minded and openly kind to employees at  every level of Ford. Both men’s systems of leadership have proven to be successful in the last decade despite their different leadership styles.

It may be a stretch to call Alan Mulally the greatest CEOs ever, but he is certainly the greatest automotive CEO in history. He knew how to read customers and the market and develop plans to meet both. Hoffman describes how the CEOs of GM and Chrysler scoffed at Mulally, an outsider, in 2006, but today Mulally is still head of Ford, they are no longer employed by the auto industry.

Hoffman’s analysis of Mulally’s business restructuring plans is the most important aspect of this book. The openness and sharing of ideas, weekly meetings with department heads, and a matrix organization system. He concludes that this plan is one that can be applied to a variety of businesses. Unlike books on Apple and Steve Jobs which specifically say their books are not intended to be instructional, Hoffman’s book is. The case of Ford and Mulally will likely be studied by business students in the future.

Hoffman has pieced together a great book that explains how Mulally was able to save Ford Motor Company. Mulally’s fight was not easy, battling the United Auto Workers, his executives, the government, and the Ford family. Each time, Mulally came out on top. The greatest fear at Ford today is when Mulally will retire. At 66, he is likely the oldest employee at Ford, if not in the auto industry. Many worry that his changes will not remain in place after he is gone. Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain, Ford is looking stronger now than it has it the history of the company, thanks to Alan Mulally. 

Carroll Shelby, 1923-2012

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Carroll Shelby with the latest Shelby GT350

Few in the auto industry have their name on a vehicle. Carroll Shelby has been synonymous with racing and with the Ford Mustang for well over forty years. On Thursday, Carroll Shelby died at the age of 89. He had a full life, one that impacted the both the racing world and the auto industry.

Shelby Cobra

Shelby began his racing career in 1952. He was quick to win several races and was named Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1956 and 1957. As he became more successful in the racing world, he began to expand into the business world. He opened his first car dealership in 1957 in Texas. After winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1959, Shelby began working to create a new race car with Ford. Using Ford’s small block V8, Shelby designed the Cobra Roadster. The car would hit the race track in late 1962 with its first win coming in January 1963. The Cobra was driven by a number of drivers including Phil Hill, A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney.

Shelby released the 427 Cobra with Ferrari as its target. It was successful in the 1964 season. Shelby’s relationship with Ford extended in 1965 with creation of the Shelby GT350, a modified Ford Mustang. The car went on to win the Trans Am Championship in 1967. Also in 1967, Shelby built the final 427 Cobra. The Cobra had won a number of races and championships. Shelby helped Ford develop the successful Ford GT40 as a followup to the Cobra. Today, original Shelby Cobras sell for well over $10 million.

1965 Shelby GT350

Ford ended its relationship with Shelby in 1970, but he continued to tune cars…for Dodge. In the early 1990s, Shelby helped Dodge with the original Viper after having a heart transplant in 1990. Shelby renewed his relationship with Ford in the 2000s with the return of the Ford GT, but it was the return of the Shelby GT500 Mustang in 2007 that excited auto enthusiasts. In 2011, the Shelby GT350 was also recreated by Ford and Shelby. Both cars have been very popular with Mustang enthusiasts and car collectors alike.

Carroll Shelby has had a tremendous impact on the auto industry. His racing career, his business sense, and his ability to tune cars has gained him international recognition. The Shelby name is sure to live on with the GT500 and GT350 Mustangs that bare his name. The auto industry lost a true icon, a man who will truly be missed.

A number of tributes to Carroll Shelby have posted online. Shelby American, Inc., Top Gear, Motor Trend (a nice timeline), Car and Driver, and Road & Track.

Listen to Carroll Shelby tell his life story in his own words (from 2011):

A great documentary about Shelby’s racing career with interviews and historic footage:

2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Unveiled

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Just a few weeks ago, Ford unveiled the 2013 Ford Fusion. The Fusion is the current namesake of Ford Racing in NASCAR and when the redesigned Fusion was unveiled in Detroit on January 9, the new NASCAR could not have been far behind. Today, Ford unveiled the 2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup NASCAR. Ford says the 2013 Fusion NASCAR is a return to a true “stock car,” meaning that the car looks like the road version. Currently, NASCAR mandates the shape of the car and the fans are bored with the lack of design, but for 2013, they are allowing the manufactures to incorporate designs that are unique to their individual brand. This is exciting for fans of NASCAR and remember when the cars did look different. Over the next several weeks, we will certainly see the new cars from Dodge, Toyota and Chevrolet.

