Ford to trim vehicle options
Šavļd
Ford Mustang V-6.
Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News
Given engine choices, interior trim level choices, color choices and
other packages and options, a single Ford Motor Co. vehicle like the
Mustang can literally come in thousands of configurations.
Now Ford Motor Co. -- taking a page from its Japanese competitors --
is moving to drastically reduce its vehicle configurations, a move
that could save money and reduce complexity in purchasing and
manufacturing.
The goal was outlined in a new internal document titled "Ford North
America -- 2007 Objectives at a Glance," a copy of which was obtained
by The Detroit News.
The one-page report offers a summary of each department's goals and
objectives for the year in four key areas that CEO Alan Mulally has
identified as the pillars of his turnaround plan: resizing the
company to match the reduced demand for its vehicles, accelerating
product development while reducing manufacturing complexity, securing
financing and improving teamwork.
It has been nearly a century since Henry Ford told customers they
could have their Model T in any color they wanted, as long as it was
black. Today, Ford offers motorists a dizzying array of trim lines,
options and packages on vehicles.
For example, there are currently 16,000 buildable combinations of
options and color offered on the 2007 Ford Mustang V-6 deluxe model.
But more is not always better. With so many options available,
dealers do not always order vehicles with the right mix for customers
in their area. Experts say consumers can also get confused by so many
choices.
Mulally found that out the hard way recently when he tried to buy a
van for his mother's senior center.
"There's 185 different options!" he told analysts at an investment
conference in New York last month. "They just want an Econoline for
15 people."
Japanese automakers like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have
traditionally offered far fewer options, according to Stephanie
Brinley, an analyst with AutoPacific Inc. in Southfield.
"Honda and Toyota keep it pretty simple," she said. "It's a good idea
to reduce complexity, but it's also a balancing act. You still have
to give consumers what they want."
That is exactly what Ford aims to do with this program, according to
spokeswoman Sara Tatchio.
"We won't take things away from the customer, but we will make things
easier for the dealers and for the plants," she said.
By reducing the number of different combinations workers have to
contend with, Ford can also save money in its assembly plants,
Tatchio said.
Ford plans to take advantage of model year changes to simplify its
vehicle offerings. The soon-to-be-released 2008 Mustang V-6 deluxe
will only be available in 200 buildable combinations.
"We're actually going through and looking at how we bundle and
package options to make it simpler for our dealers and our
customers," said Ford's Jim Cain.
Ford is not the only domestic automaker trying to keep it simple.
DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group recently announced a similar
plan, promising to cut the number of possible permutations of options
and colors available on the Dodge Nitro from the 167,000 offered
today to just 650 next year. The company plans similar reductions for
other models.
Other key goals identified in the Ford report include:
Sourcing more non-production materials from emerging markets.
Developing a worldwide product cycle plan that will replace existing
regional product plans.
Adopting common manufacturing processes at each Ford factory.
Adding things like quick-lube lanes at Ford dealerships to boost
customer satisfaction ratings.
Meeting retails sales targets in the United States, Canada and
Mexico.
Retaining talent and improving morale.
Streamlining the vehicle design process to give engineers more time
to engineer.
Ford used its weekly employee Webcast Wednesday to highlight the
progress it has made on this front, but some engineers say privately
that they still spend more time in meetings than they do designing
cars and trucks.
Tatchio acknowledged that Ford's turnaround plan is a work in
progress.
"We've done a lot of work to put our goals in place," she said. "Now,
we have to meet them."
Davïd
Greenville, NC
....
The interior choices in the 07 Mustang are awful.
owl
new body style.
That is, the 5.4 is offered extremely limited.
"Ðavïd" <one...@esn.net> wrote in message
news:23c1b$463bf664$d1aa9342$18...@PORTBRIDGE.COM...
Spike
>To reduce costs, automaker plans to trim buildable choices on 2007
>Ford Mustang V-6.
>
>Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News
>
>Given engine choices, interior trim level choices, color choices and
SNIP
>
>Streamlining the vehicle design process to give engineers more time
>to engineer.
>
>Ford used its weekly employee Webcast Wednesday to highlight the
>progress it has made on this front, but some engineers say privately
>that they still spend more time in meetings than they do designing
>cars and trucks.
>
>Tatchio acknowledged that Ford's turnaround plan is a work in
>progress.
>
>"We've done a lot of work to put our goals in place," she said. "Now,
>we have to meet them."
>
> Davïd
> Greenville, NC
>
1991 GM did this with the Firebird GTA. There were two options. Paint
color, and CD in place of the cassette. Couldn't even get a standard
tranny because the body behind the 5.7L TPFI engine flexed so much
they eliminated it.