@ford Europe Nov 2008

November 2008

Connecting Ford People

ONE Ford for a changing world

Focused on today and tomorrow

04 Upfront

This is a year of two dramatically different halves. We had a tremendous first half, with record sales and impressive income, but the global economic uncertainty is now impacting business and consumer confidence and driving vehicle sales lower in many key markets. In the first quarter, the industry was forecasting a full year market of over 18 million vehicles. In the last quarter, the expectation is for 15.5 million units, or less. That is 2.5 million vehicles that the industry had geared up to produce, but which will not now be needed. The inevitable result as we are now seeing, is a scaling back of output to match the reduced demand. But while industry-wide sales across the main European markets are declining (down almost 9% in September), our market share is holding up. That is because of the strength of our range of products and its appeal to the hearts and minds of buyers. We will work hard to maintain that strength. Indeed, looking ahead, it is clear that small, economical cars will be in demand more and more, so our timing could not be better in having two outstanding new models, Fiesta and Ka, coming to the market at this time. We are also benefitting now from having taken difficult actions in the past to make our business leaner and more efficient. However, our financial break-even point is still too high, so there is more work to be done. But we are in a much stronger position today as a result of those past actions. Tough times call for tough decisions and the leadership team is prepared to do what it takes to safeguard our business and the continued flow of successful new products. As part of that commitment, our laser focus on cost cutting and income conservation will intensify as we respond to the difficult market situation in which we find ourselves at the moment and adjust so that our capacity matches our demand. But as we respond effectively to the challenges of today, we will also keep our focus on preserving our future. The intense focus on Ford of Europe’s business performance and future will continue following the announcement recently of my appointment as chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe, together with having responsibility for Volvo. My job title may be different and my day-to-day role may have changed in some regards but what remains the same is my passion to ensure all of us stay focused on our core business objectives. Thank you for your hard work. As a committed team working together we will emerge stronger from this challenging period.

08 Cover Story

Executive changes CLAD Awards 2008 Industry News

04

@Ford talks to Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company president and CEO, about ONE Ford

08 Ford News Included with this issue between pages 10 and 11

12 Feature New Ka expresses its individuality with three personalisation packs

14 Feature The new Focus RS makes torque steer a thing of the past

12

15 Sport A round-up of all the latest Ford motorsport news

16 Feature European dealers get to grips with the all-new Fiesta

18 Feature

14

Outstanding teamwork brings new Fiesta to the market with the highest quality

16 Feel the difference November 2008

John Fleming Executive vice president and chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe

Connecting Ford People

Upfront

New roles for Fleming and Booth John Fleming has been appointed executive vice president and chairman and chief executive officer, Ford of Europe, succeeding Lewis Booth. In his new role, Fleming has responsibility for Ford of Europe, Volvo Car Corporation and Ford’s Export Operations & Global Growth Initiatives. Fleming, 57, was named group vice president and president and CEO, Ford of Europe, in 2005. He joined Ford’s manufacturing operations in the UK in 1967.

Lewis Booth is appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer, Ford Motor Company, replacing Don Leclair, who retired on 1 November. Lewis Booth, 59, has held senior positions in Europe, Asia and North America. Leclair, 56, was named executive vice president and chief financial officer in August 2003. He joined Ford in 1976.

Fiesta is COTY finalist The all-new Fiesta is one of seven finalists in the Car of the Year 2009. The 59 members of the COTY jury considered some 37 models before selecting the final seven. The other finalists are the Alfa Romeo MiTo, Citroën C5, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Renault Mégane, Skoda

CLAD Awards 2008

Ford of Europe’s vice president of Purchasing, Birgit Behrendt, and vice president of Human Resources, Nick Caton, were in Cologne recently to present the 8th annual Chairman’s Leadership Awards for Diversity (CLAD). The awards recognise individuals at all levels within the Company whose actions have made a difference. They are based on the principle that everyone can be a leader in diversity, irrespective of their formal role within the Company. Eighty nominations were received reflecting a broad range of employee involvement within the business. The awards are presented in five categories – Leading the Way, Valuing a Diverse Workforce, Building a Respectful and Inclusive Environ-

4 | November 2008

Superb and Volkswagen Golf. For the final vote jury members have to apportion 25 points among at least five of the cars, providing a written justification of their choice. The result will be announced on 17 November.

Nick Caton and Birgit Behrendt with pupils from the Rainbow Nation who have established links with an orphanage in South Africa, as well as with schools in New Zealand and Cuba. They also carry out charitable work and collections

ment, Worklife Flexibility, and Developing External Partnerships. Each nomination is evaluated and considered on its individual merits. Among the highlights of the event were a recital by the Ford String Quartet, a presentation by five pupils from the Rainbow Nation – a diversity initiative by a UK-based school inspired by the life and work of Nelson Mandela – and in the afternoon a Design presentation by Ford of

Europe’s chief designer, Stefan Lamm. Behrendt commented: “Nelson Mandela said ‘education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world’ and the pupils from the Rainbow Nation are an example of how effectively this can be achieved with diversity.” For more on CLAD 2008 see the December Diversity@Ford magazine, due out on 10 December.

