Ford CEO Alan Mulally Is Now In The Lead To Be Microsoft's CEO

[LeadFoot81]

To all the people complaining about uninspiring products from Ford, and bleating that Mulally isn't a 'product guy'...what's really gotten worse in the last 8 years? Ford has better products in all segments (and is now properly competing in some untapped ones) and soon the range will have the global Mustang as a halo model. Mulally spearheaded the delivery of the right products for the right people at the right time, and this has equalled $$$

Is Ford's revitalised range the problem? Or is Falcon's retirement in 2016 colouring your opinions?

[LTDmonger]

I still stand by my comment.
I have no grievances with Mulally's efforts in regard to Ford's bottom line and steering a clear path through the GFC.
What savvy CEO wouldn't have?
To those who say the last 8 years have brought 'exciting' new models vastly superior to their competitors please, enlighten me.
Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo....any reason that I would select one over a Mazda/Toyota/Hyandai of the same?
Mustang?...a couple of grainy spy-shots and it's already the best new sports car to date.
F-series?...where is it?,why can't I buy one? it's supposed to be 'one Ford now'
Ford is fast becoming the 'new' Toyota and this seems to please the masses.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

I still stand by my comment.
I have no grievances with Mulally's efforts in regard to Ford's bottom line and steering a clear path through the GFC.
What savvy CEO wouldn't have?
To those who say the last 8 years have brought 'exciting' new models vastly superior to their competitors please, enlighten me.
Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo....any reason that I would select one over a Mazda/Toyota/Hyandai of the same?
Mustang?...a couple of grainy spy-shots and it's already the best new sports car to date.
F-series?...where is it?,why can't I buy one? it's supposed to be 'one Ford now'
Ford is fast becoming the 'new' Toyota and this seems to please the masses.

So they should have kept the ones that dont sell, like your beloved LTD and been out of business already....
The Falcon/Territory etc themselves arent exactly vastly superior....
The ones that sell, will continue to be sold in a few years time, the ones that dont have gone and are going, after all Ford is a business and they need to make money.
Some people will never be happy.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

To those who say the last 8 years have brought 'exciting' new models vastly superior to their competitors please, enlighten me.
Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo....any reason that I would select one over a Mazda/Toyota/Hyandai of the same?

Quality, dynamics and drive train would be three of the top reasons why.
You only have to read the multiple reviews of these three segments and each time a car is reviewed it is automatically compared to Focus/Fiesta/Mondeo (Golf/Polo too) as benchmarks.

Why would you select it or should, that is up to your own preference and requirements. Just like any other car.

As for exciting, in the last 8 years...well we have had 2 versions of the Focus ST, both brilliant in terms of handling and fun factor; only outshone by the Megane RS, 2 versions of the Fiesta ST again showing the others in the segment how it is done.
We have also had the Focus RS....nuff said.
Mondeo XR5.

Whilst I have no right to dictate a person's preference of car, I think there is enough justification as to why the Fords in all three of the above segments are more than capable of out shining all but the VW.

Mustang?...a couple of grainy spy-shots and it's already the best new sports car to date.
F-series?...where is it?,why can't I buy one? it's supposed to be 'one Ford now'
Ford is fast becoming the 'new' Toyota and this seems to please the masses.

Really? One Ford is not something that will happen within a couple of months, you need to wait until product and model cycles are refreshed. Not all of the current generation were built for RHD, not all compliant with our standards, marketing needs to be prepped, people trained, etc. These things take time and we're finally seeing it happening (Kuga, confirmation of RHD Mustang, etc).

Ford is there to make money out of selling volume cars. They are NOT a niche car maker. Ford have always sold to the masses, that was the mantra at the start. So what if they are the next Toyota, I am happy about that, massive sales, big profits and even more exciting product range that Toyota. In my opinion this current range of Ford worldwide is the best they have had in a long time.

[Bucknaked]

Care factor.

[DJM83]

And to add to the above IMO ford have out done VW with many of their cars, starting with the ST twins.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

Ford is fast becoming the 'new' Toyota and this seems to please the masses.

Ford have always been a "Toyota" from day dot, well actually Toyota became a Ford...the whole point of Ford and the Model T was to provide the world with a basic, popular car. When the company has money and freedom, then the other markets can be attacked, such as cars like the GT40.

