Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Tuesday March 19, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
NASIOC
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC General > News & Rumors > Non-Subaru News & Rumors

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-24-2008, 10:53 PM   #1
Chromer
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 20325
Join Date: Jun 2002
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Vehicle:
08 Yamaha WR250R
07 Suzuki DL650

Default Bill Ford Jr. wants to Ford to become the "Green Oval"

"After 15 years of relying on pickup trucks and S.U.V.'s for profit, Ford is putting the bulk of its capital investment into smaller cars."

"...in the next two years, 75 percent of our vehicles will qualify for their definition of advanced vehicle technology..."

Something hopeful from the US auto industry, for a change...

From the New York Times

Quote:
Ford Scion Looks Beyond Bailout to Green Agenda

By BILL VLASIC
Published: November 23, 2008

DEARBORN, Mich. - As the Detroit auto companies contend with their worst financial crisis in decades, the most famous American auto executive has stayed largely out of sight.

But William C. Ford Jr., the executive chairman and scion of the founding family of the Ford Motor Company, has been preparing for a bigger role in the industry's plan for survival.

While General Motors and Chrysler plead to Congress for a bailout, Mr. Ford has reached out to President-elect Barack Obama in hopes that his company can benefit from the administration's longer-term strategies for the auto industry.

Mr. Ford has been working behind the scenes, meeting one-on-one with Mr. Obama in August, conferring with his senior economic advisers, and teaming up with Gov. Jennifer Granholm of Michigan to push a vision of a leaner, greener auto industry.

With Detroit on the brink of disaster, the great-grandson of Henry Ford could play a critical role in how the Obama administration decides to assist the companies financially and shape broader energy policies.

"One of the things that I feel very encouraged about is the president-elect and where he'd like to take this country in terms of energy, and I completely buy into his vision," Mr. Ford said in an interview, his first since the Big Three approached Washington lawmakers about a rescue plan.

He can afford to take a longer view because Ford, unlike G.M. and Chrysler, does not need an immediate infusion of government aid to stay in business.

While Ford's chief executive, Alan R. Mulally, joined his counterparts from G.M. and Chrysler in testifying before Congress last week, Ford is not asking for an immediate bailout from Washington for now.

The company has enough cash on hand - $18.9 billion, as well as a $10.7 billion line of credit with private lenders - that will keep it running through 2009 without cutting development of its next generation of more fuel-efficient cars.

While Ford cannot continue to burn cash indefinitely, it is also not on the verge of bankruptcy like G.M. and Chrysler. And the health of the company presents a unique opportunity for Mr. Ford, 51, who has been chairman of the company since 1999 and served five years as its chief executive.

"We have a plan that is high-tech, product-driven, which is a fuel economy plan," he said. "And we have kept that plan in place under these tough conditions."

In August, Mr. Ford shared those plans with Mr. Obama, then candidate for president, when he was in Lansing, Mich., for a speech on energy policy.

"We talked about the electrification of our industry and other fuel-economy issues," Mr. Ford said. "He's a great listener and he asked all the right questions."

Mr. Ford said they focused on a few specific, industrywide issues. One was government help to put more electric cars on the road.

"One of the things we need to sort out as a country is batteries," Mr. Ford said. "We really don't want to trade one foreign dependency, oil, for another foreign dependency, batteries." The main producers of batteries are Asian manufacturers.

He does not profess to have Mr. Obama's ear yet on the how to save Detroit. But Mr. Ford is keeping close contact through Governor Granholm, a member of the president-elect's economic advisory team.

"I think he is a key player," she said of Mr. Ford. "He has tremendous credibility with respect to the serious issues related to renewable energy and energy security for this nation."

Mr. Ford has been Detroit's most vocal environmentalist since becoming the first family member to run Ford since his uncle, Henry Ford II.

Even when Ford was living off profits from its big sport utility vehicles, he was pushing to take the company in a greener direction. Ford was the first automaker to bring to market a hybrid version of an S.U.V., the Ford Escape, and it is introducing a new line of Ecoboost engines next year that will cut fuel consumption by up to 20 percent.

The Ford family controls the automaker by virtue of its 70.85 million shares of Class B stock, which carry 40 percent voting rights for the entire company.

But the family's wealth has taken a drastic hit as losses have mounted at Ford and its stock price has plunged.

The family's Class B shares were worth $101 million at Friday's closing price of $1.43 a share, down 81 percent from a year ago when the shares had a value of $532 million.

Mr. Ford also owns 5.2 million shares individually, which have dropped in value to $7.4 million from $39 million.