Ford renews GE fleet deal

Maltese dealer celebrates 80-year Ford link Gasan Enterprises has been Ford’s franchisee in Malta for 80 years. To celebrate that eightdecade relationship Gasan recently staged a number of anniversary events. The highlight was a ‘time tunnel’ display staged in the main hall of the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. The multimedia display included a number of vehicles and other memorabilia from five eras: the Twenties and Thirties; the Fourties and Fifties; the Sixties and Seventies; the Eighties and Nineties; and

2000 and beyond. The display included newspapers from the various eras announcing major national and international events, Gasan historical milestones and photographs, large plasma screens showing period footage and models dressed in costumes of the era. The celebrations were linked with the staging in Malta of the Ford of Europe European Direct Markets annual regional conference. The event was attended by Malta’s prime minister, Lawrence Gonzi.

Ford of Europe has renewed an International fleet deal with one of the world’s largest financial services and industrial groups – General Electric. GE employs some 315,000 people worldwide and has a European fleet of 12,000 vehicles. Ford has supplied vehicles to GE since 2000 but this latest deal, which covers 21 European markets, means that over the next two years a minimum of 70% of GE’s fleet purchases will be from Ford Motor Company. This equates to a minimum of 2,600 vehicles per year, 1,800 of which will be Ford Blue Oval, with the remainder coming from Volvo and Mazda. GE have also agreed to purchase around 640 units from Ford over the next 12 months in the US. “I am delighted that, after an intense tender process that began in May 2008, we have successfully renewed the European GE fleet deal,” said Miles Maiklem, Ford Pan-European B2B Operations Manager. “The customer decision making process was especially protracted this time due to fiercely competitive offers from other major manufacturers. However, the eightyear relationship, our excellent product range and the strong co-operation between the European Fleet Team and the National Sales Companies swayed the deal in our favour.”

MyKey gives U.S. parents peace of mind Ford Motor Company has revealed an innovative new technology designed to help parents encourage their

Ford offers GE a unique level of service, including a dedicated European Implementation Manager who provides regular product and marketing communications and has organised more than 150 meetings and events in 21 European markets in the past three years, all of which has helped to cement the relationship between the GE businesses and the Ford Motor Company brands.

teenagers to drive more safely and efficiently. MyKey™, which will debut on the 2010 North American Ford Focus, allows owners to programme a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed

fuel warnings and can be

and audio volume. MyKey also encour-

programmed to sound chimes

ages seatbelt usage, provides earlier low-

at 45, 55 and 65mph.

November 2008 | 5

Upfront Segment shares total Europe

Ford market share September 2008

January to August 2008

total vehicles by country (+/– 2007)

1. Fiat Panda 2. Fiat 500 (2007) 12. Ford Ka

15.1% 11.9% 3.6%

1. Citroën C4 Picasso 17.5% 2. Renault Mégane 16.0% 5. Ford C-MAX 9.6%

1. Peugeot 207 2. GM Corsa 4. Ford Fiesta

13.1% 11.3% 9.8%

1. VW Passat 2. Skoda Octavia 3. Ford Mondeo 9. Ford S-MAX

18.9% 13.3% 13.1% 4.6%

1. GM Meriva 2. Renault Modus 3. Ford Fusion

22.5% 15.7% 14.1%

1. Ford Galaxy 2. Renault Espace 3. VW Sharan

21.5% 18.0% 11.8%

1. VW Golf 2. Ford Focus 3. GM Astra

16.3% 13.4% 12.4%

1. Ford Transit 2. VW Transporter 3. Fiat Ducato

12.5% 10.4% 8.0%

Fiat launches eco:Drive Fiat has launched a new system which can actively help people drive more efficiently by giving them an accurate insight into how their driving style influences fuel consumption. On every journey the system, called eco:Drive, records details relating to the vehicle’s efficiency and the driving style. This data is then uploaded, via a USB stick, to the driver’s computer for analysis and scoring on an “ecoindex”. The programme also offers advice on how to drive in a more fuel efficient manner.

6 | November 2008

Renault and EDF partner on electric project French carmaker Renault and power group EDF have signed an agreement to develop a large scale electric car project with the goal of making electric vehicles a viable and attractive option by 2011. The partners plan to establish an all-electric infrastructure in France and are seeking partners to build a network of charging stations across the country, eventually creating what Renault calls an “Electric Mobility Operator” to manage the system.