Ford, being the first, gives us an idea what to expect for the Sprint Cup Series in 2013. The Fusion is unmistakably a Fusion in shape and graphics. The flared fenders, the body lines are all very stylish, but will likely be slightly modified before it hits the track in February 2013. Ford is still testing the car and NASCAR will have to approve all the designs prior to competition. However, this model must be fairly close if they are spending the time to unveil it at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The fact that this is a concept is important to bare in mind, but if the car’s shape largely remains intact, and the other manufacturers take as much care with their design, the 2013 NASCAR season could be an important year for NASCAR and the auto manufacturers.

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Source: Ford

Detroit Auto Show: Production Car Roundup

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The North American International Auto Show kicked off this week with major product unveils from Ford, General Motors, and Toyota. This post, a first in a two part series, will explore the production models that were unveiled in Detroit this week.

The Sunday before the Auto Show, Dodge and Cadillac announced their much anticipated new models. Dodge unveiled the 2013 Dodge Dart with its Alfa Romeo platform and economic engine options. Cadillac, on the other hand, announced the 2013 Cadillac ATS, a car it hopes will compete head on with the BMW 3-Series. This is a lofty goal as the 3-Series is hailed as the ultimate sports sedan.

2013 Ford Fusion

Ford began Monday morning’s show with the all new 2013 Ford Fusion. Ford surprised the crowd by announcing that the Fusion would be available in 3 models: standard gasoline (with three engine options), hybrid, and electric. The design of the Fusion incorporates Ford’s new,  agressive, grille and the Fusion is a major part of the current “One Ford” strategy. This car is my favorite from the show and is likely to shake up the mid-sized car segment with its range of engine options and its impressive technology packages.

Other production models unveiled at the show included the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid, 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL, Dodge Charger Redline, 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS, 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 2013 Lexus LX 570, 2013 Acura RDX, 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Bentley Continental GT V8, 2013 Mini Roadster, Audi A4 Allroad, Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid, Buick Encore, Toyota Prius C, and the 50th Anniversary Edition Shelby Mustangs.

Unfortunately, I do not have the space to give my impressions of all of the models, but I will highlight a few. The major unveils from list include the all new Buick Encore. A small SUV from Buick (who wants that?!). In addition, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe received a facelift and a series of new engines, but it is still not powerful enough to compete with Mustang or Camaro. The Toyota Prius C is expected to cost less than $19,000, being the cheapest hybrid on the market.

From the production models, however, we see that the auto industry is, once again, very healthy. Tomorrow I will post an article on the concept models from Detroit.

If you get a chance to visit the Detroit Auto Show, the show will be open to the public through January 22. If not, check out the reviews of each car listed above by clicking the link (will take you to Autoblog). Also, be sure to check out the gallery below.

Detroit Auto Show Begins Tomorrow!

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Tomorrow begins the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The show is being hosted by the COBO Center and will run from January 9 – 22. If you are in the area, you should really check it out. One day passes are only $12 for adults.

Throughout the upcoming week, automakers from around the world will unveil their latest models and concepts. Sure to be favorites at this year’s show will be the 2013 Ford Mustang, 2013 Ford Fusion, 2013 Dodge Dart, 2013 Cadillac ATS, and the 2013 Bentley Continental GT / GTC V8. All the major auto manufacturers from around the world (that sell cars in the United States) are expected to attend. Expect entries from Toyota, BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin, and just about everyone else!

I love the Detroit Auto Show for its concepts and upcoming model reveals. I will try to keep up with the major unveils on the blog, or perhaps I will review each day with the major models added with a photo gallery. Nevertheless, Monday is back to school for me, so my time may be limited, but I will certainly provide all the coverage I can.