REPORT: Ford SVT's Hau Thai-Tang headed to Brazil
Ford Motor Company has decided that Hau Thai-Tang has done such a splendid job with SVT that it was time for a promotion to head Ford of Brazil, the automakers's most profitable global market. Brazil has been great for Ford mostly due to the success of the EcoSport, which reversed share declines, but was deemed "too basic" for American tastes. Thai-Tang is continuing to live the American Dream, and we wish him luck with his new post.
Many of you are likely questioning what will come of SVT, which currently includes only one product, the Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500. As a matter of fact, there isn't even an SVT in the name of that one either, but we digress. Thai-Tang's right hand man Hermann Salenbauch, who was once the head engineer for then BMW's Land Rover unit, has been mentioned as a possible SVT Director. Either way, without products and without Thai-Tang, SVT's future looks more cloudy than ever.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:29AM (2/20/2007)
I guess it's good that he gets a real job now. Running SVT must be about like being the Maytag man. Not a lot to do.
I really thought Ford had something going when they added worked over models like the Contour, and then the Focus, to the SVT lineup. Heck, I thought most Ford models should get a SVT treatment. Why in the hell would they kill off one of the best marketing tools they had?
Heck, they don't even offer the mainline sporty models they used to make. Even the lowly ST model focus, with the stouter 2.3L motor is gone next year.
I sometimes get the feeling that Ford doesn't even really like cars all that much. You've got your choice of a hundred different SUVs, CUVs, FUVs (figure that one out on your own!), but what do they offer that's really a fun car to drive? Not a single model for they guy on a budget with his little Walter Mitty thing going on.
Oh well, I just really like cars; I'm not an expert on how to sell them. I guess the experts at Ford know what they're doing, seeing as how they've increased their market share so much.
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D-Dog 8:45AM (2/20/2007)
Hau was not only responsible for SVT but also Advanced Product Creation, in charge of future car and truck programs.
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Nick 8:59AM (2/20/2007)
Pretty f***ing sad.
This is what happens when the bean-counters have too much say.
That said, the product that SVT modifies is just now starting to come back around. For the past several years, all there was was the Focus, Mustang and F-series...all of which received SVT treatment...over 3-4 years. The Fusion SVT was all but confirmed in the works...possibly 2008. Edge should recieve SVT treatment at some point of another as should the new Focus. SVT hasn't been dead, the product has just stunk for several years.
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SixDeuces 9:21AM (2/20/2007)
"SVT hasn't been dead, the product has just stunk for several years."
SVT Focus = Awesome
SVT Lightning = Awesome
SVT Cobra = Awesome
Where do these stinky products come in? The products were never the problem. The problem is that for whatever reason, they stopped making them. We were teased with an amazing new Lightning that disappeared into the ether, then the Adrenaline that did the same thing. And IMO they just wimped out on the Focus. It was like "well, everyone else has 240+hp turbo versions... screw it." That was their biggest mistake with SVT. We need the focus RS here people!
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Fabiano 8:17PM (2/20/2007)
Excellente good news for us in Brazil! Ford brand is relly strong over here and deserves an executive like Hau Thai-Tang to continue Antonio Maciel's legacy!
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kanadian 10:56AM (2/20/2007)
can I apply for the JoB ahaha
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RC 10:50AM (2/20/2007)
no no if anything Hau Thai-Tang needs to stay in the U.S. He should take over Mark Fields job, Ford is lucky to have Tang.
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nicehood 6:24PM (2/20/2007)
Yes, another talent vietnamese boy.
Some of you may not know this, Communist Vietnam is the most pro-America in the world behind UK, Japan.
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chicken farmer 6:13AM (2/21/2007)
#7 What does communist Vietnam have to do with Hau Thai-Tang? And no, it does not rank third behind UK and Japan in that respect either. Hau is an American of Vietnamese background, not a citizen of communist Vietnam. He was a citizen of the Republic of South Vietnam, a country that no longer exists thanks to US foreign policy.
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