Ford CEO Jim Farley on FOX this morning

[Watchman]

Jim Farley was on FOX this morning to announce Ford's return to Formula One Racing . . . . But for the Maverick Hybrid folks out there, I think Farley's comments about the battery manufacturing confirms what many of us have been saying for some time now. I wrote about this sometime back but comments from one of the members who has a YouTube channel (not Tim) just blew it off as "Ford could build as many as they want but there's no money in it". I find that ridiculous to be honest. They aren't building Hybrid Mavericks because they don't have the Hybrid Batteries -- simple as that. Yes, Ford has their own battery plant, but the batteries are "Assembled", not made from scratch there. China has, and has had, the upper hand when it comes to the Cells and material to make the batteries. Elon Musk can build his Tesla Cars because quite simply, he planned ahead and secured the cells and materials before the battery crisis.

According to SienceDaily -- hybrids have twice the vulnerability to supply chain disruptions and the largest contributors are battery-related elements, such as cobalt, nickel, graphite and neodymium. I do believe this country will solve this, either with new technology or securing other sources for the materials to actually build the Hybrid batteries. Is Ford deliberately holding back on building Hybrid Mavericks while waiting for a more economical battery solution -- I guess it's possible and maybe that's what the YouTube guy was trying to say.

Ford announces return to Formula 1 racing (yahoo.com)

Sponsored

 

[bgn]

Farley is more interested in putting the cells into the Lightning and Mach-E than the Maverick. Those vehicles have significant profit margin. At a time when they're paying billions for fixing vehicles at dealers rather than getting it right at the factory, they need to increase their margins.

The hybrid battery in the Maverick is tiny. I have a portable battery pack that's like 70% of the capacity of the hybrid battery...it's nothing.

 

[lsudelts]

Jim Farley was on FOX this morning to announce Ford's return to Formula One Racing . . . . But for the Maverick Hybrid folks out there, I think Farley's comments about the battery manufacturing confirms what many of us have been saying for some time know. I wrote about his sometime back but comments from one of the members who has a YouTube channel (not Tim) just blew it off as "Ford could build as many as they want but there's no money in it". I find that ridiculous to be honest. They aren't building Hybrid Mavericks because they don't have the Hybrid Batteries -- simple as that. Yes, Ford has their own battery plant, but the batteries are "Assembled", not made from scratch there. China has, and has had, the upper hand when it comes to the Cells and material to make the batteries. Elon Musk can build his Tesla Cars because quite simply, he planned ahead and secured the cells and materials before the battery crisis.

According to SienceDaily -- hybrids have twice the vulnerability to supply chain disruptions and the largest contributors are battery-related elements, such as cobalt, nickel, graphite and neodymium. I do believe this country will solve this, either with new technology or securing other sources for the materials to actually build the Hybrid batteries. Is Ford deliberately holding back on building Hybrid Mavericks while waiting for a more economical battery solution -- I guess it's possible and maybe that's what the YouTube guy was trying to say.

Ford announces return to Formula 1 racing (yahoo.com)

Ford should have never gotten rid of the Focus and Fusion. Jim Farley will kill Ford. I predict within 10 years at his current decisions pace (mind set) Ford will need a government bailout or fold within 10 years or so.

 

[Automate]

Farley is more interested in putting the cells into the Lightning and Mach-E than the Maverick. Those vehicles have significant profit margin. At a time when they're paying billions for fixing vehicles at dealers rather than getting it right at the factory, they need to increase their margins.

Actually not for the Mach-E. Ford was losing money last year
https://www.carsdirect.com/automotive-news/green-technology/ford-now-losing-money-on-every-mach-e

And they have had to lower their price recently to try and keep up with Tesla's $13,000 price cut.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-electric-mustang-mach-e-in-response-to-tesla

The hybrid battery in the Maverick is tiny. I have a portable battery pack that's like 70% of the capacity of the hybrid battery...it's nothing.

Your little battery pack does not put out 27KW like the Hybrid battery. That would be the equivalent of 225 amps at 120 volts.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Farley is more interested in putting the cells into the Lightning and Mach-E than the Maverick. Those vehicles have significant profit margin. At a time when they're paying billions for fixing vehicles at dealers rather than getting it right at the factory, they need to increase their margins.

The hybrid battery in the Maverick is tiny. I have a portable battery pack that's like 70% of the capacity of the hybrid battery...it's nothing.

Yes on the maverick HVB being small. I do not remember but one lightning has enough cells to build maybe 50 mavericks. But some items in battery pack will be one for one so cannot just build 100 fewer lightnings and 5,000 more mavericks.