A - Austria B - Belgium CH - Switzerland CZ - Czech Republic D - Germany DK - Denmark E - Spain F - France FIN - Finland GB - Great Britain GR - Greece H - Hungary I - Italy IRL - Ireland N - Norway NL - Netherlands P - Portugal PL - Poland S - Sweden RUS - Russia TR - Turkey TOTAL EUROPE

7.5% 8.0% 6.1% 10.5% 7.7% 6.7% 8.2% 5.3% 8.4% 14.9% 6.9% 10.3% 7.7% 16.3% 9.2% 10.2% 7.3% 5.2% 5.6% 4.2% 16.0%

(+0.4%) (+0.8%) (+1.9%) (+1.7%) (+0.8%) (-2.4%) (-1.4%) (+0.7%) (+0.2%) (-0.1%) (-0.7%) (-1.6%) (+/-0.0%) (+0.9%) (+1.5%) (+1.3%) (+0.8%) (-1.8%) (-0.8%) (-2.0%) (-0.9%)

8.6%

(-0.7%)

Mazda3 to debut in LA

Volvo aims for better sound

The all-new Mazda3 is to debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 19 November. Fully redesigned for the first time in five years, the new Mazda3 promises a more refined yet sporty ride, impressive fuel economy and environmental and safety features based on Mazda’s longterm “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” vision. Since its launch in 2003, the current Mazda3 has sold around 1.8 million vehicles in over 100 countries and has won more than 90 global awards. It accounts for almost one in three Mazdas sold every year.

Volvo Cars has launched a cooperative venture with American audio specialists Audyssey Labs as part of the development of the next generation of audio systems for its cars. In any listening environment, surfaces absorb and reflect sound causing distortion which degrades the listening experience. The US company has developed a unique technology, MultEQ, to remove the problems of sound distortion.

Top 5 markets by volume January to September 2008

Top 5 markets by share January to September 2008

Market

Market

1. UK 2. Germany 3. Italy 4. Russia 5. France

Volume

1. UK 2. Turkey 3. Ireland 4. Hungary 5. Spain

335 804 181 134 147 345 141 420 106 080

Share

16.1 % 14.6 % 13.6 % 11.6 % 9.5 %

Total industry Europe 2008 YTD Cars Commercials

13 433 005 2 614 481

Across our main 19 European markets we sold 136,700 vehicles in September, gaining a market share of 9.3 %. While our unit sales were lower, reflecting a near 9 % fall in industry volumes, we made gains in several major markets. September is a bumper month for Britain with buyers attracted by the introduction of a new registration plate. This year the overall market was down about 20 %, but we sold 55,700 units for a market leading share of 14.9 %. Germany had yet another strong month, increasing sales by 7 % to 22,300 and improving market share by 0.8 % to 7.7 %. The gradual but steady improvement in our performance in Germany is particularly pleasing. France also continued to pull ahead, increasing sales by more than a quarter to 12,000. Share was up 0.7 % to 5.3 % and we were the leading non-French brand. In a declining Italian market we sold fewer vehicles but our share of 7.7 % was unchanged from last September. We were the country’s leading imported brand. With the Spanish economy in sharp decline our sales dropped to 6,400, but we retained year-to-date passenger car market leadership. Among other highlights we overtook Toyota to take leadership of the Irish market and we were passen-

(-13 013) (-24 786)

ger car leaders in the Netherlands with a total vehicle share of 10.2 % (+1.3 %). Sales were also higher in Portugal, Norway, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Outside the EU19 bloc we sold 12,500 vehicles in Russia, 6,900 in Turkey and 5,500 in our EDM markets, taking the total for our 51 markets to 161,660. The Fiesta was our top model in September, selling 31,600 across our main 19 markets. An impressive 8,500 of those vehicles were New Fiestas, which is a huge success. The Focus was close behind with 30,800. Mondeo sales totalled 15,500, C-MAX sold 10,570 and S-MAX 4,300. Among our commercial vehicles, Transit sold 17,600 and Transit Connect 4,500. Year-to-date While the global economic downturn continued to impact auto sales in some of our main 19 markets, our share for the first nine months was 8.7 %, unchanged from last year. But while share was steady, our unit sales slipped 4 %, to 1,149,800, in line with the decline in the total industry. Our sales in some major markets were weaker but there were increases in a number of countries, including Germany (+5.6 %), France (+11.8 %), Belgium (+8.9 %) and the Netherlands (+6.8 %).

Across all of our 51 European markets we sold 1,414,500 units in the first nine months of this year. Ford sales in Russia and the European Direct Markets continued to be strong. Year-to-date sales in Russia increased by 17.7 %, to over 141,000, with the EDM markets rising more than 38 % to 66,000. The market will continue to be challenging but I remain optimistic because we have an outstanding and fresh range of new products and, together with our dealer partners, we are working hard to give customers the high quality vehicles and service they want. I expect general economic concerns to continue in the months ahead but we are focused on bringing more new models to market, including our all-new small cars, the Fiesta and Ka. FCSD performance Although the difficult economic environment is starting to affect parts and service sales, particularly in Western Europe, the FCSD team is ensuring every market has a specific plan in place to improve service traffic in Q4 through aggressive advertising and targeted offers for older vehicles. These actions will continue into 2009 with a specific focus on addressing the key concerns of dealer and customer confidence.

COMMENT By Ingvar Sviggum Vice president, Marketing Sales and Service

• Sales YTD September: 2.9 % above prior year. • September sales: 1.6 % above prior year - key growth markets were Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey and Portugal. VP Production Channel also continued to be a strong contributor to total sales. • Service Satisfaction YTD September: Customer satisfaction with Car and CV workshop service above objective.

