Posts Tagged ‘Jim Farley’
New sedan gains momentum – even as the rest of the line-up slips.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on May.31, 2013
Jim Farley, Lincoln's brand boss and the global marketing chief for parent Ford Motor Co.
It’s the classic good news/bad news situation for Lincoln this month.
On the positive side, after a painfully slow start due to production snags, the luxury marque’s new MKZ is finally gaining momentum and should set a record for the nameplate when May’s final numbers are tallied. The bad news? As Lincoln gains ground, the rest of the luxury brand’s line-up has been slipping.
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“We’ll have the best month ever with the MKZ,” predicted Jim Farley, head of the Lincoln brand and the global marketing chief for its parent Ford Motor Co.
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Tags: Jim Farley, Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln sales, auto news, car news, farley lincoln, lincoln mkz sales, lincoln news, luxury cars, luxury sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Small utilities pushing increase in vehicle sales in U.S. and globally.
by Michael Strong on May.31, 2013
Ford Escape sales rose 52% this April compared with last April mirroring other increase in ute sales.
This was the year that vehicle makers were going to focus on helping consumers deal with high gas prices by rolling out an onslaught of hybrid, diesel and battery electric coupes and sedans.
And there have been plenty of introductions, including the Lincoln MKZ hybrid, Ford C-Max Energi, Tesla’s Model S, the Chevy Cruise diesel and many others.
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While sales of those vehicles are doing fine, depending upon which measurement one uses, it’s not just those cars that are leading the sales resurgence makers are enjoying these days. It’s the utility vehicles: SUVs and CUVs, according to Ford Motor Co. executives.
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Tags: Erich Merkle, Explorer, Ford, Ford Escape, Ford Motor Co., Jim Farley, TheDetroitBureau.com., U.S. Auto Sales, auto sales, cross over vehicles, cross overs, escape, ford explorer, michael strong, sport utilities, sport utility vehicle, thedetroitbureau
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After delays Lincoln ships 11,000 units to dealers.
by Michael Strong on May.01, 2013
Lincoln sold 4,000 MKZs in April exceeding sales for the first three months of 2013 combined.
After a slow start to eliminate potential quality issues in early production vehicles, Lincoln Motor Co. is finally selling MKZs in volume. The maker sold more than 4,000 units in April.
The figure exceeds the combined sales of the car for the first quarter of 2013. Total MKZ sales from January through March were 3,758, a 47 percent drop from the same period in 2012.
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Additionally, Lincoln has shipped more than 11,000 MKZs to dealers in the month, although some are still in transit, according to Jim Farley, Ford’s executive vice president of global marketing and the head of Lincoln.
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Tags: 2013 MKZ, Flat Rock, Ford, Ford's Jim Farley, Hermosillo Mexico, Jim Farley, Lincoln MKZ, TheDetroitBureau.com., hybrids, lincoln, lincoln motor co., michael strong, mkz hybrid, thedetroitbureau
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Production finally approaching “launch levels.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Apr.02, 2013
The new Lincoln MKZ is now at "launch levels."
With production of the new Lincoln MKZ finally approaching “launch levels” after a costly delay in the production of the critical new luxury sedan, parent Ford Motor Co. is studying just how extensive a re-launch will be needed to put the 2013 model back on the radar for potential buyers.
The Lincoln MKZ was supposed to serve as the foundation for the revitalization of the long-struggling luxury brand. But even as the first of the sedans began rolling into showrooms late last year, Ford decided to curb production, worrying that the MKZ could fall victim to the same snags that resulted in quality problems and recalls for other new 2013 models, such as the Ford Fusion sedan and Escape crossover.
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The problem, admitted marketing chief Jim Farley, is that the carmaker went ahead with a major nationwide marketing campaign, including several costly Super Bowl spots, even without product in the showroom. That left dealers unable to serve potential buyers – some of whom are still waiting while others likely switched to competing brands.
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Tags: 2013 Lincoln MKZ, Ford, Ford Motor Co., Ford luxury brand, Jim Farley, TheDetroitBureau.com., compact luxury cars, lincoln, luxury brands, mkz, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Consumers “confused” by and “tuning out” current, misleading numbers.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Mar.27, 2013
Jim Farley, global marketing chief at Ford Motor Co.
