Quote of the year (so far).
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Quote of the year (so far).
Bill Ford recently spoke about the transformation of their Rouge River manufacturing complex from a example of old gritty style manufacturing to the new enviromentally sensitive and extremely flexible manufacturing facility it has just become.
Recalling the opposition to his plan, and the fact that company heads wanted to simply shut down the complex (Ford was Chairman but not CEO at the time):
Talk about corperate support and understanding for a car!! 
The whole article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4843708/
Recalling the opposition to his plan, and the fact that company heads wanted to simply shut down the complex (Ford was Chairman but not CEO at the time):
"Ford said he simply refused to let the site be mothballed and eventually won over the support he needed. “To me, it would be like not making a Mustang,” he said. “I just wouldn’t let that happen.”
The whole article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4843708/
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,180
From: Yadkinville, NC USA
The one and only big difference between the Mustang and Bill Ford's relationship and that of any other manufacturer is this...
Bill LIKES the car... PERIOD.
It's not just another hunk of steel and plastic worth a few $$ in profits to him - it's personal, it means something to him, and it's fundamental Americana - the kind of thing most companies would kill to have associated with their name.
This guy's just bright enought to use it the right way, and give it some respect.
Damn, we Ford guys sure are lucky to have him in the position he is in. If Nasser was replaced by another foreign bean-counter, we'd probably be seeing the Mustang go away to be replaced by a hybrid crossover 2-door.
Icing on the cake is that Bill is a relatively young guy too. If he runs things well, he could be in charge for a LONG time - like Henry Ford II was. That means Mustang for years to come.
My heart is with the F-car fellows... I'm hoping for salvation guys!
Camaro/Firebird deserves somebody to pull for them like Bill Ford is the Mustang. I hope it happens soon.
Bill LIKES the car... PERIOD.
It's not just another hunk of steel and plastic worth a few $$ in profits to him - it's personal, it means something to him, and it's fundamental Americana - the kind of thing most companies would kill to have associated with their name.
This guy's just bright enought to use it the right way, and give it some respect.
Damn, we Ford guys sure are lucky to have him in the position he is in. If Nasser was replaced by another foreign bean-counter, we'd probably be seeing the Mustang go away to be replaced by a hybrid crossover 2-door.
Icing on the cake is that Bill is a relatively young guy too. If he runs things well, he could be in charge for a LONG time - like Henry Ford II was. That means Mustang for years to come.
My heart is with the F-car fellows... I'm hoping for salvation guys!
Camaro/Firebird deserves somebody to pull for them like Bill Ford is the Mustang. I hope it happens soon.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,600
From: Pewee Valley, KY
Re: Quote of the year (so far).
Originally posted by guionM
Bill Ford recently spoke about the transformation of their Rouge River manufacturing complex from a example of old gritty style manufacturing to the new enviromentally sensitive and extremely flexible manufacturing facility it has just become.
Recalling the opposition to his plan, and the fact that company heads wanted to simply shut down the complex (Ford was Chairman but not CEO at the time):
Talk about corperate support and understanding for a car!!
The whole article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4843708/
Bill Ford recently spoke about the transformation of their Rouge River manufacturing complex from a example of old gritty style manufacturing to the new enviromentally sensitive and extremely flexible manufacturing facility it has just become.
Recalling the opposition to his plan, and the fact that company heads wanted to simply shut down the complex (Ford was Chairman but not CEO at the time):
Talk about corperate support and understanding for a car!!
The whole article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4843708/
That is Ford saying we can do it but YOU can't.
Don't let them win.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,215
From: Coppell, Texas
Re: Re: Quote of the year (so far).
Originally posted by 91_z28_4me
Scott take this and make a 100X larger copy of it and plaster it on the desk of the highest person you can reach. Hell show it to EVERYONE.
That is Ford saying we can do it but YOU can't.
Don't let them win.
Scott take this and make a 100X larger copy of it and plaster it on the desk of the highest person you can reach. Hell show it to EVERYONE.
That is Ford saying we can do it but YOU can't.
Don't let them win.
Gentlemen... we must do something to get Red Planet on up the corporate ladder and into the position of CEO.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Unfortunately, Ford is more like a Kingdom while GM is more like a Democracy.
