05stangkc

ISSUES:

• Product Design
• Powertrain/Fuel Efficiency
• Cycle Plan / Innovation & Technology
• Affordable, Desirable Entry-Level Vehicles
• Competitive Expanded Pick-Up Truck Line-Up
• Order Complexity/Commodities

NEXT STEPS / ACTIONS:

• Product Design
  • During the 4th Quarter, the Design Color & Trim Studio reviewed their future Color & Materials strategy (Red, White, and Bold "Blue") with the Dealer Committee.
  • Based on the Committee's request, an implementation plan and specific vehicle timing overview was presented.
  • The Committee members endorsed the strategy with the following recommendations:
    • Current stone interior needs to be made darker gray, and a true tan alternative needs to be developed
    • Black interiors must be maintained (can have tu-tone inserts on Fusion/Focus)
    • Interior design strategies need to be coordinated with exterior colors and wheels, and integrated into the Order Complexity Reduction initiative.
  • The 2009 Model Blue Suede Fusion Feature Car was presented and endorsed by the Committee as a good example of interior/exterior and wheel design coordination.
  • Color & Materials coordination with exterior colors and wheels will be further reviewed at the July Dealer Product Committee meeting.
• Powertrain / Fuel Efficiency
  • This issue was not containable within the agenda for this meeting and will be followed-up with a review at the July meeting.
• Cycle Plan / Innovation & Technology
  • Committee feedback was provided on the following recently launched vehicles:
    • Edge
      • Refresh is not differentiated enough, and as requested before, freshenings need to provide 360-degree at-a-glance differentiation.
      • Improve quality of interior; better materials
      • Reduce size of Ford oval in grille
      • Stone interior color does not match
      • Move aux input jack to inside top of console to make more accessible
      • Add Homelink
      • Address A-pillar blindspots
      • Make all exterior handles and spoilers color keyed
    • Escape
      • Interior plastic is cheap-looking
      • Stone interior colors do not match
      • Need a place to stow the head rests when the seats are down
      • Make roof rack crossbar standard (across all SUV's)
      • IP and console switches and buttons are confusing
    • Super Duty
      • Stone interior color does not match
      • Rear power windows for Super Cab
      • Make manual telescoping mirrors standard
    • Cross-Vehicle Recommendations
      • Consistent location for heated, power and memory seat controls
      • Key/fob commonality
      • Need to make keypad available as a Dealer Installed Accessory
      • Make Satellite Radio standard with Navigation
      • Reduce the size of the oval badging on most vehicle lines
  • The SYNC package strategy was reviewed and the following input provided:
    • Committee to receive update on negotiations with Microsoft as soon as they have been finalized
    • The Committee supported the strategy to make SYNC standard on high-series, and optional on lower series
    • Vehicles receiving SYNC this calendar year: Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Taurus X, Edge, Explorer, Sport Trac
    • Vehicles receiving SYNC in 2008 calendar year: Escape, Expedition, F-Series, MUSTANG!
    • The Committee continues to request that the exclusivity period be extended
    • It was recommended that increased integration of the Ford oval with the SYNC logo be evaluated (e.g. include Ford oval in upper left area of SYNC badge
• Cycle Plan / Innovation & Technology (Continued)
  • The Committee emphasized the importance of making sure additional portable devices like Navigation systems can be connected through SYNC, and displayed on the center stack screen. Additionally, the Committee emphasized the desire to have touch screen availability for non-navigation uses.
• Affordable, Desirable Entry-Level Vehicles
  • All actions on Focus and future cycle plan deferred to the July meeting.
• Competitive Expanded Pick-Up Truck Line-Up
  • Follow-up discussion is planned for the July meeting on the following truck concerns:
    • Ranger replacement
    • Ridgeline fighter
    • F-150 Super Crew work truck
    • Maintain 6-cylinder F-150 (Super Cab and Regular Cab)
• Order Complexity/Commodities
  • A joint Company/Dealer Order Complexity Reduction Task Force was formed and met in January to develop a 2008 Model Focus proposal, and results of this work are helping to form the basis for cross-vehicle line actions to reduce complexity.
  • An Orderable Combinations Analysis Tool is under development which integrates data from multiple internal and external sources (e.g. Orders, Website Clicks, Production Mix, Days-on-Lot, Price, Gross, etc.) to aid in determining optimal vehicle line packaging decisions.
  • The Committee reviewed a presentation that was recently given to Mark Fields on the overall Order Complexity Reduction initiative, which covered the brand strategy, packaging guidelines, and vehicle line implementation timetable.
    • For 2008 Models, an Abbreviated Order Guide will be developed for Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Escape, Explorer, Expedition.
    • A repackaging strategy is being developed to greatly reduce orderable combinations on the following 2009 Models -- Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Escape, Explorer,
    • Expedition, F-150, Fairlane concept, and MUSTANG!.
  • The Committee will review the Company's Order Fulfillment initiative at a future meeting, which integrates existing order support sytems (e.g. CONCEPS, SRO-II, Fast Turn).
  • As part of the initiative, the Committee will also investigate options to ensure dealers are taking advantage of available resources to order the fastest selling inventory.
  • Dealer Members of the joint Task Force will continue to be involved in helping to accelerate implementation of 2008 and 2009 Model vehicle line proposals.

Falchion

Interesting info, thanks for sharing!

Vermillion06

If SYNC works well, I think it'll be a real hit with most consumers. It seems like everybody is carrying around some type of portable electronics these days. If Ford can keep it as an exclusive to Fords for more than just a few years, it could really help sales....