Mulally chooses Escape Hybrid for D.C. road trip
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Escape Hybrid
Ford CEO Alan Mulally has made the politically correct decision for his return trip to Washington DC this week and is skipping the company jet. In fact, he's skipping the airport altogether and hitting the road in an Escape Hybrid. It seems like it would have been better to grab one of the brand new Fusion Hybrids, but no one in Washington should be too upset at the choice of the Escape. The last one we tested for AutoblogGreen averaged 33 mpg. Perhaps he'll even take one of the prototype plug-in hybrid versions, although that wouldn't make much sense for the nine-hour drive. In our reader poll you actually opted for the Fusion by a wide margin, followed by the Fiesta and Mustang. The Escape came in at a respectable fourth.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jason 10:03AM (12/02/2008)
It's good to see at least ONE of the CEO's making a decision that isn't completely boneheaded.
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Fernando 10:08AM (12/02/2008)
This is a bullsh!t decision based only on the fact that they want the money and don't want to be questioned about their jets again. Do you really think he's doing it for any other reason?
Effin hypocrites should just be left to sink or swim.
Kitko 10:23AM (12/02/2008)
Mulally also makes a point towards the next administration. Barack Obama drives a hybrid Escape.
(OK, used to drive one before security kicked in, but still....)
Quattrofan 11:15AM (12/02/2008)
He just took a $1 salary for next year. I kind of like this guy.
Liquid 11:37AM (12/02/2008)
I think congress should grill Mulally on why he is wasting 18hrs driving, when he should be back in Dearborn making executive decisions with his team. Flying first-class would have been a reasonable compromise.
Epyx 11:42AM (12/02/2008)
It takes 18 hours to drive Detroit to DC? Try 1/2 that at 9 hours. I wager it takes just as long to fly when you add in travel to airport, security, waiting for baggage, etc. Also, who said HE will be driving? Could be working in the back seat while someone else drives the car. I am sure he has a laptop and a cell phone.
Jj 11:45AM (12/02/2008)
What I heard was that he would take a $1 salary if Ford gets a loan from the government. He initially refused the idea the last time he appeared before congress.
The press is going to be looking for any way to make them look stupid again. Maybe will try to get everyone all riled up cause he pulled an Escape Hybrid off the line that they could have sold.
JZeke 11:47AM (12/02/2008)
and 18 divided by 2 (round trip, foo) is?
Epyx 11:58AM (12/02/2008)
Anyone complaining that he cant be working while traveling is making a really good argument for the use of a private jet.
If his time is that valuable why should he not have his entire staff with him in a flying office?
You cant have it both ways.
Flying commercially offers less opportunity for conducting business than driving and far less than a private jet. Unless he is doing some spreadsheets or something- what can he do on a airplane without the use of a cellphone and with no privacy.
Judy Zik 12:01PM (12/02/2008)
Mulally seems to be a pretty smart guy. He get's a bad rap because of the condition Ford is in but he hasn't been with them that long and you have to remember Ford is only there to "me too" any money that's offered. Unlike GM and Chrysler Ford has enough cash to last quite a while thanks to Mulally. We are just now starting to see the results of the changes he has made as their boss and they are looking good. He also pulled off a profit at Ford in the beginning of this year. As for his corporate jet it was part of the deal the company made to lure him away from Boeing. He has a family that has laid down roots in Seattle and he chose to spend hours every week commuting rather than uproot them. On the other hand his whole family shouldn't have access to the jets to fly whenever and where ever they please.
sbessette91 1:09PM (12/02/2008)
And nobody can complain because that's what Obama drives.
Smart move.
Jon 2:50PM (12/02/2008)
It would be kind of funny if he got a ticket while doing the drive. His income would slip into the negative.
James 3:05PM (12/02/2008)
Before you fellate Mulally too much - His personal car is a Lexus.
I think it's funny as f*ck that one of the CEOs of the big 3 doesn't even drive a car his company makes.
compy386 10:05AM (12/02/2008)
Absolutely the right choice. Fusion Hybrid is made in Mexico. I personally have nothing against that, but the media would have torn it apart.
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PhattyDre16 11:21AM (12/02/2008)
You know what, I hadn't thought of that, if in fact the Fusion hybrid is built in Mexico along with its regular counterparts then you are right, the media would have torn him a new one.
I also think this is a good idea because the new Fusion hybrid is brand spankin' new; one wouldn't know if there would be problems or not. The Escape hybrid is tried and tested. Good decision but the only reason he is doing this is because of the jet scandal. Rest assured, if nothing was mentioned about the jets the first time around, he would have done the same damn thing.
dukeisduke 11:24AM (12/02/2008)
Plus the fact that the Escape Hybrid has been on the market awhile, so there are plenty of them already driving around.
John 10:06AM (12/02/2008)
Obama owns one of these, so never hurts to suck up to the big guy a bit.
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Dude 10:19AM (12/02/2008)
Obama is not President yet. I can understand your confusion given that the Media has treated him as such since the election.
Randy 10:51AM (12/02/2008)
@Dude
I think the media is just excited to call someone "President" since we haven't had one for the past 7 years 10 months! Or one that deserves the job anyway!
Here comes the wrath of blog slaps! ;)
k.w.a 11:21AM (12/02/2008)
Randy,
you took the words right out of my mouth! I hate to beat a dead horse (Bush) by continuing the ridicule, but it wouldn't be far from accurate to say he mentally left office about a couple months ago.
anyway the Escape is a good choice, but I think Mulally should've driven the Fusion Hybrid.. The Big 3 need to prove that they can make good CARS, and even though they've been doing so lately, it's not common knowledge. Their cars need to get more exposure so they become household names (like Camry and Accord), and gain the consumer's trust