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Comments
However, Cadillac went on to bring out new or improved products almost every year since then, while Lincoln dithered away its once and only lead over Cadillac with conservative updates of the Nav, neglect of the TC and LS, and killing the Conti, rather than improving it. Oh, and bringing out the Aviator in an SUV form whose market was already shrinking and beginning the move toward CUVs.
Oh, heck no - I'll probably keep the Lexus forever. This is "extra" right now....
I don't think people are so upset with the bonuses per se as they are for what seems to be rewarding failure. Just as with Delphi, GM, Chrysler as well as other companies in the past/present, the line to explain the huge cash/bonus outlays is always "we have to retain talent". So the statement becomes "You are retaining the very same people that got you into this mess, while at the same time you are downsizing thousands upon thousands of workers?". The ones that are downsized are the talent pools that should be tapped. That's your knowledge-base, that's your intellectual property, heck, that's your salespeople, your marketing people. The bonus of one of those execs could keep a few of these persons onboard.
I not only take some issue with the bonuses but also with the perks. Like Fields' use of the company jet, flying home every weekend (which his expense was even higher then BFs @ over $1/2 million last year). Yes, now he's using commercial airlines, but still the point is why can't that joker stay in D-Town? What kind of commitment is that? Why bleed this money? Granted it may be a small portion of the big pot but in the end why bleed it.
Another issue that arises is when it is presented that the officers and other higher level management don't make/take a stake in the company as the workers. For example, Bill Ford and Carlos Ghosn were/are applauded when they took their CEO posts. Why? Because BF stated he would take a $1 salary for umpteen years/forego obtaining a salary until FOMOCO became profitable. Carlos Ghosn made a statement when he took over the reigns at Nissan that if their initial plan didn't work in the stated time, he was obviously not the man to head the company and he would step down. And they actually had a plan that made sense, followed it and it worked.
Now in BF's case he was probably getting the stock-option $$ and other income to offset his $0 / $1 salary - I don't know - but the point is he put himself out there. He didn't ask the workers to take pay cuts, lose benefits, bonuses and the like without taking a "hit" himself. Same with Ghosn, he put himself on the line. That's what people look at the most, what's management sacrificing. While I'm here struggling to make ends meet with the cuts what is management doing.
Good luck with the EXT.
I'm not going to defend AM's four month multi-million compensation package, but he has had more good ideas in a few weeks than Bill had in all his years at the helm. I think Bill's last "good idea" was to shrink the company to try to address lost market share. (Let's cut ourselves to profitability...yeah, that ought to work.)
Oh, and don't forget the cancelled programs and delayed products. Sort of flies in the face of being in the business of moving product, but that's Bill and the Ford family. The sooner they lose their 16 votes PER SHARE, and have one vote to each share like the rest of us, the better.
Rocky
What he has been doing is forcing upper management to set realistic goals, strive to meet them as a team and be accountable when the goals are not met.
In other words, he is forcing a major change in Ford's corporate culture, which, if successful, will enable the company to stay better focused on building top-notch products.
If he succeeds, he will have earned every penny, because he will have saved an American icon from oblivion.
Rocky
I want a sleek Continental Mark IX coupe!
I want a Zephyr (no alphanumeric gobbledygook) that can at least compete with a Cadillac CTS!
I do not want stupid SUVs, useless trucks, and wimpy cross-overs with tacky grilles! :mad:
Renaming the 500 as the Taurus was simply reversing the mistake that was made when the Taurus name was allowed to die. Why would you keep a name like 500 that only has 30% name recognition and throw away a name like Taurus that has 80% name recognition with millions of satisfied owners?
AM won't directly impact the product designers and engineers - but he is removing the impediments that have prevented the designers and engineers from producing the products that Ford needs.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend that anyone make a Bill Ford $1 deal with Ford these days. AM may not be able to save the patient, but at least he'll get paid.
You used to praise the Lincoln Fusion...er, MKZ, and salivate at the MKS. Neither were conceived on AM's watch. And neither has done much for Lincoln's reputation or bottom line. The MKZ is being pushed like crazy, but they can't seem to move a whole lot more than 35,000 a year. Not bad but not Lincoln-saving.
And where is that MKS? Still no intro date announced. I wouldn't be surprised if it is summer 2008, like the Flex.
