Mullaly to retire

[Bossxr8]

Surprised this hasn't been posted, because I got the internal email announcing it on Friday morning, but Alan Mulally has announced his retirement as of July 1, and his replacement will be Mark Fields, his right hand man.

The Ford Motor Co owes his a great deal of gratitude, he saved the company, and turned around a corporate culture of selfishness, wastage and poor communication.

The company is in good hands with Mark Fields, he did a great job of turning around Mazda when they were up the creek about 10 years ago, and he was president. Mullaly has been grooming him for the role for the last few years.

Kudos Alan.

http://time.com/84018/ford-ceo-mark-...-alan-mulally/

[XBGTFGGTP]

If it wasn't for Alan, Ford would be Chinese owned by now.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

If it wasn't for Alan, Ford would be Chinese owned by now.

and that's been bad thing for for Volvo....right?

Anyway, when Alan was appointed CEO I was skeptical but over the years I could see the improvements he's made within the products Ford has been producing. The company as a whole has direction.
Ford global owes much to Alan and so do Ford fans world wide.
Thank you Alan, I wish you all the best in your retirement, you have deserved it.

Over to you Mark.

[Gadgetman]

What about the job that Jac Nasser did? If it wasn't for him deciding to invest in Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo, 30+% of mazda, Alan wouldn't have had anything to cash in thus giving him no option but to ask for a bailout.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by Gadgetman

What about the hatchet job that Jac Nasser did? If it wasn't for him deciding to invest in Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo, 30+% of mazda, Alan wouldn't have had to fix anything.

Fixed.

[XBGTFGGTP]

Yes, and if Jac hadn't wasted money on those brands Ford may have being in a better position years ago.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

Yes, and if Jac hadn't wasted money on those brands Ford may have being in a better position years ago.

Yep, PAG was a huge drain on Ford's dollars and resources for little return. It also delayed the rebirth of Lincoln until now. Too late? We will have to wait and see.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Yep, PAG was a huge drain on Ford's dollars and resources for little return. It also delayed the rebirth of Lincoln until now. Too late? We will have to wait and see.

And the sad thing is, with all of the Ford money that was pumped into those brands over the time in their ownership, those brands are now in excellent shape under new ownership. Jaguar and Land Rover in particular. Fords money on investment in new product is now the gold for their new owners. Imagine if that money was spent on building up Ford and Lincoln products it may have allowed Mercury to remain and left Ford Australia to continue to operate.

[JG34JA]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

And the sad thing is, with all of the Ford money that was pumped into those brands over the time in their ownership, those brands are now in excellent shape under new ownership. Jaguar and Land Rover in particular. Fords money on investment in new product is now the gold for their new owners. Imagine if that money was spent on building up Ford and Lincoln products it may have allowed Mercury to remain and left Ford Australia to continue to operate.

& why buying a RWD Jag after Falcon is gone will be a tip of the hat to Ford...

[Bossxr8]

Jac the knife screwed up royally. He did an awesome job with FoA but lost the plot in the US.

I read an interesting article this morning on the Ford intranet, about how bad the corporate culture was when Mulally arrived. He recalled sitting in a meeting about global guidelines for team work, and there was a couple of execs who argued for 45 minutes over wether the underline of the heading should be a solid line or dotted. Mulally couldn't believe it.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Jac the knife screwed up royally. He did an awesome job with FoA but lost the plot in the US.

I read an interesting article this morning on the Ford intranet, about how bad the corporate culture was when Mulally arrived. He recalled sitting in a meeting about global guidelines for team work, and there was a couple of execs who argued for 45 minutes over wether the underline of the heading should be a solid line or dotted. Mulally couldn't believe it.

Sure a Falcon V8 was good however the AU was hatched under his control...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sure a Falcon V8 was good however the AU was hatched under his control...

The directive was coming from Detroit, to bring the Falcon in line with Fords new edge styling.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I read an interesting article this morning on the Ford intranet, about how bad the corporate culture was when Mulally arrived. He recalled sitting in a meeting about global guidelines for team work, and there was a couple of execs who argued for 45 minutes over wether the underline of the heading should be a solid line or dotted. Mulally couldn't believe it.

But its the fault of the greedy workers and unions, not management who waste time fighting over dotted or solid lines!

[jpd80]

At present values, Mulally has amassed around $410 million in stock and options....