Mustang, thunderbird, falcon, all cars originally built to please the masses...

And you have to please the masses, ford build a range of passenger and commercial vehicles, cars that a majority of people buy world wide. To put down a man and his company for building up a successful post GFC company by only coming up with a "Toyota" comment is bland and ingnorant dribble...

[prydey]

Originally Posted by tezxr8man

I have driven pretty much every ford on the market in oz right now and I can say that besides the Rspec GT or the turbo falcons, nothing really gives me that feeling of enjoyment or that feeling of yes I want this.

have you driven the focus ST?

i was driven around ford's own test track at the proving grounds, by their world class test driver, firstly in an Rspec, and then in an ST, and if I'm honest, the ST impressed me more!! not just me either. most that were there on the day were impressed by this fantastic affordable car.

the Rspec was mighty, but we kind of all knew what to expect. the ST, for many, was the eye opener.

if i could fit more luggage in it, i would replace my falcon in a heartbeat.

in my opinion, it would go close to being the best car in their current line up.

without mullaly, there is a very real possibility that these kind of products would never happen. he doesn't design the cars. he just steers the ship, which enables the company to be profitable, and subsequently be able to have more freedom.

companies that have ceo's that interfere with design and input, generally don't last very long, or sell cars for 6 figures.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

Mustang?...a couple of grainy spy-shots and it's already the best new sports car to date.

The current Mustang is a fantastic car! The next generation should finally appease the live axle whiners.

Originally Posted by tezxr8man

He has done a great job business wise with FoMoCo but most of the cars are boring and front wheel drive now which is cheaper to produce not nessesarily better, there are exceptions but mostly they have lost soul lately

The ST models are getting rave reviews. The SHO is so ridiculous that it is endearing. But if "soul" means RWD only, then perhaps you are correct.

Originally Posted by chevypower

It's a shame they wasted the "Mark" name on the three-letter abbreviation for the current models MKX, MKS etc. Makes it hard to go back.

Yeah, that was Lincoln's dumbest move ever. They seem to be circling the bottom of the bowl with Acura at the moment, though, so I guess a similar naming scheme makes sense.

I'm hoping they'll dumpt that when they come up with some truly new products.

[LTDmonger]

Originally Posted by DJM83

So they should have kept the ones that dont sell, like your beloved LTD and been out of business already....
The Falcon/Territory etc themselves arent exactly vastly superior....
The ones that sell, will continue to be sold in a few years time, the ones that dont have gone and are going, after all Ford is a business and they need to make money.
Some people will never be happy.

What ever cars I choose to drive/own has NOTHING to do with my comment.
For your information I was one of the first in WA to test drive and privately purchase a EcoBoost Falcon.
More than enough space to stash my stilettos.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

What ever cars I choose to drive/own has NOTHING to do with my comment.
For your information I was one of the first in WA to test drive and privately purchase a EcoBoost Falcon.
More than enough space to stash my stilettos.

Good for you, I guess your one of the 5 that have one.
My post was more in reference to the ford cars that don sell. Not what cars you own.

[janddbone]

Fords are not selling in Aus, that was my point. Most of these fantastic models that our foreign friends speak of are still not available here...

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by brett.r.johnstone

Fords are not selling in Aus, that was my point. Most of these fantastic models that our foreign friends speak of are still not available here...

Not selling? Really?


Ford are the 5th highest selling brand this month...if supply issues were better, you could see ford up in the top 3...


That's pretty darn good for a brand that has copped a lot of public backlash from the shutting down of manufacturing.

[Bossxr8]

Is it really that great from a company that has been either no 1 or 2 for the past 5 or so decades?

I doubt Ford has ever been so far down the top sellers list.

[stang65]

so whats mulally going to do at Microsoft..... create one Windows?...Make all computer front hard drive...lol... sorry...(chuckles)

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Is it really that great from a company that has been either no 1 or 2 for the past 5 or so decades?

I doubt Ford has ever been so far down the top sellers list.

you realise ford australia is only a small part of the ford empire don't you. pretty sure those rating mulally, won't take too many marks off because he decided to kill an orphan model being made on a tiny little island out in the middle of the ocean.

