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Ford
Social Media Keys Ford's Marketing Renaissance
By Dale Buss November 3, 2011When Ford CMO Jim Farley delivers a keynote address at a big national convention of bloggers in Los Angeles Friday, he will become the first-auto industry marketing chief to do so. That’s certainly a big deal for the BlogWorld & New Media Expo, which has become the largest annual event in the world solely dedicated to advancing social media. But it’s even more important for Ford, which is gamely attempting to extend the early lead it has established over other automakers in exploiting all manner of social media and converting its cunning into real gains in awareness, consideration and more
Ford Earns $1.65 Billion In Third Quarter
By Michelle Krebs October 26, 2011Ford Motor Co. reported a third-quarter profit of $1.65 billion, exceeding analysts’ projections. It was Ford’s second-highest third-quarter profit, surpassed only by the 2010 third quarter when Ford earned $1.69 billion. It also was Ford’s 10th consecutive profitable quarter on a net income basis. The company delivered “solid results” despite “an uncertain business environment,” Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said in a statement issued Wednesday. “We accomplished this while continuing to invest for future growth and focusing on developing outstanding products with segment-leading quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.” more
EcoBoost In, Hybrid Out For Next-Gen Ford Escape
By Bill Visnic October 7, 2011Ford Motor Co.’s next-generation Escape is debuting at the Los Angeles auto show next month. If the production version can carry over the visual impact of the Vertrek concept (above), opinion is nearly universal that the 2013 Escape will be the compact crossover segment’s new styling leader. Ford’s backing that potential with two new high-efficiency engine choices the company is saying will also make the Escape the segment’s fuel-economy leader. Hybrid-electric vehicle enthusiasts will be out of luck, though. The current Escape offers the segment’s only hybrid powertrain option, but Ford said at a media briefing this week the 2013 more
Ford, UAW Tentative Pact Means 12,000 Jobs
By Michelle Krebs October 4, 2011Ford and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union reached a tentative national contract in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Ford executives said the contract, if approved by the rank and file in the coming weeks, would create or save 12,000 U.S. jobs and would include $16 billion in investment in new products and additional plant capacity. But at the same time, it would keep Ford, which has the highest hourly labor costs among the Detroit Three, to be more competitive. “We are pleased with this new contract,” said John Fleming, Ford executive vice president in charge of Global more
Calling Dr. Ford: Health Comes To Connectivity
By Dale Buss September 20, 2011Ford and other automakers might be able to help you monitor your heartbeat in the car, check your blood-sugar levels and police the cabin air for pollens. But will you want them to? The leaps and bounds taken by cockpit automotive electronics are rapidly propelling the industry into marvelous new realms of technological possibility not visited since the onset of General Motors’ OnStar and GPS-enabled location services more than a decade ago. And despite the fact that these advances also come with disquieting privacy issues, the expansion of health-monitoring services in the vehicle seems as inevitable as the next more
Ford Reboots MyFord Touch
By Dale Buss September 13, 2011When Ford was singled out for especially derogatory treatment in J.D. Power’s annual initial-quality survey (IQS) over the summer, the harsh critique sent a jolt through the entire company. The downgrade from fifth to 23rd in the list was deep and fundamental: Power slashed Ford’s standing in a trusted gauge that has become highly influential with American consumers, and it did so mainly due to suddenly high customer dissatisfaction with an innovation that has been drawing new buyers to Ford by the thousands. Deployed in models such as Focus and Fiesta, Sync had powered Ford back onto the consideration more
Ford Taken With High Vista Roof Take Rates
By Bill Visnic August 30, 2011Ford Motor Co. has been busy extolling the virtues of its latest drivetrain and infotainment technologies, but buyers, meanwhile, also have connected with another less-flashy – though definitely light-enhancing – piece of optional equipment: Vista Roof, the gargantuan new-generation sunroofs Ford and its Lincoln premium-car division now offer for several models. Take rates for the not-inexpensive Vista Roof are climbing as customers seem to be sending the message they’ll pay for the feeling of expansiveness the option provides. more
'Futuring' Connelly Helps Ford See Better Ideas
By Dale Buss August 22, 2011Think of her as the Faith Popcorn of Ford Motor Co. Sheryl Connelly is the head of global consumer trends and "futuring" for the automaker, and as such she’s in charge of helping Ford stay ahead – preferably way ahead – of the trends outside the industry that will be impinging on it for years to come. Challenge or opportunity, it’s the job of the 43-year-old, multi-degreed sage to help her bosses figure out how Ford can take advantage of what’s going to unfold in a fast-moving future – or at least not to be blindsided by it. more
New Vehicles, High Content Fuel Ford's Formula
By Dale Buss August 17, 2011Sales of Ford's newest U.S. models are mounting. More Explorers have been sold in the first five months of this year than all of last year. Focus sales were up 7 percent for the period despite second-quarter availability constraints. And Fiesta became Ford's third-best-selling car nameplate during the first six months from basically nothing as it got its start a year earlier. But even more important to Ford executives than the encouraging sales results, is who's buying Explorer, Focus and Fiesta (above), and how much they’re spending. U.S. purchasers are loading up these vehicles to a remarkable extent, and they are more