I hoped that AM would put the ky-bash on presenting new models to the public when they will not be available for more than a year or two. But they remain in a desperate situation and apparently haven't evolved enough to learn how to pull production of new designs forward. All in all, its still not looking good in Dearborn.
I don't think this guy deserves respect from anyone let alone ask it from me. The Ford family was a fool for hiring this guy but they don't surprise me that they are running this company into the ground. Just look at their decision to keep Matt Millen, on board with the Lions organization when every Lion fan was calling for his head.
It decision making at it's finest with the Ford family. I'm not sure if Roger Smith, was this horrible ? :surprise:
The MKS, could be a fine car. The MKZ's lack of RWD and a more powerful engine keeps it from being a major player.
Rocky
I understand that it doesn't seem fair but that's what you get with a free market. Is it fair that a 30 yr old muscle car is worth $700K?
Get over the salary and focus on what he's doing to save Ford because if he continues to follow through he'll turn a multi-billion dollar annual loss into a multi million dollar profit.
Would you pay $28M to make $200M? Nuff said.
How it can be done:
...Two firms as SuperForm Ltd, and Coventry Prototype Panels Ltd. (CPP Ltd) in England, can serve to revive Lincoln, along with appropriate 3d Cad/Cam programs like Catia, plus the cash they had received for Astons, and do so on the quick. Revamping the existing Town Car with a new bodyshell, and new engine range will do the trick for now. The clock is loudly chimming, striking very near 12 O'Clock. That is Bill Ford Jr's "gift" to Ford Motor: to nearly destroy the company, and desultory attention to Lincoln which he so clearly disdains.
...A new bodyshell can be "designed" holigraphically on the existing platform, and like Magna, built for LHD and RHD to capture Asian sales. Buick just introduced its RWD Park Avenue in Shanghai...and they sell more than 304,000 Buicks on China---more than they do in America, so a huge market still remains for such cars. Mercedes just introduced in new C Class, and that car had 15Mn miles of computer simulated testing plus 5,000 simulated crash tests before they layed down the prototype parts. Superform Ltd, and CPP worked with Jaguar and Astons, (as well as other firms as Rolls-Royce and Bentley) to produce prototype parts with Rapid Prototyping methods to test efficacy of design. Thus those firms, and quite a few others can be used to create a new Town Car in 18 months. And yes, leak the information to the public immeidately. Time has indeed run out.
Nor does the car have to reek of retro styling, it can be evocquative and fresh too. Ford Motor and Lincoln were always at their best when they were bold and themselves, at their very worst when they cowardly copied everyone else. That is why they are in so much trouble today...trying to "be" like someone else never works, defining yourself always succeeds.
ARM must KNOW where he is going, and already he has admitted wasting 15% of his time on management infrastructure issues. Such things do not neccesarily build great cars. But utilizing what is within the remaining Ford Empire today to build products must now commence, neglecting Lincoln must come to an end. SuperForm Ltd, and CPP Ltd can provide the answers, whole cloth within a month. Aston Rapide was developed from Napkin Design to driving car in six months, by Marek Reichmann, because of those two firms. The same can be done at Lincoln.
Thus I challenge Ford Motor to provide such a design and a prototype by this Christmas, December 24, 2007. After driving Lincoln automobiles 32 years in 1 million (less than carefree) miles, I throw down the gauntlett. If, as I believe it to be true, ARM has the moxy to do it, he must act in such a fashion, even if he has to ride roughshod over WCF JR. to do it.
...otherwise when Magna-Stehyr teams up with their other Canadian financial partner, to successfully win Chrysler, a new Imperial will soon be left in Bill Ford's driveway...next to Mr. Lutz's V12 Cadillac...and there will be no "Town Car" to challenge.... Without which, ARM will have left Detroit in the latest Boeing Executive jet.
DouglasR
Nope because I think making $200 million at Ford is still a failure. Making $2.00 billion then the $28 million was a good investment.
Rocky
Ask yourself this - would you rather pay $28M for an outsider who's not afraid to make sweeping changes (that are absolutely required to keep Ford in business) or $2M for some smuck who will keep doing business as usual?
If you don't think he's doing the right things - what is it you want him to do?
I agree that BF wasn't the right person for the job; heck he came out and said so numerous times. Also agree that some of the decisions didn't really make sense under his reign, just as some of them now. But I just don't want to give him all the grieve, just as you stated, that wealth needs to be spread over the entire Ford family that's in the business.
