Autoblog

In the interest of not going belly-up, Ford will be hard at work over the next three years to remake their entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury fleet. We've got high hopes that the Bold Moves will start to come at us quickly now, and that great new product will offer significant improvements over their current offerings. It makes us wonder how long we'll have to live with the Five Hundred's rhinoplasty and the newly penned Focus. Ford also indicated an interest in selling "B" segment cars, which are sub-Focus size. Along with offering new small cars, technology integration will play a role in revamping the offerings. The newly unveiled and very cool Sync system is another way Ford will add value and substance to their wares. We also expect to see interesting developments on the hybrid and fuel-cell (and fuel-cell powered hybrid) fronts.

Our hope is that a little attention be given to the house of Lincoln Mercury first. The recent introduction of the Fusion, along with the refresh of the Focus and Five Hundred has bought Ford a little time, but the Town Car's looks have not aged well, and it's the odd-man-out styling-wise. The bold lines of the MKR concept bode well for some style to return to the long barren flanks of the bulbous Town Car. Mercury could stand some strategic focus. More effort should be paid to further differentiate Mercury, rather than just being tarted-up Fords. There has to be a reason for people to wander into the showrooms. We'll see in the coming months the fruits of Dearborn's labor, as they've got a lot of dedicated people working extremely hard at stanching the bloodflow at the Blue Oval.

[Source: Automotive News sub req'd]

We found two articles today that focused on the state of Ford Motor Company's various manufacturing plants in North America, one that offers a little bit of hope for one plant and the other not so much for the rest.

The ray of hope piece comes from Automotive News, which says that the Canadian Auto Workers union has given a proposal to Ford that if accepted could save the St. Thomas, Ontario plant where the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis are built from being closed. While the CAW refrained from revealing the specifics of the plan, it involves putting Canada in the running with plants from Mexico and the United States for the contract to build Ford's upcoming B-segment small car. The plan would also have parts maker Magna International build an accompanying plant next to the St. Thomas facility where more Ford cars could be made. The resulting pair of plants would likely become the flexible manufacturing facility Ford said would become part of its recovery plan.

In an article entitled "Ford pits plant vs. plant", the Detroit News explores Ford's strategy of demanding that each plant being considered for closing increase its efficiency, with the added caveat that the most cost-effective and efficient plants will survive the closings. Some analysts quoted think the move by Ford could backfire and create resentment for the company among plantworkers, but really it seems that Ford's just being honest. Time honored union institutions like rigid job descriptions and ample overtime are quickly being tossed out the window as each plant strives to be leaner and meaner the other.

So far only seven of a total 14 plants have been identified for closing, so until the remaining seven are chosen UAW members can expect a lot more belt tightening.

[Source: Automotive News, the Detroit News]

When Ford Motor Company reports its first quarter earnings tomorrow, the automaker is likely to report a decline thanks to a huge drop in SUV sales and diminishing market share. Analysts say that Ford's dependence on big SUVs, combined with surging gas prices have negated any effect so far of Ford's "Way Forward" plan, which will close 12 plants and cut 30,000 jobs over the next six years.

For its part, Ford's Mark Fields, architect for the "Way Forward," is urging critics to give the plan time to kick in.

[Source: Bloomberg.com]

How can something be so funny and so sad at the same time?

A former Ford engineer who was left behind when the company announced its “Way Forward” plan resorted to posting an eBay auction for his Dual Alarm Clock that he won’t be needing anymore. Though the wake-up device helped the man earn four Perfect Attendance awards during the seven years he was with the company, his days are now filled with watching The Price is Right and visiting the tanning salon, which doesn’t require waking up to a buzzer.

The auction ended February 8th with 83 bids having been made, the largest of which was an impressive $152.50. While that may not be enough to buy healthcare, at least this guy’s tan will be a healthy bronze.

[Thanks j-dawg for the tip]