 

[Dr3wman]

I love reading all the insightful, educated comments on this topic, the number of MBAs here is pretty impressive.

 

[Dad]

Ford should have never gotten rid of the Focus and Fusion. Jim Farley will kill Ford. I predict within 10 years at his current decisions pace (mind set) Ford will need a government bailout or fold within 10 years or so.

I agree. Just look at how many Honda and Toyota sedans are roaming the streets. People like the look of sleek, fast sedan that can maneuver briskly through traffic. Not everyone needs a truck.

 

[Scott Asheville]

Ford should have never gotten rid of the Focus and Fusion. Jim Farley will kill Ford. I predict within 10 years at his current decisions pace (mind set) Ford will need a government bailout or fold within 10 years or so.

I was just watching a video yesterday - I think it was Doug Demuro - who made the point that Ford made an absolutely brilliant move by killing off their cars. And pointed out that GM is following in the same footsteps.

 

[Scott Asheville]

The whole Farley bashing thing by a bunch of armchair CEOs on the Maverick Truck Club is pretty amusing. The guy's only been CEO since Oct 2020. Chill, Honey Bunny. Give the guy some time to convert a century old bureaucracy into something that doesn't have terminal atherosclerosis. Or not - let's sit back and watch.

The standard in the auto industry is that you give a guy 6 years, since that's the average length of a new car program. Until then, you're still seeing the fruits of the previous CEO.

 

[lsudelts]

I was just watching a video yesterday - I think it was Doug Demuro - who made the point that Ford made an absolutely brilliant move by killing off their cars. And pointed out that GM is following in the same footsteps.

I don’t care what decisions GM makes or what the liberal EV group makes. I am a Ford man true and true. I have a wonderful dealership (Cazenave Motors in Vacherie, LA). I stand by my original statement. Jim Farley will kill Ford.
My Maverick is built and shipped. Waiting arrival to dealership from now until the 15th. I’m ordering my 2024 rag top Mustang as my retirement gift to myself. Retirement coming end of May 2024.

 

[OneAlienBoi]

Ford should have never gotten rid of the Focus and Fusion. Jim Farley will kill Ford. I predict within 10 years at his current decisions pace (mind set) Ford will need a government bailout or fold within 10 years or so.

What purpose would a focus serve in a world where the maverick exists? It would have little to no price advantage over a Maverick. It would be more cramped and less practical. It would be less fuel efficient and versatile. It would use the same platform, with similar suspension, powertrains, and weight, so it wouldn't perform any better. It wouldn't be any safer. Aside from people who prefer sedans for their form factor, I genuinely don't see the benefit of any small sedan or hatchback over the maverick. It destroys all of them, the civic and Corolla look like jokes in comparison.

The only way bringing back cars would be a good idea for ford, would be if they all had the, and, aspect to their sales pitch. The maverick isn't just a small truck. It's a small truck, and it's affordable, and it's a hybrid. All those ands elevate the product to legendary, gotta have it, status. Kinda like how the mach-e is an EV, and it's fast, and looks cool, and has the mustang name. Or the bronco sport is practical, and capable off-road, and cool looking.

Which is why I propose instead of bringing a c2 focus to America, offer a c2 based fox body inspired mustang hatchback. Use the awd rear biased setup from the focus RS, give it the 2.0 and 2.3 turbo. Lean into the 80s nostalgia with the fox body and turbo callbacks. Something that looks like that official s650 mustang design proposal below.

Then, instead of just having a hatchback, you have a hatchback that looks cool, and it's fast and fun to drive, and it has an iconic name, and it has neat retro touches. Appealing to consumers who want an affordable, practical car, and enthusiasts who want to see the return of affordable, small, back to basics performance cars. All why offering something no-one else in the market offers, so you don't have to get into race to the bottom dealership pricing tactics while trying to compete. You have people beating down your door begging to buy your product at sticker price.

Put a civic and a focus side by side, that person is gonna buy the civic 8/10 times at least. You tell someone they can own a mustang that looks that cool for basically the same price, while offering similar levels of practicality, the civic doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Bigbill27]

What purpose would a focus serve in a world where the maverick exists? It would have little to no price advantage over a Maverick. It would be more cramped and less practical. It would be less fuel efficient and versatile. It would use the same platform, with similar suspension, powertrains, and weight, so it wouldn't perform any better. It wouldn't be any safer. Aside from people who prefer sedans for their form factor, I genuinely don't see the benefit of any small sedan or hatchback over the maverick. It destroys all of them, the civic and Corolla look like jokes in comparison.