November 2008 | 7

Coverstory

ONE Ford for a changing world

In recent years motoring markets around the world have been changed fundamentally by the influence of a range of global trends, such as higher fuel costs and concern for the environment. The result is that today, customers in those markets want essentially the same thing: vehicles that are high quality, fuel efficient, sustainable, safe and good value. And they want it all wrapped up in a stylish and great driving package. Because of this seismic shift there has never been a better time for truly global vehicles, nor for truly global companies to provide them and prosper. That is why two years ago Ford embarked on its ONE Ford strategy of forging its global resources into a single entity, focused on developing and producing a range of commonplatform vehicles that deliver what customers around the world want. The Fiesta is the start. It is our first truly global Ford car and, as such, the first manifestation of ONE Ford. European consumers are the first to get this new small car. They will be followed by motorists in Asia Pacific and North America as the model spreads around the world.

8 | November 2008

The architect of ONE Ford, Ford Motor Company’s president and CEO, Alan Mulally, was at the Paris Motor Show last month and shared his vision of the future with the media. “Clearly, customers from around the world are coming together to care about a few key characteristics,” he told them. “One is quality, the second is fuel mileage and low CO2, and another is safety. The final characteristic is better value – a smart decision.” He added: “Never in the history of the auto industry have those requirements in the customers’ eyes come together in all of the markets around the world. And the Ford plan and the strategy we’re on is to serve our customers in Europe, Africa and Russia, that’s about onethird of the market, the Americas, which is about another third, and also the markets in Asia Pacific, which is the final third. We are going to be there in all three markets. “The second part of our strategy is that within a few years 60% of all the vehicles that are sold around the world will be in the smaller size. About 25% will be in the medium size and about 15% will be in the larger size. “We are going to be there for our customers in small, medium and large vehicles – cars, utilities and trucks – and they will be the very best in every segment.

“So this is a tremendously exciting time for all in Ford Motor Company and for the auto industry in general.” Fiesta is the pioneer, leading the way for other global Ford models. The next generation Focus will follow in its tyre tracks. It has also been announced that future C/D cars will be developed in the US for global customers, as Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Programmes and Product Development for Ford of Europe, explained: “As part of our global core engineering we’re trying to utilise resources in the best way worldwide. What we’re going to do on C/D cars in the US is put together an international team, and some of the key players in that team will be, of course, European so that we can continue to bring the expertise that we’ve developed in Europe to the next generation Mondeo. “So it’s going to be good for Europe, it’s going to help us balance the workload and the result will be that everybody globally is going to get better products. I’m looking forward to getting the team up and running in the US.”

Global vision What are your impressions of the Ford stand? On the Ford stand we have world-class Ford cars, and to see the response that we’re getting from consumers, suppliers and the media about the quality of our vehicles, especially the fuel efficiency, is just tremendous. That gives us a lot of hope for the future as it shows we’re doing the right thing for Ford. We’re going to complement our leadership in trucks and SUVs with a full range of outstanding cars that people really will value. It’s very exciting.

When he visited the Paris Motor Show last month Ford Motor Company’s president and CEO, Alan Mulally, was the centre of media attention. But in a hectic schedule he spoke to @Ford about the Company’s progress, ambitions and challenges

The Fiesta arrives in North America in 2010, why not sooner? The Fiesta originally was designed without consideration of unique requirements on emissions and safety in the US. At the time, fuel prices were relatively low, and so we focused on the fuel efficiency of smaller vehicles mainly for the European and Asian markets. Now that fuel prices are higher in the US customers want smaller vehicles. Fiesta is going to be the first one that will delight US consumers. Derrick Kuzak (group vice president, Product Development) and his team are moving as quickly as they can to satisfy the requirements of the US market and then launch the new Fiesta in North America in 2010. Right now we’re launching it in Europe. Early next year it will be in Asia Pacific. Which customers around the world do you believe will buy this model? I think it goes back to what the consumers are looking for today. First of all, with fuel prices being high, they really want fuel efficiency. They want first class quality, they want it to be sustainable, they want safety and they want neat fit and finish. The Fiesta is all of that and it’s going to serve customers around the world. The Fiesta is

November 2008 | 9

Coverstory the first of our global cars that are going to deliver the kind of fuel efficiency, safety, driving dynamics and quality that consumers will buy from now on. This is not the first time we’ve launched a global car, what’s different this time? I think that the biggest difference now is that consumer requirements are coalescing, they’re coming together. When we had low fuel prices and low interest rates in the US the consumers chose larger vehicles, and we provided great ones, our SUVs and trucks were absolutely world class. But as fuel prices have gone up, like we’ve all seen, then the consumers also want neat, smaller vehicles. We’re going to have cars in the sub-B, the B, the C, the C/D size and support all of our customers in Asia Pacific, the Americas and Europe. What impact is the economic slowdown having on that strategy? The situation worldwide is a concern to all of us because we are slowing down economically, not only in the US, but also in Europe and Asia Pacific. And these things are natural, they usually

