One Ford not working : Ford design chief

[Brazen]

http://carsales.mobi/editorial/details/ED-ITM-104435

Ford's revolutionary policy to develop just one car for each market segment globally will be gradually watered down, says the US car-maker's global design chief, Moray Callum, because it "has peaked".

Launched by former Ford boss, Alan Mulally, the One Ford strategy is largely responsible for the current Mustang being developed in right-hand drive and for small cars like the Fiesta launched in the US.

Helping share the costs over all markets, One Ford helped the car-making giant recover from the 2008 financial crisis but now will be scaled back, reports Autocar, after an interview with Callum.


Refusing to confirm the policy will be abandoned completely, Callum says One Ford "was the right approach at the time", but told the Brit mag that now new models made by the car-maker must be "more tailored to each region".

Using the next-generation Focus as an example, Ford's design boss said: "It's an entry-level model in the US, but not in Europe".

In the future, Callum says both US and European versions of the Focus will look similar, but the versions sold in America would offer "less content".

Pushed further, the design boss admitted that the US Focus could be offered with a "less sophisticated suspension" -- something Callum claims is less vital in that market at that price point.

The Ford designer told Autocar the firm's current design language, what he calls "post-kinetic", will live on in future models. "We won't change it dramatically. It will just evolve".

Callum also confirmed to the British car magazine that the premium Vignale sub-brand will be expanded to the next Fiesta from launch, but will not spin-off a luxury standalone model for the foreseeable future.

[Wretched]

Doubtful it would be abandoned, silly if they did. it just needs refinement.
It works for other makes of similar ilk. You cannot just plant cars in various countries and hope it works. It will take time and a tweak here and there.

[Trump]

One Ford not working...

[CyberWasp]

Thanks Moray for coming to this conclusion after closing Australia's Factory.

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Thanks Moray for coming to this conclusion after closing Australia's Factory.

Yeah the ones losing $100's of millions of dollars.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Yeah the ones losing $100's of millions of dollars.

Apparently they're supposed to ignore old fashioned business ideas like "being profitable" and "selling volume" and instead just keep making cars that don't sell.
Apparently also for reasons someone said in comments a while ago, that: "But I can't afford a brand new car and what am I supposed to look at in years to come second hand??", as if companies care about second and third hand buyers in a decades time....

[Junkyard-Dog]

It always seemed like a bad idea to me, different customer bases prefer different styling cues. Dictating the aesthetics a customer should appreciate is never a good thing.

[NX74205]

In the future, Callum says both US and European versions of the Focus will look similar, but the versions sold in America would offer "less content".

Pushed further, the design boss admitted that the US Focus could be offered with a "less sophisticated suspension" -- something Callum claims is less vital in that market at that price point.

What I don't get is why they can't reposition the Focus to a more premium offering to compete with the Golf and the Civic (Civic is the top selling car in Canada for the past 17 years) instead of being the el cheapo "base" model. And a "less sophisticated suspension"? That just destroys what the Focus is, or should be about - a small car that actually loves corners.

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

Dictating the aesthetics a customer should appreciate is never a good thing.

Every other manufacturer does this. BMW; Mercedes; Audi; VW; Toyota; Hyundai ... they don't design different cars for different markets; they design one car and export them to different markets, albeit with minor tweaks to comply with various design laws.

Why should Ford be any different?

[Junkyard-Dog]

Originally Posted by NX74205

Every other manufacturer does this. BMW; Mercedes; Audi; VW; Toyota; Hyundai ... they don't design different cars for different markets; they design one car and export them to different markets, albeit with minor tweaks to comply with various design laws.

Why should Ford be any different?

Well BMW, MB, Audi and VW are premium brands. Customers would want them to share aesthetics globally (for reasons of prestige). It's worth noting that Toyota and Hyundai DO design and manufacture unique cars for certain markets. For example, the Hyundai Elantra Yue Dong.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

It's worth noting that Toyota and Hyundai DO design and manufacture unique cars for certain markets. For example, the Hyundai Elantra Yue Dong.

