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Forbes magazine’s Backseat Driver, Jerry Flint, thinks that Ford had better shift gears from talk to action if it’s
going to reverse its decline in American market share. The hybrid program is all well and good, but Flint thinks that
Ford’s new Americas honcho, Mark Fields, needs to move fast on the mainstream new product front if Ford is going to
compete with the likes of Toyota.
The Backseat strategy for Ford? Here are some highlights:
- a new designed-in-America Focus
- more power for the Fusion and the 500
- a revitalized Crown Vic/Grand Marquis/Town Car lineup
- Mustang and Focus variants for Mercury
- a new Ranger pickup
- better design across the board
Whatever you think of Flint’s ideas (I’m not so sure the world needs a new Crown Victoria) it’s hard to argue with
his basic message to Ford – less talk, more action. Now.
[Thanks for the tip, Joel!]