Mulally makes it official: Next Focus and Fusion based on global platforms
 

The 'My design is better thans yours" BS is just totally counter-productive to working together as a company to beat the competition. Grow up Ford guys that ***** about which side of the pond does better. And the final sales figures just don't matter, right?

Pretty much. Gives you an idea of just how entrenched this "MINE!!" mentality is at Ford, and how much "blood" is being spilled to unify into a true Global Ford.

and based on the 2008 focus, the European guys are doing alot better! I think they need to fire all designers and accountants and start fresh!

Agreed!

With perhaps the exception of the Stang (though that might be accused of living off past stylistic glory rather than moving the ball forward -- but it is good), Ford N.A.'s vehicle styling ranges from passably bland (Fusion, 500/Taurus) to plain awful (Focus). The "Three Bar" theme is interesting in concept -- at least they're aware of developing a brand identity of some (any) sorts -- it's often a bit cartoonish in execution. And beyond the Three-Bar flash of the grill, the rest of the design theme seems competently bland.

Ford Europe's "Kinetic Design" theme seems for more sophisticated and well developed, both conceptually and in execution. Both exciting and yet tasteful, it is modern without getting to far ahead yet has a depth of thought and detail that will see it weathering the test of time more being just a couple of flashy design elements lashed together as in the "Three Bar " theme. And given the respective successe, or appalling lack thereof, of the N.A. and Euro branches, I'd readily put my money on the European's approach.

Perhaps an answer would be to have Mercury, which is moribund stylistically and in terms of brand identity, to assume a more global/world character -- an identity it has at times flirted with clumsily in the past (Capri, Merkur, LS perhaps) though without much commitment at either the corporate, much less dealership, level. Have Mercury bring over the Euro (and Aussie?) Fords pretty much unmolested and sell them as sophisticated, dynimic and cosmopolitan rides.

The success of VW, Acura, Infinite, and Audi and BMW at the lower end of their ranges, among others indicate that there are enough worldly yuppies out there who do appreciate sophisticated design, materials and driving dynamics and will pay a fair penny for that. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury offers precious little that really competes very well in that market.

Ford N.A. itself could perhaps then execute some simpler "Three Bar" theme so as not to overwhelm the tastes and sensibilities of middle America while Lincoln could do upmarket vehicles in a more plush, padded, gaudy and somnulent American idiom.

I think that the various world car chassis would have to be designed to be able to accomodate a bit more design latitude than, say, the Contour/Mondeo of a decade ago.

I'm hoping that a sideline in this "3-concept" approach is that Ford is watching to see if public feedback prefers the Euro concept over the NA. I'm not saying the NA will be less appealing than the Euro, but if it is and clearly so I'd hope that Ford would have the guts to scrap it and give NA the better looking car. By the same token, if the NA concpet is even better than this, and Euro feedback seems to favor it, I'd like to see Euro get the same treatment.