go in cycles; you have a lot of growth followed by a cooling off of the economy. So we are in this part of the cycle, but what’s different now is that we have really high fuel prices around the world. So in addition to a cyclical effect, we also have a structural effect, and consumers want even more fuel efficient, smaller vehicles. We are responding, which is the most important thing we can do, by sizing production to real demand and accelerating the development of new products that people really want. We’ve got the liquidity in place to do both of those and I think the real value of leveraging our global assets and working together as a global team is that ONE Ford is going to be absolutely the differentiator and a competitive advantage for Ford. How would you summarise Ford Motor Company’s position in North America and globally? North America is clearly dealing with a tough situation. We have very good trucks and SUVs, we focused on those and our customers love them. Now we’re seeing a retraction of the global economy, especially in the US, and, as I said, with high fuel prices customers also want smaller vehicles. So the most important thing is that we size ourselves to the real demand, which we’re doing, and then bring in new vehicles. It’s a tough situation. Everyone is pulling together and I’m so pleased with the way that we’re working together. The worst thing would be if we didn’t take decisive action because then we’d be in a very, very difficult situation. So we should continue to take decisive action and deal with this very tough business environment. But everybody’s working at it and everybody knows it’s important. So we’ll get the business turned around and we’re going to be there with a full portfolio of outstanding products.

Look back at Paris The big news on the Ford stand was the arrival of the new Ka, but it was not the only highlight. Among an extensive range was a new Kuga derivative with a 2.5-litre petrol engine, automatic transmission and AWD. There was also a major focus on low CO2, fuel efficient ECOnetic derivatives of the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo. John Fleming announced that the range would be expanded by the arrival of an ECOnetic version of the new Ka. He also showed the Paris audience the specially-built Ka which features in the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. The model features in a key scene in the film where Bond first meets his leading lady, Camille, played by actress Olga Kurylenko. Olga, right, who lives in Paris, made the short journey to the motor show to help Fleming reveal her Quantum of Solace Ka.

10 | November 2008

What will the structure and business of Ford Motor Company look like in five years? We’re seeing the shape and structure of the future today. We started two years ago decisively focusing on the Ford brand. And the other thing we’re doing is to be focused on ONE Ford, which means that we are leveraging our assets worldwide, our capability in trucks, as well as our capability in smaller vehicles. We are also focusing on all markets around the world. So a focus on Ford, global platforms and simplification. It’s going to be absolutely key that we work together as ONE Ford worldwide. And for me that’s a very compelling vision for all of us. What is Europe’s contribution to the global transformation of Ford Motor Company? Ford of Europe is critical to our transformation because fuel prices in Europe have been relatively high for a number of years and you started earlier than anyone else to design very fuel efficient, smaller vehicles. So you have a lot of experience, great design and you are in the top three best-selling brands in almost every market in which you compete. People love the Blue Oval; they love the cars. Now we have Europe to draw upon, and your leadership, to transform the rest of Ford to get these vehicles into every market around the world. So very, very important leadership from Ford of Europe. Finally, what would you like to say to employees in Europe? Thank you and congratulations. Interview by Peter Noble

Biography Prior to joining Ford in September, 2006, Alan Mulally served as executive vice president of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Mulally joined Boeing in 1969 and progressed through a number of significant engineering and programme-management assignments. He holds degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Kansas and gained a Master’s in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A native of Kansas, he is a private pilot and enjoys tennis, golf and reading.

Montage

November 2008 | 11

Feature

Custom With its cheeky smile and nippy performance, the new Ka has a personality all of its own, but owners can also stamp their own individuality on the model through a range of customising options • Digital Art – This model has a

vibrant ‘street fashion’ design using a high contrast green as the base colour. The exterior pack features patterned body stripes and solid green grille surround and door mirror cappings. The interior pack includes seats with patterned inserts and green headrests, green door panels, and a solid green finish to the centre console bezel, door pulls, instrument cluster shroud, steering wheel and the rings around the air vents. Finishing touches include a gear knob and handbrake handle combining green leather with an aluminium finish, and velour floor mats with green stitching.

12 | November 2008

Three personalisation packs are available offering a combination of interior and exterior design treatments. Each has its own distinctive exterior design along with a matching set of interior features, such as seats with unique fabrics and colour combinations, colour-coded interior finishes and special steering wheels, gear knobs and floor mats. These packs are complemented by a collection of individual customisation items – from brightly coloured grille surrounds to luxurious leather seats.

• Grand Prix – This has a motorsports

theme with a chequered flag motif based on either a red or white exterior colour scheme (depending on the chosen body colour). The exterior pack comprises patterned body stripes with solid colour grille surround and door mirror capping, and can be combined with a rear spoiler and white alloy wheels. The interior pack features red seats with an embossed white pattern and white headrests, red door panels, and red leather trim on the steering wheel. A gear knob and handbrake handle combining red leather with an aluminium finish, and velour floor mats with red stitching, complete the package.