[XBGTFGGTP]

Just read the book how Ford was saved, and Jac was on a ego trip while in charge. It was all about him and building his own personal dreams, but he thought he was indispensable and bulletproof. The firestone debacle on the explorers was his last balls up and out he went.

[Gadgetman]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

Just read the book how Ford was saved, and Jac was on a ego trip while in charge. It was all about him and building his own personal dreams, but he thought he was indispensable and bulletproof. The firestone debacle on the explorers was his last balls up and out he went.

Don't believe in everything you read. The firestone was a Ford Family issue in which Jac was used as a scapegoat. It wasn't till Mullaly that a CEO was given all power to change the company ethos. Joint was screwed for years and like I said at least they had those brands to sell cause if they didn't that money would have been ****ed up against the wall long before.

[GQ_Smooth]

Was under the impression that Jac's demise was due to him going on national US TV, apologizing for the Firestone debacle. That's when most American's realized Ford was being run by a foreigner, and he looked too "middle eastern" to their core market (F series trucks in middle America). Just something I read, wouldn't surprise me if it was true.

[flooded one]

was it all bad for the AU but??? The AU ute was a very big success

[XBGTFGGTP]

Originally Posted by wildrider

was it all bad for the AU but??? The AU ute was a very big success

Would love to know who did the market research for AU, what a waste of money. All they had to do was ask the man on the street and he could tell them it was butt ugly, would of saved them dollars and loosing narket to the VT.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by XBGTFGGTP

Would love to know who did the market research for AU, what a waste of money. All they had to do was ask the man on the street and he could tell them it was butt ugly, would of saved them dollars and loosing narket to the VT.

I would blame Ford Australia wanting to go the new edge styling for that one at the time. the car itself would have to be one of Ford Australia's most reliable vehicles built (if not the most reliable) and also very underrated. looks aside it was leaps and bounds over the VT... just not really popular in the styling department. thou nowadays the AU looks more modern then the VT

[Bossxr8]

True.

I just wish the AU started at AU II and the AU I was never released. It would have been interesting to see how it would have gone against the VT because style wise the AU II was vastly superior.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

True.

I just wish the AU started at AU II and the AU I was never released. It would have been interesting to see how it would have gone against the VT because style wise the AU II was vastly superior.

I think the series two would of gone better myself. nothing against the AU I of course but I do agree the AUII was better.

[monte.b]

I went in to buy a xh ute on the run out before they bought out the au in 1998 ,the salesman showed me a picture of the au ute and said if i wait a little while i can buy one of these ,i loved the idea of the extra room in the cab and a separate ute tub ,but they were butt ugly ,i said to the bloke were the people that designed this on drugs .like the front was terrible but from the front pillars back it looked fine ,pity really as i think they were a bloody good ute

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by monte.b

I went in to buy a xh ute on the run out before they bought out the au in 1998 ,the salesman showed me a picture of the au ute and said if i wait a little while i can buy one of these ,i loved the idea of the extra room in the cab and a separate ute tub ,but they were butt ugly ,i said to the bloke were the people that designed this on drugs .like the front was terrible but from the front pillars back it looked fine ,pity really as i think they were a bloody good ute

mines still going strong!!! I didn't mind the AU utes front grille (XL and XLS) thou I think the AUI Futura and Forte grills looked rather sad

[XBGTFGGTP]

The VT commodore wasn't a great car, it's just the AU was so ugly. If it looked better it would of sold better.

[flooded one]

Its a shame too about its styling, as underneath it was a great car... a lot better of a car then the VT!!! that's for sure.

[LTDmonger]

How many AU's were sold in TOTAL (inc commercials/LWB's)
I can't believe that it was the complete failure that everyone makes it out to be.
Still looks miles ahead of a VT in my eyes.
Another 'scapegoat'

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by LTDmonger

How many AU's were sold in TOTAL (inc commercials/LWB's)
I can't believe that it was the complete failure that everyone makes it out to be.
Still looks miles ahead of a VT in my eyes.
Another 'scapegoat'

Its only considered a failure due to the fact it was selling slow compared to its rival. there was something like 235,000 odd AUs built.

[Fordman1]

So we went from Mullaly to the AU ?

WT ?

[LTDmonger]

Originally Posted by tempted

Mullaly may have saved Ford in the US but I will always see him as the man who killed Ford Australia.

And also terminated the global rear wheel drive program.