Despite the credit crisis raging outside, the atmosphere was upbeat at the Ford press conference in Detroit.
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No mention of the tough conditions was made by Ford chairman Bill Ford, CEO Alan Mulally, or any of the other senior executives who addressed a packed Cobo Arena. Instead, Mulally and company grinned and delivered a master class in spin.
Ford had increased its US market share for the past three months, Mulally proudly informed the gathered global media. Never mind that sales fell 36% in December; 2008 had been “a pretty good year”, he told an increasingly incredulous audience.
Then again, there was logic in accentuating the positive. Ford’s recent product launches have been well-received, and the company unveiled a crucial new US model at the show – a redesigned Taurus.
The revived Taurus [which replaced the 500 after an experiment in new nameplates beginning in ‘F’ failed to woo buyers – ed] has been warmly received in the US.
The original 1980s model line with imaginative curves in an era of sharp angles was a major success for Ford and, in 1992, it beat the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry to become America’s best-selling car.
But the ‘ovoid’ second-generation Taurus, even built in right-hand drive for Australia and Japan, flopped, even after a restyle to straighten out the oval styling themes, and the brand was consigned to the fleet market before being replaced by the 500 several years ago.
Mulally also announced an extended test-drive programme for the new Fiesta, due out in 2010, which will involve 100 European-specification cars being offered to US customers on long-term loan.
“We hope to get up to 10,000 people behind the wheel of the Fiesta before it is launched,” Mulally said.
Beyond these initiatives, the message from the Blue Oval was strictly green.
As we report elsewhere, Bill Ford announced extensive “electrification” plans, involving hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric (BEV) cars, including a BEV based on a Focus-sized platform which is being developed jointly with supplier Magna, and will be sold worldwide at a volume of 5-10,000 units.
“We will launch at least four high-mileage battery-electric vehicles by 2012,” said Bill Ford.
“Our global electrification strategy is not a test plan – it is aimed at making Ford the leader in battery technology.”