My point was that it seems the basics are being missed when it comes to turning the corner and to stop bleeding money. Every little bit helps and it's been proven time & time again you can't downsize your way to profittability. That's short money!! And the days of putting the company's fortunes on the F150 are over.
If they do, make mine black, or the nice deep blue from the early 60s. can't remember the color.
I don't trust FOMOCO to do a Mark IX, Lemko. The may call it Mark IX, then change it to MKIX or something else as soon as it starts gaining ground.
In other words, he is forcing a major change in Ford's corporate culture, which, if successful, will enable the company to stay better focused on building top-notch products.
If he succeeds, he will have earned every penny, because he will have saved an American icon from oblivion.
That's how I feel too, grbeck. Well spoken.
Give the cars names. The Lincolns, alpha soup is a absolute joke. Especially since so many of them are a like. :mad:
I also would of used a Australian or European platform to build the next Taurus. I could maybe see using the Five-hundred as a Mercury Sable, but the Taurus, was more of a mid-sizer than a large car.
Where's the platform and design shairing at within Ford ? GM, is picking up some cool designs from their foreign brands and Ford, is well doing nothing substantial.
Well why isn't ARM, getting these new "Hurricane" engines to the market ? My god, how much money does Ford, got to lose before recognizing Ford, has always had a severe credibility engine problem. The 5.4 V8 is a underpowered dog and guzzles gas. Where's the warranty ? What the hell is he doing with Jaguar ? Land Rover, is off on a good foot but Volvo, has nothing appealing outside of the S80, which btw has gotten awfully expensive. :confuse:
I think ARM, was a beneficiary of being in the right place, at the right time with Boeing. He received a lot of federal contracts while holding office at Booeing and Uncle Sam, made his bottom line better than it otherwise would of been.
That's my take on it !!!!!
Rocky
They already do. The 500/Taurus was based on the Volvo S80 and the Fusion is a stretched and reskinned Mazda6.
Where's the platform and design shairing at within Ford?
For a long time Ford was operated as 4 or 5 separate automakers that just happened to use the same name. They're starting to share more now, but they started later than GM did so the global products will take that much longer to hit the streets.
Even the name changes for Lincoln would take a model year to accomplish at a minimum. And like you I wish that change was on the calendar, along with the otherchanges that already are.
BTW, the last Taurus was classified as a large car. It was significantly bigger than the Camaccord. The tendency is for many cars to grow with subsequent generations (I remember when the Accord was a subcompact). I don't like the size inflation myself, but the buying public overall has no problem with it.
Ford's problems lately have been that they either start things too late or they start, then stop, then restart or go in a totally different direction. This is where Fields and the new product guy come in - getting things right the first time and following through. Look at the new B car - they could have forced the current Fiesta or Ecosport to fit but that would have resulted in a mediocre product that would need to be reworked immediately. So they're pushing forward with a new platform.
Without ARM Ford would not be combining the Mondeo and Fusion platforms or the Euro and NA Focus platforms. And they wouldn't be looking to Australia to share RWD platforms. That was mandated when ARM forced the individual divisions to work together for the good of the entire company and not just for their division. Before ARM they didn't even share critical performance data with each other and they only shared platforms when they felt like it. That change was made by ARM within the first 3 weeks he was on the job. THAT is why he's worth $28M to Ford right now.
Rocky
Rocky
NO Where is there even a hint of survival for Lincoln automobiles other than the malaise of the S show car, and the R type that will never see the light of day. The mere fact that two radically different show cars appeared within less than a year tells me that the battle is still enjoined at the executive level with respect to where Ford wants to take Lincoln: Bill Ford doesn't like Lincoln, so Mr. Mulally has to push the issue, and he is still learning.
Time, gentlemen, has run out. Discussing how good the competition is now will make little difference because what is on the drawing board is what matters. Sure, it has to be twice as good as what is in the showrooms now or Lincoln is dead. That raises my point: Lincoln needs to leak photos of what they are really going to build to the public now...so that they can prepare their budgets and wallets for it. Not a will-o'the wisp show car that they aren't going to make, as they have now done so many times.
