Mulally: Ford to use global platforms for small, mid-sized cars

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Published at: www.autonews.com

A new idea or fifty years too late?

August 27, 2007

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

The news that Ford intends to use a global platform to attempt to recover lost ground is hardly groundbreaking, isn't that what VAG, Toyota and many other 'world' car manufacturers have been doing for years, after all wasn't the original VW Beetle a world car in that it sold across the globe from one design platform albeit a rather agricultural basic one. The reality is that a good car is a good car and that whilst one should recognise the differences in desires, aspirations, and needs of different consumers across the globe the truth is that to try and cater for the American demand, the European demand, the Asian demand using all the aforementioned criteria in this age of high raw material and component costs is nigh impossible - for example Ford has proven the Focus is a well constructed vehicle which meets all of the above for most European consumers - is that also true for the USA, Asia and Southern America - I suspect it is. A lesson learned perhaps?