Drive appeal Unveiled in Paris last month, Ford’s ‘baby’ is currently casting its charm over the media in an extensive test drive programme in Spain. The four-week Ka media test drive programme commenced last month on the Spanish island of Ibiza. By the time it ends on 14 November, some 800 motoring writers and journalists from Ford of Europe’s 51 markets will have had the opportunity to put the new small car through its paces over a variety of roads. Early feedback suggests they are impressed by the car’s style and on-road performance.

• Tattoo – An eye-catching model with tattoo design

which has a heart at its centre, created in bold metallic colours. The exterior pack includes a large tattoo logo on the roof and a smaller logo on the bumper. The interior pack features seats with silvergrey fabric inserts and the tattoo logo embossed on the backrest, silver-grey headrests and door panels, and anthracite leather trim on the steering wheel. Velour floor mats with silver stitching and embroidered tattoo emblem round things off, along with a gear knob and handbrake handle combining anthracite leather with an aluminium finish. There is also a unique leather seat option which has a special metallic finish on the insert panels and an embossed tattoo emblem.

The Italian connection Legislative and consumer demands make it increasingly difficult for automakers to make a profit on small cars. That is why, when it came to producing a successor to the iconic Ka, Ford of Europe signed a development and production co-operation agreement with Fiat. “Small cars have a small margin, but the investment in the product is not all that different from a large car,” said John Fleming, executive vice president and chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “That is why we wanted to find a partner to share development and manufacturing costs.” The deal between the two companies was signed three years ago and Ford invested €210m in Fiat’s Tychy plant in Poland to produce the Ka. A large chunk of that cash was spent on a new environmentally-friendly paint shop. The first new Ka model rolled off the assembly line in September. Annual production is set at 120,000 units, with sales beginning early next year. “The link with Fiat has worked very well,” said Joe Bakaj, Ford of Europe’s vice president, Product Programmes and Product Development. “We enjoyed working with the Fiat team and it was a successful partnership. If we hadn’t worked with them we wouldn’t have been able to afford to bring a Ka replacement to the market.” The joint venture brought significant advantages for both companies. “By working together, Fiat and Ford benefitted substantially from reduced development costs and economies of scale in manufacturing and component sourcing,” explained project and business manager, Tony Dixon. While it shares some components with the Fiat 500 (the reigning Car of the Year), Ford designers and engineers were responsible for the development of the interior and exterior design of the car, and vehicle dynamics. They ensured that the Ka has a completely different look and character and captures the spirit of the model it replaces with its compact size, appealing design, lively dynamics and fun personality. “With new Fiesta and new Ka, this is the year of the small car for Ford of Europe,” added John Fleming. “And if ever there was a right time to launch small cars, it is today.”

November 2008 | 13

Feature

Fast Ford The Focus RS is the fastest ever European Ford production car. With a top speed of 260kph (162mph) and a 0-100kph (0-62mph) time of under 6.0 seconds, the new model promises to redefine the expectations of a front-wheel-drive high-performance vehicle. The model is available in three colours: Performance Blue, Frozen White and Ultimate Green.

Traction ‘Revo’-lution The new Focus RS has outstanding on-road performance thanks partly to an innovation developed by engineers at the Aachen advanced research centre Torque steer is a phenomenon experienced especially in front-wheel drive high performance cars during hard acceleration while cornering or driving on uneven surfaces. When wheel torque on one side exceeds grip level, the limited slip differential shifts torque to the other side, which results in “torque steer”, a sudden turning force on the steering wheel. Basically, the car starts to steer itself to one side. To overcome this problem the Focus RS is equipped with a new type of front suspension system. The innovative RevoKnuckle system is designed to reduce unwanted steering disturbance and torque steer on front-wheeldrive vehicles.

The advantage of this combination is that it allows the traditional McPherson strut arrangement to function with geometry settings that minimise steering disturbances and torque steer. “Working with colleagues at Ford Team RS, we looked long and hard at how to enhance the agility, responsiveness and stability of the high performance RS model,” said Pim van der Jagt, executive technical leader, Global Vehicle Dynamics, Research and Advanced Engineering Europe. “Our work showed clearly that combining a tuned RevoKnuckle with the Quaife differential was an ideal solution for a high performance front-wheel-drive road car. “We, of course, gave all-wheel-drive careful consideration, but by combining and tuning these elements and learning from Ford’s expertise in industry-leading handling, we have managed to eliminate the weight of all-wheel-drive from the car and have still been able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance.” According to Jost Capito, Ford of Europe’s vehicle line director for Performance Vehicles, the result is “a lightweight set-up that will deliver the right blend of traction and razor sharp controllability in a way no one would have expected from front-wheel-drive.”

