Ford denies starting search for Mulally successor

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ford

There's little question that bringing Alan Mulally on board at Ford was the smartest move the company made in decades, nor is there much debate that credit for the company's salvation is largely due to his office. But could his number be up?

Having joined Ford in 2006 as an outsider from aerospace giant Boeing, Mulally (pictured above, left) has been on the job for over five years now. And while he's showing no signs of slowing down, sources indicate he is unlikely to stay on the job beyond another year or two.

The question, then, is who might replace him. Citing internal sources, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Ford has begun putting together a short-list with four candidates: two internal and two external. However, TheDetroitBureau.com has offered a rebuttal saying that the Blue Oval denies beginning such a search.

Either way, at some point, a search will need to begin. Mulally's case notwithstanding, cases of successful hires from outside the business to the top of a major automaker like Ford have been few and far between, but the company could be forced by shareholders to consider outside candidates as well as internal promotions.

The list, according to the WSJ, currently includes Mark Fields (pictured above at right), currently Ford's President of the Americas; Joe Hinrichs (second from right), head of Ford's Asian operations; John Krafcik, a former Ford engineer who now runs Hyundai in America; and Phil Martens, Ford's former product development chief who now runs aluminum manufacturer Novelis.

Again, for its part, Ford denies that it has begun searching for Mulally's successor, but prudent management could very well dictate that it must begin looking - whether the much-lauded executive is ready to retire or not.

Ford denies starting search for Mulally successor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: S197 Ford Mustang could have had independent rear suspension for $100 per car

Drew Phillips — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Technology, Ford, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill

It seems that any discussion about a modern Ford Mustang inevitably turns into a debate about its solid rear axle. While Ford has done an incredible job of optimizing the pony car's suspension, many still find it unacceptable that such an antiquated technology is used on a modern day performance car. Motor Trend boss Angus MacKenzie, however, says that the S197 Mustang platform almost received an independent rear suspension a while back - and for a lot less than you might think.

According to MacKenzie, the 2005 Mustang was set to get an independent suspension shared with the BA-series Falcon sedan built in Australia. Even when it was decided that the two cars would use different platforms, Ford designers set about designing an independent suspension specific to the Mustang. So why did it still end up with a solid rear axle? According to MacKenzie, product development executive Phil Martens convinced Bill Ford Jr. that they could save $100 per car if they dropped the IRS and went with the solid axle. For all of you non drag-racing types that wish the Mustang had an independently suspended rear, this news probably makes you sick to the stomach.

But wait... there's more! MacKenzie's sources say that the cost of sorting out the current Mustang's suspension actually cost $98 more per car than the IRS that could have gone in the car. Like Angus, we love the current Mustang but have to wonder if it could have been that much better.

[Source: Motor Trend]

REPORT: S197 Ford Mustang could have had independent rear suspension for $100 per car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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