Photo: Ford
Cost-cutting is the name of the game in this day and age, especially if you're a major volume-oriented manufacturer such as the Ford Motor Company. This is just one of the reasons why the 2016 Lincoln MKX shares much of its interior design elements with those of the 2015 Ford Edge crossover, in turn fitted with the 2013 Ford Fusion sedan's dashboard.
Although it's not exactly OK to spend way more than $10,000 over a base 2015 Edge on a 2016 MKX, manufacturers are obliged to resort to such solutions in order to stay competitive and financially performant. But the most effective cost-cutting solution isn't sharing elements of the cabin. That boils down to the modularity of vehicle platforms and their number. The less platforms with good adaptability for future products, the better in terms of expenses.
From a record of 27 platforms in 2007, FoMoCo is now planning to cut down its lineup to only 8. Raj Nair, Ford’s group vice president of global product development, declared for The Detroit News that "we [Ford Motor Company] are committed to getting down to eight [platforms]... That yields tremendous benefits.”
This year will see Ford launch 15 all-new or updated products: 7 oriented for the North American market, 4 for South America, 10 in Europe and 18 in the Asia Pacific region. Don't worry if the numbers don't add up – some of those cars are to be launched in more than one region, translating to a global total of 15 products.
Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference, Ford President and CEO Mark Fields also added that “In 2015 we’re going to stay consistent with our priorities. It’s a very important year where we expect significant growth... and it’s based on great products... We have a full product pipeline." The all-new 2017 Ford GT supercar will be the one to look forward to if you, like us, also like the smell of burning rubber.
From a record of 27 platforms in 2007, FoMoCo is now planning to cut down its lineup to only 8. Raj Nair, Ford’s group vice president of global product development, declared for The Detroit News that "we [Ford Motor Company] are committed to getting down to eight [platforms]... That yields tremendous benefits.”
This year will see Ford launch 15 all-new or updated products: 7 oriented for the North American market, 4 for South America, 10 in Europe and 18 in the Asia Pacific region. Don't worry if the numbers don't add up – some of those cars are to be launched in more than one region, translating to a global total of 15 products.
Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference, Ford President and CEO Mark Fields also added that “In 2015 we’re going to stay consistent with our priorities. It’s a very important year where we expect significant growth... and it’s based on great products... We have a full product pipeline." The all-new 2017 Ford GT supercar will be the one to look forward to if you, like us, also like the smell of burning rubber.
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