14 | November 2008

Sport

Turks close in on FSTi title The 2008 Fiesta SportingTrophy International series is set for a thrilling finale on the forest stages of Wales Rally GB next month. Two young Turks face a straight shootout for the silverware on this last event of the season. They are 25-year-old Emre Yurdakul and his 27-year-old rival Burcu Cetinkaya. Yurdakul has a slender one point lead over Cetinkaya following an impressive victory on RallyRACC Catalunya in his Group N spec Fiesta ST. He picked up seven stage wins in Spain to overhaul Cetinkaya at the top of the table with just

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team in 2009. First launched in 2006, the Fiesta SportingTrophy International is based on the highly acclaimed Fiesta ST. So far this year, 13 drivers from across Europe have entered the competition - with further entries expected for Wales Rally GB which features four gravel and two Tarmac rounds of the World Rally Championship, starting in May with Rally d’Italia Sardegna and then visitingTurkey, Finland, Germany and Spain, before concluding in Wales.

one rally remaining. Cetinkaya had led the series for much of the season but she slipped to second place after two offs on the penultimate round. Whoever finishes highest up the leader board in Wales will win an exclusive, allexpenses-paid test in a factory supported Ford Focus WRC 08 at M-Sport’s own test facility in Cumbria. The victor will get one-on-one tuition from double World Champion Marcus Gronholm. Also up for grabs is an entry to the FST International Shootout in order to compete against FST competitors to win a contract to work for the M-Sport and the

Fiesta star steps up to WRC 2007 Fiesta SportingTrophy International winner Barry Clark has made an impressive transition into WRC this season in his Ford Focus RS WRC, his prize for winning the FSTi championship. The 26-year-old Scot made his WRC debut with the Munchi’s World Rally Team in Jordan in April, finishing 12th in a Focus RS WRC. Two months later in Turkey he finished tenth in another Focus, an impressive result he achieved again in October on Rallye de France. Clark is aiming to finish even higher up the leader board when he tackles next month’s Wales Rally GB in a Focus.

Teamwork key to Ford’s title challenge Former Ford works driver Francois Duval made a successful return to the team on the tarmac stages of Spain and Corsica last month. The 27-year-old Belgian finished fourth in Spain in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC. He then followed that up with third place on Rally de France, scoring valuable points for Ford. On both events Duval allowed regular driver Mikko Hirvonen to move past him after the Finn was slowed by punctures. The move strengthened Hirvonen’s position in the drivers’ title race. At the time of writing he was 14 points behind Sebastien Loeb with two events remaining. Duval, who was drafted back into the Ford team because of his expertise on tarmac, will make way for Jari-Matti Latvala on the final two events of the season. Speaking in Corsica, he said: “My role was to help the team and so it

made perfect sense for me to help Mikko.” Team director Malcolm Wilson said: “We had to employ some tactics to try to win the manufacturers’ title for a third consecutive season and to give Mikko the best opportunity of

claiming the drivers’ crown. Fortunately everything went absolutely to plan. The guys did a great job, they were very professional about the whole thing.”

November 2008 | 15

Feature

Fiesta time in Barcelona

An integral part of the launch programme of any new car is the central dealer launch. For new Fiesta, Ford headed to Barcelona, where it gave 7,000 dealers from nine markets across Europe the chance to get behind the wheel for the first time and learn all about the vehicle, its key selling points and the range of available options. After touching down at the airport the dealers were taken to Montjuic, a spectacular viewpoint near the city centre and the starting point for an evening test drive that took in many of the nearby sights, including the Olympic Stadium and the world famous Sagrada Familia cathedral. It is estimated that the dealers collectively drove for 24,500 hours as they explored the vibrant Spanish city and made their way to the hotel. In preparation for the Fiesta Now event Ford lined the streets with more than 600 Fiesta banners, five totems, a spectacular 1,000m2 sign draped across a building on one of the city’s main thoroughfares – Avenida Diagonal – and a 195m2 video screen at the airport. The following day, each dealer group attended a series of training and motivation workshops which focused on the car and its customers. The workshops looked at customer lifestyles, key selling points and the vehicle’s marketing strategy. Having learned more about Fiesta’s strengths and target customers, the dealers were again put behind the wheel for a drive

16 | November 2008

session which enabled them to interact with the car’s new technology, receiving a phone call using Bluetooth connectivity and listening to product messages on the USB connection. They were also invited to take photographs, which were posted directly onto www.flickr.com (see them by searching for “Fiestanow”). The technology drive was complemented by a design, comfort and driving dynamics comparison test against key market competitors. For those markets that did not attend the Barcelona event a Launch in a Box was provided. This contained a series of presentations and various information about drive and training activities.

Fiesta gets TÜV seal of approval The all-new Fiesta is the latest Ford model to be awarded an official ‘allergy-tested’ seal by the TÜV. In total nine Ford cars are now certified by TÜV – the current Ka model, Fusion, Focus, C-MAX, Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX, Galaxy and the new Fiesta. Ford is the only car manufacturer in the world whose products carry official TÜV allergy-friendly certification. The TÜV is an independent, authoritative German testing and assessment organisation that controls and certifies quality standards for industrial and consumer products. Its certification assures a vehicle’s interior materials are selected in order to minimise the allergy risk to the lowest possible level.

Media coverage Auto Piu, Italy: Fiesta’s handling has matured greatly, as reflected by the steering (which is precise and light) and its intuitive, safe road performance. This Ford remains undaunted in the face of sudden shifts in weight or emergency braking on curves.