"The family clearly has taken an enormous financial beating," Mr. Ford said. "But the family still is here and standing behind the company."

The company is in better shape than G.M. and Chrysler, but just barely. Ford has lost $24 billion since 2006, and it reduced its cash cushion by $7.9 billion in the third quarter this year.

Two years ago, Ford was seen as the riskiest bet in the industry to survive when it mortgaged nearly all its assets, even its blue Ford oval trademark, to secure a huge line of credit.

Now, with the collapse of the credit market, G.M. and Chrysler cannot borrow money on their assets and could face insolvency by the end of the year without federal assistance.

Mr. Ford said his company was interested in being able to access government loans only if the economy continues to deteriorate. "We're trying very hard not to need it," he said. "Our plan is to have our own liquidity and get through without it."

Ford has already undergone an extensive revamping at the direction of Mr. Mulally, who succeeded Mr. Ford as the automaker's chief executive in 2006.

Since then, the company has cut 40,000 jobs, sold off three of its brands and begun an effort to transform its truck-heavy vehicle fleet with an influx of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

Mr. Ford remained in Detroit last week as Mr. Mulally endured two days of harsh criticism by lawmakers over Detroit's financial plight, along with G.M.'s chairman, Rick Wagoner, and Chrysler's chairman, Robert L. Nardelli.

In the interview, Mr. Ford said that some of the skepticism from Congress about the industry's future was justified. "I completely understand the frustration that Americans feel and it came out loud and clear this week," he said. "I don't think we told our story terribly well."

After 15 years of relying on pickup trucks and S.U.V.'s for profit, Ford is putting the bulk of its capital investment into smaller cars.

Much of the debate in Washington has centered on the best source of government money for an emergency loan program for Detroit.

One is a $25 billion low-interest loan program already passed by Congress that provides money specifically for improvements in fuel efficiency.

Ford has applied for $7 billion of those loans, which are administered by the Department of Energy. Mr. Ford expects that any aid from the Obama administration in the future will be tied to improvements in fuel economy.

"We just submitted our application to the D.O.E. and what's interesting is in the next two years, 75 percent of our vehicles will qualify for their definition of advanced vehicle technology," he said.

Mr. Ford said he was committed to helping Mr. Obama end America's dependence on foreign oil whether Detroit gets a bailout before the end of the year or not.

"It's all about fuel economy and energy independence," he said. "I passionately believe that Ford can and should be part of that solution."
Chromer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 11:04 PM   #2
Lantec
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 48685
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Coquitlam, B.C.
Vehicle:
2010 Prius
Silver

Default

Ford could have just brought over the Fiesta and Euro Focus sooner
Lantec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 11:21 PM   #3
Chromer
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 20325
Join Date: Jun 2002
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Vehicle:
08 Yamaha WR250R
07 Suzuki DL650

Default

Yes, but they didn't. Tough to change that decision now.

It sounds like they're finally on the right track, however. Maybe even (gasp!) starting to show some leadership. Can they survive until this stuff hits showrooms? Sounds like it could be a close thing...
Chromer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2008, 11:34 PM   #4
DivineStrike
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 162037
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Charleston, SC
Vehicle:
2007 VW GTI Black
2007 CBR600rr White

Default

Sounds to me like Ford is learning and the others are not...Go Ford american car monopoly! lol ^_^ But seriously I'm glad to see Ford doesn't feel like his company is heading for an impending doom like the others
DivineStrike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2008, 12:07 AM   #5
Hites
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 138997
Join Date: Jan 2007
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Belle Center, OH
Vehicle:
0000 Nothing

Default

im tellin ya, ford stock has hit rock bottom, and theyre reacting swiftly. if youre smart, you better buy up a ****load of ford stocks, cause in a few years, youre gonna be sittin mighty pretty.
Hites is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2008, 12:09 AM   #6
Tragedy
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 19011
Join Date: May 2002
Vehicle:
04 Y34

Default

^^ I was told the same about Pets.com.
Tragedy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru - Orangeburg, NY Oquipah Dealership Reviews 211 03-21-2018 12:10 PM
The Bill Kolb Jr Subaru experience *Vent Post* WagonGGA Tri-State Area Forum 60 02-24-2009 03:08 PM
Ford becoming the second big european brand AVANTI R5 Non-Subaru News & Rumors 3 01-18-2009 06:06 PM
Do you want the WRX to become the next Si? Necromancer Bay Area Impreza Club Forum -- BAIC 5 06-21-2001 05:39 PM
Attn: Bill Harvey Jr.. Track day infoz Fish New England Impreza Club Forum -- NESIC 4 09-26-2000 01:10 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.