One Ford and the future of Ford

BANGKOK, THAILAND – For many a gearhead, few things in life can be considered more fascinating than the arrival of an all-new vehicle. And you can count on inquisitive motoring journalists to be amongst those considered gearheads, to be sure. Which is why we at The Philippine STAR made sure that all bases were covered when we heard that two very significant launches were set to happen at the 32nd Bangkok International Motor Show. Now, among the few things in life that gets our interest piqued apart from new vehicle arrivals is the chance to understand the blueprint for the arrival of future products. Which is where attending an otherwise typical product presentation becomes a crucial exercise.

Not that there is anything typical about the new Ford Ranger – which is as far a departure as any from the traditional tough truck Ford mould (see related story by Ulysses Ang). But keen observation can and will indeed open one’s eyes and mind to the fascinating world of the future as car companies see it. Enter One Ford, the global plan hatched a couple of years back which is already changing the way Ford products are conceptualized, built, marketed and subsequently delivered.

“The One Ford strategy will bring into the ASEAN region a total of eight products within the next five years. As such, Ford will have one of the freshest showroom line-ups in the coming years,” said Peter Fleet, Ford ASEAN president during the all-new Ford Ranger’s regional unveiling. Already we have seen and featured three of those eight vehicles – the all-new Fiesta, Ranger and Focus (the latter two having been featured in these pages before even if they are months away from hitting local Ford showrooms).

But what exactly is the One Ford program and how does it manage to streamline Ford’s operations? Well, we asked no less than Ford Group Philippines president Randy Krieger for the answer to that one. He sums it up as such, “Basically, One Ford is a platform sharing program that opens the door for a more diverse product line-up for all of the Ford markets around the world. One Ford allows for the sharing of technologies which would otherwise not have been available to specific regions.”

To illustrate, Jim Baumbick, engineering director for Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa shares, “Through the One Ford strategy, we were able to introduce an array of new features and technologies such as Bluetooth and Voice Control on the Ranger which will significantly enhance the driving experience of our customers worldwide.” It has significantly changed the vehicle’s character as well, if you know what we mean. Bluetooth connectivity and Voice Control on a one-ton pick-up truck? That would have been an absurd thought only a couple of years back. One Ford’s forward-looking vision, however, has anticipated such a need. And it’s delivering on the need here and now.

More importantly, understanding the One Ford strategy gives us a glimpse of how far a company like Ford is willing to take all these streamlined efforts to make for better business. We prod Krieger further until he gives us what we already know through all our discussions. To end the session, he obliges us with a quote that will give us all an idea of how serious Ford is in the country and the region, “The plan is for Ford Group Philippines to become a bigger player in the country. With One Ford, that plan is already set in motion.”