Auto Plus, France: The new Fiesta immediately finds its place among the category leaders. It is a champion of compromise that has no glaring faults. Its pronounced style and state-of-the-art on-board technology will be the reasons people are attracted to the Fiesta.

The Sun, UK: I was stunned with how good the Fiesta is. This is one sleek and stylish car… when you get inside you‘ll be amazed not only at how much space there is - the front leg room is the best in its class - but also at the sheer quality of the cabin.

Auto Zeitung, Germany: Congratulations to Ford in Cologne: the new Fiesta plays premiere league in the small car segment. It is comfortable and agile, well built and affordable.

Coche Actual, Spain: When it comes to dynamics, we need only drive a few kilometres to realise that the new Fiesta aims much higher than the previous one. The model is now at the top of its game where tread quality and road performance are concerned, remaining steady in any situation.

Autogids/Moniteur de l’Automobile, Belgium: With the new Fiesta, Ford has undoubtedly introduced a winner to the market. It looks great, drives excellently, offers plenty of space and has an attractive finish. Het Nieuwsblad, Belgium: Ford is keen on economy but its youngest sprig also shows an exciting character… the sixth generation is a very good looking little car with an exciting drive.

The TÜV conducts extensive, scientifically verifiable tests including the analysis of more than 100 materials and components for harmful substances or allergy-causing potential. “This award is another significant contribution to the sustainability story behind the new Fiesta and it reflects the attention to detail and quality present in all Ford vehicles,” said Dr Wolfgang Schneider, vice president of Legal, Governmental and Environmental Affairs, Ford of Europe. “We know such credentials are important to our customers and we will continue to develop vehicles to these standards.” As part of Ford’s development programme for vehicle interiors, engineers reduce to the absolute minimum use of materials that can provoke allergic reactions in some people, such as latex, chrome and nickel. Additionally, all components likely to have direct and prolonged skin contact, such as the steering wheel, seat covers and seat belts, are dermatologically tested. Vehicles are also equipped with high-performance pollen filters that prevent allergic pollens from entering the car’s interior and ensure a high level of cabin air quality. The TÜV measurement and assessment results for all Ford cars are now published online at www.tuv.com.

November 2008 | 17

Feature

Fiesta quality a triumph for teamwork

Getting a new vehicle to Job 1 on time and at the right quality is a major operation for the manufacturing plant, involving teams from across the Company and the supplier base working relentlessly to resolve every issue. When John Fleming praised the new car’s “high manufacturing quality” he was acknowledging the huge amount of work that has gone in to ensuring that Ford’s first global car offers the very highest levels of quality. The all-new Fiesta is manufactured with sophisticated techniques more commonly found in the production of large cars - techniques introduced at the Cologne assembly plant without interfering with existing Fiesta production. In an operation planned with military-like precision, the all-new Fiesta manufacturing team went into the plant on weekends to install and verify new systems on the existing line. Production of the former Fiesta continued through the week, until Saturday mornings, then the manufacturing team had until Monday morning to work on pre-production modifications and ‘try-outs’. “It was quite a challenge to get to Job 1 alongside

other production but it was a challenge that was very effectively handled by all production areas,” said Cologne plant quality manager Christian Schmitz. “We had big teams in at weekends, including suppliers. It meant lots of weekend working and lots of advance planning.” That planning had started two years before Job 1 with discussions with Product Development. Every aspect of the quality of the thencurrent Fiesta was looked at closely and a list of ‘must’ and ‘want’ items for the new car drawn up. There were instances where components had to be designed in a different way or changes made to ensure that line operators would not be able to assemble a part incorrectly or take a wrong part. A senior person in the plant was assigned to each supplier of key commodities to ensure that suppliers understood all the issues in the plant. It meant that any problems with the parts experienced on the previous Fiesta were addressed and all issues with the old model removed. Key to the successful launch was training. Some of the 50,000 hours of operator training was done off-line on static cars, with other training

on-line. In one example, the production team built the same car on the line every day, then stripped it down and built it again. “We staggered the launch, starting with a very low volume and low derivatives so the operators did not have to rush and could call for help if needed. When it reached a stable level of production and quality, production was ramped up,” said Schmitz. New quality checks have included an in-car entertainment test cell, new visual check system in the bodyshop for closures and a new noise, vibration and harshness test stand (which was actually commissioned while the previous car was in production). Teamwork has been critical to success, said Schmitz: “We really have worked closely as a team, with everyone involved early in the process. We have adopted a white board process to follow up on quality issues brought up at the daily meetings we have had for the last five months; within 24 hours we have a feedback on both interim containment and permanent corrective actions to ensure the highest quality.” Kelvin Brown

Ford Executive editor: Emmanuel Lubrani, [email protected] | Copy editor: Richard Noble, r [email protected] | Design: Manfred Müller, [email protected], Alexander Bertrams | Production: Zetweka, Print & Production Management, Cologne | Digital Reproduction: purpur, Cologne |Print: Neef & Stumme, Wittingen | Published by Ford of Europe, Communications and Public Affairs

18 | November 2008

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