Ford must put away its cowardice with respect to its product designs, "define itself" without copying anyone else. American firms have failed roundly in trying to emmulate the Asian and European manufacturers. That is why the last three decades of American cars have been soul-less with very few exceptions. Hopefully every Lincoln Versailles, Cimmarron, Continental Taurus based FWD, and V8-6-4-3-2-0 Cadillac will be crushed except enough museum pieces to show the public how NOT to build a luxury car, and specifically: a Lincoln. We don't need to revisit those dark days.
"Ordinary People make Ordinary Cars" Ken Purdy wrote for Atlantic Magazine in 1949, and that still holds true today. Hopefully, ARM will prove to be anything but that, and he will provide the "missing Linc" in the chain of Lincoln history to save the brand, the company and the fate of Ford Motor Company with it. The clock is striking near to twelve, but do the surviving gentlemen in The Glass House have the nerve to make great cars again, or are they content with the ordinary?
DouglasR
The S wont save Lincoln. The R will probably never be built. Except for it's grille showing up on the S. The Z is nothing but a Mazda with a waterfall grille - those defending it should get over it and admit that fact. The X is a joke. Anyone looking at an X should first look at a Hyundai Veracruz to see what a luxury crossover should be. A Mark 9? Fuggetaboutit. A Continental? Only Bentley builds those now. Ford's biggest news lately is they've decided to bring out rear drive Mustang based cars - in FIVE years. 5 YEARS it takes? By then it wont matter. Oh, I forgot, there's supposed to be a Lincoln version of the (cough cough) Ford FLEX. Now THAT's just what Lincoln needs, aint it? A big fat station wagon. Maybe if the Linc version actually DOES have the suicide doors of the show car it would make some waves. Otherwise, deep six the damn thing, AM.
Lincoln is such a joke anymore that I'm almost ashamed to be driving one, er two.
Anyone who actually believes Ford has a prayer should look at the Detroit News today. There's an article in there about Mulally's latest brilliant idea to save Ford. - He wants all Ford employees to say good things about the company to everyone they meet. Why THIS is ALMOST as good as changing the name of the 500, doncha think? However, two other items are less positive. One internal poll of Ford employees, taken AFTER they had the big party where they all saw the future of FOrd, shows that less than 1/2 of Ford employees think the turnaround will work. The other is a poll today on the DN asking if Ford employees actually will become advocates for the company. Right now, it's running more than 2 to 1 NO. Admittedly this one is unscientific. However the fact remains that less than 1/2 of remaining Ford employees actually believe in the company. And these are the people who CHOSE to stay when they could have taken big buyouts. What a shame.
Ford asks staff to tout company
you aka 'heyjewel'?
ARM turned Boeing around using some of the same tactics - don't count him out yet.
What people are saying here is true. Lincoln is a joke now. My father bought Town Cars for 20 years. Two years ago he traded in his 8th one for an XJ8L, he didn't want to leave the "Ford Family". He just bought an MKX, which is a nice car, almost as nice as my RX350. I just can't figure out why he had to have the dealer install an aftermarket bluetooth module. Even Nissan Altima's have bluetooth now and Lincoln doesn't?
Lincoln needs more than a new grill to get people back in the showrooms, they need the equivalent of the CTS or Chrysler 300 in styling with performance and quality even one or two notches higher. Match that with an aggressive advertising campaign and they could yet be saved. I am waiting anxiously on the MKS. If they can give that car 350+ horsepower, I don't care how they get there but a lot of people will only buy V8's, and Lexus level luxury, detail and technology for under 50K, preferably around 45K, I might just bite. Just don't go halfway again. Either make an effort to compete with the big boys, while undercutting there prices, or fold up shop. No one wants a 45-50K wannabe that cuts corners where people notice to keep prices down. Lincoln can't compete in the price range they want to be in now, so suck it up and offer more for less for a year or two until enough people take notice to raise the prices. You can't build up your reputation in the luxury market with an "MKZ plus", you have to go all out.
Yes, it would also be nice if they leaked a few more details and pictures, even renderings, of this car for public consumption. There's nothing like a little buzz preceding the actual launch to get people in the showroom.
the only re-engineering Aussie cars have to have to go over
there is to be de-tuned to run on your rubbish petrol.
Be turned butt ugly to suit American tastes.
Have soft as butter suspension fitted so as you can eat
your Maccas while talking on your mobile phone without
spilling your cawfee.
How is it that GTO didn't work out?