Nevertheless, every Hyundai we get here is also available in other countries; every Toyota we get here are available in other countries. Go through all the makes available in Australia and you won't find many, if any at all, that design cars uniquely for a specific market except for the manufacturer's own domestic market and/or markets big enough to support it. The vast majority of car makes and models are designed for and supplied to a global market.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

Well BMW, MB, Audi and VW are premium brands. Customers would want them to share aesthetics globally (for reasons of prestige). It's worth noting that Toyota and Hyundai DO design and manufacture unique cars for certain markets. For example, the Hyundai Elantra Yue Dong.

VW premium?

Toyota and Hyundai have a "global aesthetics" too...not sure what you mean by this...

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by NX74205

Every other manufacturer does this. BMW; Mercedes; Audi; VW; Toyota; Hyundai ... they don't design different cars for different markets; they design one car and export them to different markets, albeit with minor tweaks to comply with various design laws.

Why should Ford be any different?

Actually a lot do design different cars for different markets.

With Toyota

Small: Europe Auris, Australia Corolla, US Corolla (different to Australian model)

Mid: Europe Avensis, Australia Camry, US Camry.

Large: Australia Aurion, US Avalon.

Ute: Europe Hilux, Australia Hilux, US Tacoma.

People Mover: Europe ProAce Verso, Australia Tarago, US Sienna.



The US does very well with Toyota, would love their US market 4Runner:

[Bossxr8]

That is one hiddeously ugly pos.

[jimt3te50]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

That is one hiddeously ugly pos.

Agreed. Can't be bothered to find the "kill it with fire" meme, but I'm sure it applies here

[XWGT]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

That is one hiddeously ugly pos.

Seriously spat coffee over that one.
Well played and spoken for truth

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

That is one hiddeously ugly pos.

Agreed. Toyotas are overrated and generally ugly pieces of ****. They do absolutely nothing for me.

[Kieron]

What Callum's saying is a logical progression. Pre One Ford, there were many completely different cars in the same market segement. US Ford Focus/Euro Ford Focus, Aus Falcon/US 500 (renamed Taurus)/US Crown Victoria being a few.

One Ford consolidated them with one essentially identical model for each market segment across the world, saving development $$'s and saving Ford (GM didn't do this and fell). Now, they are taking those same One Ford models and tailoring them for each country if need be. Same as what other manufacturers are doing.

[Sprintey]

Now after Australian production is closed, they admit it.

D'oh! D'oh! D'OH! D'oh!! d'OH!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnaeIAEp2pU

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Now after Australian production is closed, they admit it.

D'oh! D'oh! D'OH! D'oh!! d'OH!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnaeIAEp2pU

Admit what?

Clearly the article states One Ford contributed to savings Ford global's bacon. All they are saying now is they will be tailoring those same models for each market. Nothing to do with us losing the Falcon/Territory and local manufacture.


@Sabantien
No of course One Ford didn't directly kill Holden/Toyota manufacturing alone.

GM followed Ford though with their version which killed Commodore/local manufacture. Toyota of course has for a long time had 'One Toyota' but with the other two going, it was inevitable Toyota would follow suite as they all rely on each other to a degree

Territory was on an aging orphan platform, the Edge is also on an aging platform but shared with a few Ford models.

As good as it is, Barra is again an orphan engine as well as a large capacity (goes against Fords Ecoboost philosophy) and due to it's physical size, isn't as easy to slot under Ford bonnets as the global Ecoboost V6 (available as twin turbo) which can be mounted east/west or north/south.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Kieron

As good as it is, Barra is again an orphan engine as well as a large capacity (goes against Fords Ecoboost philosophy) and due to it's physical size, isn't as easy to slot under Ford bonnets as the global Ecoboost V6 (available as twin turbo) which can be mounted east/west or north/south.

People forget this...

Just have a look at how high the newer designs sit...pedestrian clearances...

[Sabantien]

Did One Ford kill off Holden and Toyota manufacturing in Australia too?

It was always going to happen.

That said, I definitely feel there could have been a bit more of an Australian contribution to the lineup. Yeah yeah, aussie engineers worked on the Ranger and Everest.