Bill Ford can say Mustang stays, and although he needs to get backing for whatever he does, the mentality is more along the lines of "OK, let's find a way to make money doing this". IE: The Ford GT. The decision to make it came from just a few people (including the CEO), and Ford was very creative in making the car pay for itself (if not creating a very small profit & the basis for the next Cobra).
At GM, everything is decided by comittee & must clear hurdles every step of the way. Division General Managers can't dictate what car they get & when, Bob Lutz can't dictate what cars he wants & when (he had to backtrack on Grand Prix's horsepower, and he had to move some serious mountains to get GTO imported & Solstice to market). General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner can't even dictate what happens & when. He's been a supporter of a CTS coupe since introduction, and it still won't come out till CTS's restyling in 2007 at the earliest....yep, 6 years!
So, moving Redplanet up the chain would be a financial and authoritative windfall for him, but no doubt, his frustration levels would blow off the charts. His smoking habits would move from packs per day to trailers per day, methinks.
Bill Ford can say Mustang stays, and although he needs to get backing for whatever he does, the mentality is more along the lines of "OK, let's find a way to make money doing this". IE: The Ford GT. The decision to make it came from just a few people (including the CEO), and Ford was very creative in making the car pay for itself (if not creating a very small profit & the basis for the next Cobra).
At GM, everything is decided by comittee & must clear hurdles every step of the way. Division General Managers can't dictate what car they get & when, Bob Lutz can't dictate what cars he wants & when (he had to backtrack on Grand Prix's horsepower, and he had to move some serious mountains to get GTO imported & Solstice to market). General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner can't even dictate what happens & when. He's been a supporter of a CTS coupe since introduction, and it still won't come out till CTS's restyling in 2007 at the earliest....yep, 6 years!
So, moving Redplanet up the chain would be a financial and authoritative windfall for him, but no doubt, his frustration levels would blow off the charts. His smoking habits would move from packs per day to trailers per day, methinks.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,180
From: Yadkinville, NC USA
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,979
Originally posted by guionM
Unfortunately, Ford is more like a Kingdom while GM is more like a Democracy.
Bill Ford can say Mustang stays, and although he needs to get backing for whatever he does, the mentality is more along the lines of "OK, let's find a way to make money doing this". IE: The Ford GT. The decision to make it came from just a few people (including the CEO), and Ford was very creative in making the car pay for itself (if not creating a very small profit & the basis for the next Cobra).
At GM, everything is decided by comittee & must clear hurdles every step of the way. Division General Managers can't dictate what car they get & when, Bob Lutz can't dictate what cars he wants & when (he had to backtrack on Grand Prix's horsepower, and he had to move some serious mountains to get GTO imported & Solstice to market). General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner can't even dictate what happens & when. He's been a supporter of a CTS coupe since introduction, and it still won't come out till CTS's restyling in 2007 at the earliest....yep, 6 years!
So, moving Redplanet up the chain would be a financial and authoritative windfall for him, but no doubt, his frustration levels would blow off the charts. His smoking habits would move from packs per day to trailers per day, methinks.
Unfortunately, Ford is more like a Kingdom while GM is more like a Democracy.
Bill Ford can say Mustang stays, and although he needs to get backing for whatever he does, the mentality is more along the lines of "OK, let's find a way to make money doing this". IE: The Ford GT. The decision to make it came from just a few people (including the CEO), and Ford was very creative in making the car pay for itself (if not creating a very small profit & the basis for the next Cobra).
At GM, everything is decided by comittee & must clear hurdles every step of the way. Division General Managers can't dictate what car they get & when, Bob Lutz can't dictate what cars he wants & when (he had to backtrack on Grand Prix's horsepower, and he had to move some serious mountains to get GTO imported & Solstice to market). General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner can't even dictate what happens & when. He's been a supporter of a CTS coupe since introduction, and it still won't come out till CTS's restyling in 2007 at the earliest....yep, 6 years!
So, moving Redplanet up the chain would be a financial and authoritative windfall for him, but no doubt, his frustration levels would blow off the charts. His smoking habits would move from packs per day to trailers per day, methinks.
GM doesn't tend to make huge mistakes (Edsels... exploding Pintos... Explorer gymnastics... etc...). Conservatism is a sword that cuts both ways.