The only way bringing back cars would be a good idea for ford, would be if they all had the, and, aspect to their sales pitch. The maverick isn't just a small truck. It's a small truck, and it's affordable, and it's a hybrid. All those ands elevate the product to legendary, gotta have it, status. Kinda like how the mach-e is an EV, and it's fast, and looks cool, and has the mustang name. Or the bronco sport is practical, and capable off-road, and cool looking.

Which is why I propose instead of bringing a c2 focus to America, offer a c2 based fox body inspired mustang hatchback. Use the awd rear biased setup from the focus RS, give it the 2.0 and 2.3 turbo. Lean into the 80s nostalgia with the fox body and turbo callbacks. Something that looks like that official s650 mustang design proposal below.

Then, instead of just having a hatchback, you have a hatchback that looks cool, and it's fast and fun to drive, and it has an iconic name, and it has neat retro touches. Appealing to consumers who want an affordable, practical car, and enthusiasts who want to see the return of affordable, small, back to basics performance cars. All why offering something no-one else in the market offers, so you don't have to get into race to the bottom dealership pricing tactics while trying to compete. You have people beating down your door begging to buy your product at sticker price.

Put a civic and a focus side by side, that person is gonna buy the civic 8/10 times at least. You tell someone they can own a mustang that looks that cool for basically the same price, while offering similar levels of practicality, the civic doesn't stand a chance.

You got it right when you said that there is no longer any need to have a Focus or Fusion with the Mavericks utility and price. However the gas mileage statement needs correcting. I have a 2012 focus and I managed 45 miles to the gallon for 1 full work week going to and from work on combined highway and town driving. I commute 50 miles per day. It was however exhausting and you have to really manage the throttle carefully, but it can be done if your patient.

 

[AltoBAP]

Ford should have never gotten rid of the Focus and Fusion. Jim Farley will kill Ford. I predict within 10 years at his current decisions pace (mind set) Ford will need a government bailout or fold within 10 years or so.

I was just talking with friends at work today, we were wondering if Farley is purposely trying to bankrupt the company so he can get a bailout and restructure massively. That's what big businesses do, right? Go bankrupt, trim the fat and get rid of debt, then start fresh.

Ford is an old company suffering from expensive legacy costs, loads of dead weight employees, bloated bureaucracy resulting in extremely slow (relatively speaking) and often poor decision making and problem resolution, and poor morale on the factory floor. Very few people who build the vehicles are proud of what they do. It's sad.

They need more "car people" in decision making roles, at all levels, and fewer people who got the job because they have a degree and checked a certain box on the application and/or know somebody.

They need the passion and spirit they had in the mid 80s to mid 90s. That passion and spirit that built the SVO Mustang, Taurus SHO, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and Super Coupe, Ranger Splash, F150 Lightning, F150 NITE edition, Escort GT, Probe GT, Contour SVT, Cobra Mustang, etc.

They seem to only be focused on "how can we gussy up this F150 and add another $10k to the price?" and "how can we overtake Tesla and rule the world in EV?" while simultaneously letting garbage roll off the end of their lines. #1 in recalls last year. Way to go.

They need to focus on building high quality, stylish, unique, and relatively affordable vehicles.

They need to find their passion again. Bring back the car people to revive Ford.

Sorry for the rant. Just having a hard time accepting what Ford has become, and even worse, what they're becoming. Ford has put food on my table since the day I was born.

 

[commadorebob]

I love reading all the insightful, educated comments on this topic, the number of MBAs here is pretty impressive.

Well, I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. My Masters is a more technically focused MBA but I doubt there is anything in this video we don't already know.

 

[OneAlienBoi]

I don’t care what decisions GM makes or what the liberal EV group makes. I am a Ford man true and true. I have a wonderful dealership (Cazenave Motors in Vacherie, LA). I stand by my original statement. Jim Farley will kill Ford.
My Maverick is built and shipped. Waiting arrival to dealership from now until the 15th. I’m ordering my 2024 rag top Mustang as my retirement gift to myself. Retirement coming end of May 2024.

If you really did own a ford dealership, you would know ford struggled to compete in the sedan and hatchback segments. They were having to throw out incentive after incentive just to move their cars off the lot. If the name of your sedan isn't Toyota Camry, there's a good chance you're gonna struggle to succeed in the midsized sedans segment. Why waste money on a shrinking segment with dwindling profit margins when you can invest in vehicles like in higher volume, more profitable suvs and trucks. Bring back sedans and hatchbacks as mustang models, like the mach-e, to expand the mustang sub-brand. Mustang is the perfect option if Ford wants to bring back a small car that makes an impact. Base it on the c2, same as the maverick. Give it AWD and punchy engines with fun styling. Keep it to a starting price of 25 grand, and you've got a winner. A new focus would flop hard.

Sponsored