[stang65]

Psssst....... we are a big island of little significance in the middle of nowhere that everybody likes to dump their crap......

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by prydey

you realise ford australia is only a small part of the ford empire don't you. pretty sure those rating mulally, won't take too many marks off because he decided to kill an orphan model being made on a tiny little island out in the middle of the ocean.

What has that got to do with what I said. Obviously comprehension is not your strong point.

Obviously what I said had nothing to do with Mullally, and everything to do with the poor job Ford Australia have done selling cars here.

With the cars they have in the line up they should not be being outsold by inferior rivals.

Focus is the highest selling car in the world, especially in Europe and the US is it right up there as one of the highest selling small cars, but here its getting smashed by older and inferior cars. It should be top 3 here if Ford had a sales and marketing team that wasn't made up with a team of rejects.

Nice finely vailed swipe by the way. Bravo.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by stang65

so whats mulally going to do at Microsoft..... create one Windows?...Make all computer front hard drive...lol... sorry...(chuckles)

[SSD-85]

MS have trouble articulating a vision for how the company operates? Seriously?


They could sum it up by simply saying "We own your soul."

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Obviously what I said had nothing to do with Mullally,

this whole thread is about Mulally. all the comments about ford's model line up were in reference to the man at the top not being a 'car' guy.

this whole thread is about ford and mulally and microsoft, so if someone says that ford are actually selling quite well, shouldn't you bear in mind the title of the thread, instead of using it as another opportunity to bag the local arm??

if ford import 1000-1500 cars of a global model, and sell nearly all of them, i don't see the problem. do you think there are people in ford that scrutinize the vfacts figures like they do here on AFF? please.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by prydey

this whole thread is about Mulally. all the comments about ford's model line up were in reference to the man at the top not being a 'car' guy.

this whole thread is about ford and mulally and microsoft, so if someone says that ford are actually selling quite well, shouldn't you bear in mind the title of the thread, instead of using it as another opportunity to bag the local arm??

if ford import 1000-1500 cars of a global model, and sell nearly all of them, i don't see the problem. do you think there are people in ford that scrutinize the vfacts figures like they do here on AFF? please.

And that is completely where you are wrong!! The Ford "analyst" person would be scrutinizing those figures far greater than anyone on this website. I know the company I work for does, we even spent money creating a database that helps analyst sell through data. And if Ford don't, it might help us all to understand why Ford (in Australia) has been on a 9 years sales slide.


That aside, Mulally has done a fantastic job on a global scale & truly saved Ford from closing the doors

[prydey]

maybe i should have put the 'like they do here on AFF' in bold! i have no doubt they analyse sales data. they would know well before vfacts what their sales are like, but they would also have a lot of other data that the public aren't privy to, and would use it in conjunction with sales data to see how the products are tracking. AFF look at one figure - falcon sales - and then run around like chicken little.

[Moby Vic]

Or Falcon Little. Too Falcon Little.

[janddbone]

I can't see how Ford or their dealers could be pleases with current sales, considering the size of the dealer network, and company history.

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by brett.r.johnstone

I can't see how Ford or their dealers could be pleases with current sales, considering the size of the dealer network, and company history.

Well then we'll all be knocked over in the rush as these dealers relinquish their franchises . Somehow I don't think so .

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by prydey

this whole thread is about Mulally. all the comments about ford's model line up were in reference to the man at the top not being a 'car' guy.

this whole thread is about ford and mulally and microsoft, so if someone says that ford are actually selling quite well, shouldn't you bear in mind the title of the thread, instead of using it as another opportunity to bag the local arm??

if ford import 1000-1500 cars of a global model, and sell nearly all of them, i don't see the problem. do you think there are people in ford that scrutinize the vfacts figures like they do here on AFF? please.

I've actually been in meetings that have scrutinized the figures in areas you wouldn't even imagine. You have no clue. And by the way Ford aren't happy with the number of cars they are selling here. Nor should they be.

And as a matter of fact outside of China and the US things aren't too good for Ford at the moment, but with the economy in Europe it's to be expected. Luckily they are making so much money in the US and China it more than covers for their losses in other places.