The US was allocated a small number of Monaros, just to test the waters.
These sold.
The Holden Commodore was built from day one with the US
market in mind.
It has been engineered so as the car can be built left or right hand drive down the assembly line in South Australia.
As for Ford.
Not a huge fan, BUT, they have a car called the Falcon XR6 Turbo here in Aus.
It's a 4 litre double overhead cam straight 6.
And it has serious grunt.
Standard 245 kw.
With a few tweeks and a bit of re-mapping, up to 500 kw.
And it looks ok as well :-)
I'll post a link for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWOJR8Pr65M
Ignore the two door version in the kids video, It does not exist.
But the rest of them do.
Rocky
Of course, you're not, Rocky. And actually, you're right. However, the reality of it is, guys like ARM have earned their stripes, and can demand this type of contract. Just like professional athletes. I think it's ludicrous they can command the money they do for playing a game - but they can. Granted, they must perform to stay employed, but they get to keep their money whether or not they win that season too. It's how it is....and it's not going to change soon.
If 70% of the firm's employees at Ford Motor say they will not become a "spokesperson" for Ford, especially if it comes in "edict form" from Mr. Fields, one can only image how demoralised the team must be. If Mr. Fields is making the mistake of putting out such tripe as to ask the employees to propagandize the Blue Oval without such remarks being made voluntarily, then he should read Dr. Goebbels diaries to see how "that" turned out. I've never met Mr. Fields, but making such a move tells me he knows less about cars and even less about management of human resources.
Another issue relating to the same subject is the sad suicide of Ford designer Jeff Sanders, whose last work was on the Lincoln Navigator for '07. A lengthy article appears by a colleague in 'The Truth About Cars', and he paints a very sad picture in the design studios at Ford Motor. Other than designer Jerry McGovern, few designers are the champion of the Lincoln cause...because of the problems at the top of the Glass House with respect to Lincoln. (In fairness, I should also point out that three engineers/stylist also recently committed suicide at Renault within the last 14 months causing the French National Police to investigate working conditions within the Renault tech center outside Paris, so quite sadly, Ford is not alone.) Mr. Mulally does, however seem to be rallying engineers together in various groups to approach the problems at Ford. Hopefully he will do the same for the design staff.
No doubt when Mr. Stonach at Magna finds himself a major shareholder in the next Chrysler Corporation, he will push for a top-of-the-line model, as Imperial can be, to represent the company; a firm bereft of association with that slothful luxury car: The Maybach. So while Mr. Lutz goes down under for his V12 Cadillac, Mr. Stronach, if successful, will have an Imperial with which to taunt would-be Lincoln drivers.
Same thing happened in 1970-74. Lincoln switched from unibody design and approaching the sophisticated buyer to mass-market luxury with chassis/frame and a new direction in product marketing. Lincoln created a lot of customers for Mercedes-Benz, who had just introduced their 4.5 V8 exclusively for the American market in 1969, and for BMW when they shifted gears away from that market. Sure they made a lotta bucks with the bigger Lincolns, but they need now to recapture those kinds of customers they had prior to that. The Town Car can still appeal to the traditional buyer, alongside a new wave of cars....
...but where are they? The Shanghai Auto Show opens tomorrow, and Buick is parading their new China-only Park Avenue rear wheel drive sedan, with a rather nice interior and engine package. Point is that GM is using its global infrastructure to appeal to buyers in different markets, all while making traditional products. Where is Lincoln? Cadillac has been building cars overseas now for more than five years, where is Lincoln, yes---now building cars ONLY outside the U.S. once Wixom closes! I could go on...but the point is that ARM needs to move NOW. He has to take the wraps off, not play games with the public or the press, much less their own employees.
...if he wants to see how to transform a "team" he should get on the corporate jet, land at Heathrow and take the next train to Crewe. Pulling up to Pyms Lane to see how the Bentley Production System, installed by Production Manager Douglas Dickson, has transformed Crewe from making less than 2,500 cars per year to 9,500 with no loss in quality, (which, actually has improved), and only a minor uprating of the workforce in terms of numbers. The key factor is that more than 4,000 suggestions towards improvements in production and working conditions came from the factory floor: the employees brought about the change. That is what ARM needs now... to motivate staff and treat them decently, so that the revolution comes from the floor up, not the management "field" down. Because if he does not do it, MR. Stronach might beat him to it...