Quite honestly, if the Territory had some decent development dollars thrown at it and a tech/interior upgrade, a vehicle already being compared to a Porsche Cayenne would come into its own.

While the Falcon wouldn't go anywhere outside of Australia, the barra sure could have. An engine type more associated with performance euro cars with Mad Max heritage, there's some marketing crap for the yanks. A turbo barra in a Mustang (and again, throw money Ford Australia never had at the engine) would embarrass the GT, but given that they are committed to putting out even more performance models, surely it could have found a place or two.

[Syndrome]

Stupid septics.

[blackf6]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Stupid septics.

Is your crapper broken?
One Ford works for me. I buy one Ford, and drive it. You can only drive one car at a time anyway.

[Whitey-AMG]

The program is working perfectly.
soon there will only be one Ford that sells at all over here....
The Franger ( Ford Ranger )
Job done.

[roddy1960]

G'day...I'm over it all now...I'll drive Falcons while I can...As silly as this sounds , the pain is over , we've been put out of our misery..ALL GONE...
At the risk of going off topic , here's a correlation I've just had that kind of has parallels to Ford Australia manufacturing demise.
In mid 2015 I noticed muck developing in my dear old cat's right eye..It got worse over a few weeks. I eventually took her to the vet...diagnosed a slow growing benign tumor..He suggested to put her down.. I said no because she was still functioning okay..I watched ,knowing full well she was on borrowed time but she kept going .
Most days you couldn't tell there was anything wrong and a product called Tricin helped greatly but the eye was getting slowly worse and the physical appearances were obvious but she wasn't in pain still functioning fairly normally though..
Two weeks ago she finally stopped eating , cleaning herself and toileting and I booked in an appointment to let her go at the clinic the next day but she passed away that night..
I was relieved that about 18 months of anguish for me (selfishly probably) was over , knowing the inevitable was coming but hard to face that fact..
After it actually happened I recall the fun that little black cat , (Bonnie) gave me over 17 years but now she was actually gone I wouldn't want her back the way she finished up..
In so many ways this the same as Ford Australia manufacturing in the past 91 years , 56 for Falcon and the past three years since closure was announced...then finally termination..then relief the pain is over..
I'm not TOTALLY convinced that One Ford will work as they hope but I hope it does..A bit like me and Bonnie..We had a special bond , just like with my Border Collie and Kelpie but that doesn't mean I'll never have another 'import' cat , just not for a while to see what happens.. This will be exactly the same for many of us and how One Ford deals with Australia over time..
P.S.. GMH and Toyota face all this about this time next year..Our grieving will be over by then and we'll be getting on with life after locally built Fords..just like me and dear old Bonnie..Gone but not forgotten..not ever...
Cheers Rod..

[aussie muscle]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syndrome View Post
Stupid septics.

Originally Posted by blackf6

Is your crapper broken?
One Ford works for me. I buy one Ford, and drive it. You can only drive one car at a time anyway.

it's old australian lingo (nicknamed with a rhyming word). Yank rhymes with Tank, then someone added septic (tank). so Septic = American.

yeah, stupid i know.

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syndrome View Post
Stupid septics.


it's old australian lingo (nicknamed with a rhyming word). Yank rhymes with Tank, then someone added septic (tank). so Septic = American.

yeah, stupid i know.

How the yanks have taken us over and wiped out our identity. We are now having to explain what septics means in Australian slang on an Australian forum.

[Joe5619]

That article really confuses me.. Does he even understand what one Ford is?? They'll be the same car, but the US one will be cheaper because it will just have less content... They have always been different models (the Australia version has different content to the rest of the world), if the cars are still the same, then it still one ford?? WTF is actually changing? the model content within each market? Not exactly walking away from one Ford if you ask me.


And when did Alan leave?

[LeadFoot81]

The article is a beat up.

In a nut shell, Ford are making an effort to spec cars properly for each region.

Just like every other car maker.

One Ford is not a failure, nor is it being abandoned.

[Polyal]

Everyone else other than the US has had global languages for ages...I dont know why they think they are so special. Global cars work, you just narrow the margin for error, but if you do it right its the only logical strategy.