When GM gets something moving in the right direction, they trample everyone else. The GMT-800 trucks and the Corvette are good examples.
That all being said, the big stakes for GM right now are Cadillac, the full size trucks and Chevrolet. Always has been, always will be. Buick, Saturn and Pontiac are nice fillers, but to the ship turns on those three.
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 858
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Originally posted by guionM
Unfortunately, Ford is more like a Kingdom while GM is more like a Democracy.
Unfortunately, Ford is more like a Kingdom while GM is more like a Democracy.
At Ford, Bill Ford says something goes, and everyone trys to make a business case that makes sense and gets it done.
At GM, Rick Wagoner or Bob Lutz say something goes, and the entire corporation tries to figure out reasons to kill it, or dumb it down for greater appeal.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,873
From: South Jersey
Originally posted by PaperTarget
That's funny. My first car was a 1967 Mustang with metallic green paint! I still have it
That's funny. My first car was a 1967 Mustang with metallic green paint! I still have it
Well, actually, my father has it now, but it is still in the family after 13 years.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Originally posted by MissedShift
I would actually say Ford is a kingdom, and GM is the worlds biggest bueracracy.
At Ford, Bill Ford says something goes, and everyone trys to make a business case that makes sense and gets it done.
At GM, Rick Wagoner or Bob Lutz say something goes, and the entire corporation tries to figure out reasons to kill it, or dumb it down for greater appeal.
I would actually say Ford is a kingdom, and GM is the worlds biggest bueracracy.
At Ford, Bill Ford says something goes, and everyone trys to make a business case that makes sense and gets it done.
At GM, Rick Wagoner or Bob Lutz say something goes, and the entire corporation tries to figure out reasons to kill it, or dumb it down for greater appeal.
I like your assesment better than mine!
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,180
From: Yadkinville, NC USA
Originally posted by PacerX
Note this though:
GM doesn't tend to make huge mistakes (Edsels... exploding Pintos... Explorer gymnastics... etc...). Conservatism is a sword that cuts both ways.
When GM gets something moving in the right direction, they trample everyone else. The GMT-800 trucks and the Corvette are good examples.
That all being said, the big stakes for GM right now are Cadillac, the full size trucks and Chevrolet. Always has been, always will be. Buick, Saturn and Pontiac are nice fillers, but to the ship turns on those three.
Note this though:
GM doesn't tend to make huge mistakes (Edsels... exploding Pintos... Explorer gymnastics... etc...). Conservatism is a sword that cuts both ways.
When GM gets something moving in the right direction, they trample everyone else. The GMT-800 trucks and the Corvette are good examples.
That all being said, the big stakes for GM right now are Cadillac, the full size trucks and Chevrolet. Always has been, always will be. Buick, Saturn and Pontiac are nice fillers, but to the ship turns on those three.
You really beleive that too, don't you?
Ahem...
Corvair?
Fiero?
Trucks with saddlebag tanks?
quote - "The side saddle fuel tank design installed in over 10 million trucks - all 1973-87 General Motors full-size pickups and cab-chassis trucks (pickups without beds) and some 1988-91 dual cab or RV chassis - is the worst auto crash fire defect in the history of the U.S. Department of Transportation. "
Gee... sounds even worse than the Pinto deal, eh?
Originally posted by PacerX
Good. I've got some pretty good cracks stored up for the next time a bunch of Fords burst into flames...
...given the rate they do so, I may need more.
Good. I've got some pretty good cracks stored up for the next time a bunch of Fords burst into flames...
...given the rate they do so, I may need more.
I'm game if you are.
Look, I'm not saying Ford DOESN"T have any issues - hell, I KNOW THEY DO.
But again, I don't think you can vault GM onto some high pedestal and cast a light of perfection on them... because THEY AIN'T PERFECT EITHER.
In my humble opinion, GM has nothing on Ford, nor Ford on GM - they are both HUGE companies that suffer from the same large daily issues - they just handle them and operate in different ways.
Last edited by ProudPony; May 5, 2004 at 10:51 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
F'n1996Z28SS
Cars For Sale
8
Aug 23, 2023 11:19 PM
dbusch22
Forced Induction
6
Oct 31, 2016 11:09 AM
ChrisFrez
CamaroZ28.Com Podcast
0
Dec 28, 2014 02:25 PM