It's not quite too late for Lincoln...but the loudest sound you hear at Lincoln is the ticking of that clock.
DouglasR
(Sources: Automotive Industry U.K.; Manangement.com; The Car Connection.com; Car Design News)
That is tragic, and I must assume this event didn't have anything to do with the 07 Navigator. Other factors must be involved -
I would have fired the guy who approved the design, personally, but not the designer.
Have you all noticed how much advertising Lincoln is doing now though? Unfortunately, it's 90% for the MKX, which doesn't do anything for me, and 10% for the MKZ, ditto. But I think it's good news that they're out there, so much so, I'm tired of the ads....which again, don't feature the car, they feature a lifestyle.
Gone are the days when you would see the car going down the road from all angles, and the interior would be shown, and the features of the car highlighted. No no, we just give you a glimpse of the taillight, a snippet of the fender, and a full view of 4 girls in wetsuits. Brilliant.
I would also fire the ad company.
And try to steal Toyota / Lexus' ad company. They have excellent advertising.
the only re-engineering Aussie cars have to have to go over
there is to be....
I sat in several Aussie GM and Ford models when we visited there in 2004. My first thought, almost every time I sat in one, was "why don't they sell cars like these back in the States?"
Answer: Lawyers, DOT, Unions....
The Aussie cars won't pass muster for safety here. The laws are too restrictive - in the States, nobody can be responsible for their own idiotic behavior - you sue to put the blame on the manufacturer. Hence, the lawyer screen on the navigation. (I AGREE) must be pressed before you can use the damn car. This supposedly relieves the car company from liability when you hit somebody while studying the map.
To adapt the Aussie cars to meet DOT standards here, will cost money, lots of it.
Second answer: The Aussie cars are not exactly cutting edge - they're rather old fashioned. Cheaper to build, less efficient.
Nonetheless, they are comfy, handle well, customer pleasing.
the business unit i work for has been the top revenue producer per employee for years. a couple of years ago, about 20% of the employees left in about a 6 month period.
many did not even have other jobs. our group had a new boss every 6 months. the company seems to have figured out that there was something wrong, but it takes time to fix it.
i'd like to buy a lincoln, but the time is not right just yet. i expect it to still be around, when i am ready.
Has no-one learned from the Pontiac Aztec? There is a fine line between distinctive and weird...and a discerning group of managers should be able to identify it. Would any of them want to be seen in a new Navigator?
The car's body stiffness measured in hertz is 31.
There is not much driving around that is stiffer than that.
My advice to you is when the G8 is available, take one for a spin and see how well this car drives.
I'm sure you will change your opinion about "Aussie" cars being "old fashioned"
Remember, BMW's 5 series was the benchmark for this car.
The Holden can out handle it.
First, your petrol isn't the "best" on the planet, so don't go there. If our fuel is so bad how do you explain the GM LS-series of engines pulling over 400hp, heck 500 in the LS7. Mother Mopar pulling +500hp with the V10? Or since this is a FOMOCO forum, 500 in the 5.4L SC modulars? GM does not have to detune "your" engines to meet "our" dirty fuel. It's not even "your" engine. Where did you get that "detune for fuel" stuff from?
Second, we don't want butt-ugly autos, like the so-called GTO was. We want/like stylish vehicles. Apparently you don't read US auto reviews, postings or anything on this or other boards. Do that before you make such bad, uninformed, ill-advised comments.
Third, there are plenty of Aussies drinking coffee, talking on the celly while driving in the rain. How do I know this, I work with Aussies and they were doing this while driving. So this is not an "America" thing.
Fourth, Monaro/GTO failed due to bland styling, price, dealer gouging and the like. Those that did not like the vehicle put the bland styling at #1. No one really stated the vehicle itself was bad, in fact if you would have read past comments US enthusiasts have been wanting that vehicle, along with the Commodore and the Ute, for years!! When we were starving for an Impala SS after 1996, many wrote in asking GM/Chevy to bring Commodore over. And don't get me started about the HSVs. We were aware of Holden for decades, not just when the Monaro/GTO was announced. Some people wanted it to be the Camaro, not called GTO. BTW we also know of the Falcon and Fords' Australian facility.
Again, not trying to stir the pot but your post was very uninformed and just down right strange.
This ain't haiku.
If you don't care for a post, please just scroll on down.