If you’re like most motorists, you’ve struggled to reconcile the numbers in those endless automotive ads with the actual mileage you’re likely getting day-to-day.
The reality is that the current EPA fuel economy rating system doesn’t work, and American motorists are both “confused” and “tuning out,” according to Jim Farley, global marketing chief at Ford Motor Co. That’s especially true when it comes to hybrid vehicles, which can be extremely sensitive to variations such as weather, road conditions and personal driving style, he added.
So, a new way of calculating mileage that gives motorists a real idea of what to expect is necessary, said Farley, in his keynote speech at this year’s New York International Auto Show.
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“It is confusing how we express fuel economy,” he declared, adding that the official federal ratings “really aren’t relevant. We need to help customers understand their personal fuel economy.”
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Tags: 2013 new york auto show, 2013 new york international auto show, 2013 nyias, EPA, Jim Farley, TheDetroitBureau.com., ford carmaker, ford cars, ford farley, ford gas mileage, ford ny, ford trucks, gas mileage, mileage, mileage estimates, mileage ratings, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Several Indian ad execs fired, broader shake-up likely.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Mar.27, 2013
One of three controversial "ads" for the Ford Figo that have created a global image nightmare for the Detroit-based automaker.
Anyone attempting to measure the damage from a series of ads produced by Ford Motor Co.’s Indian ad agency showing women bound and gagged and tossed in the trunk of one of its Figo hatchbacks only had to catch the opening remarks by the carmaker’s global marketing chief Jim Farley at the 2013 New York Auto Show.
Farley shifted gears before going into his prepared remarks as the show’s keynote speaker to issue a direct apology for the three Internet ads that have generated a worldwide controversy and, according to various Ford insiders, caused significant damage to the maker’s global reputation.
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Insisting he was “shocked” by the ads, which were “not authorized” by Ford, Farley issued the latest in a series of apologies, proclaiming that Ford is “very regretful,” and “taking the matter very seriously.”
That translates into the firing of several members of the advertising team at Ford’s global partner, WPP, with other dismissals highly likely, sources later told TheDetroitBureau.com.
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Tags: Jim Farley, auto news, car news, ford ads, ford apologizes, ford bound and gagged women, ford india ads, ford india controversy, ford news, ford ny auto show, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Maker expects U.S. sales to top 2.2 million.
by Joseph Szczesny on Dec.31, 2012
The Ford Focus appears to have toppled the long-running global best-seller, the Toyota Corolla.
Ford Motor Co. expects to sell 2.2 million Ford brand vehicles in the U.S. when sales numbers are totaled for 2012. It will make this the second straight year Ford has topped the 2 million mark. Ford is also the only automotive brand to top 2 million U.S. sales since 2007 – and the only auto brand expected to surpass that mark in America this year.
In addition, the Ford Focus is expected to remain the best-selling global vehicle nameplate, based on the latest available R.L. Polk new vehicle registration data through September, toppling long-time sales king the Toyota Corolla. Meanwhile, the Ford Fiesta is on track to be the best-selling global B-car.
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Ford is also the only automaker with three vehicle nameplates in the global top 10 – Focus at number 1, F-Series at number 4 and Fiesta at number 5 – based on the latest available Polk new vehicle registration data.
That would position Ford as the leader – if year-end data holds course – in two of the global market’s most critical segments. And the B- and C-car segments are posting significant growth in the U.S., as well.
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Tags: Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Ford Sales, Jim Farley, auto news, auto sales, car news, car sales, ford f-series, ford focus sales, ford news, joe szczesny, thedetroitbureau
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Old name for a newly updated brand.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Dec.03, 2012
Lincoln launches its name change -- and the new MKZ -- with a new multimedia campaign.
What difference does a name make? No, that’s not the beginning of an essay on Shakespeare, though Ford is hoping a new name for its long-struggling Lincoln brand will make it smell as sweet as a rose.
The Detroit luxury marque is taking a step forward into the past by reviving the name it first had back in 1922, the Lincoln Motor Co. Ford officials are hoping that the subtle change – which it plans to heavily promote as part of a new multimedia ad campaign – will help signal the broader changes coming at Lincoln, starting with the launch of the new MKZ sedan.
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“Befitting this new chapter in the life of Lincoln we are making a complete new start in every aspect of consumer communication to emotionally welcome our new target customer into our brand,” said Matt VanDyke, Director of Global Lincoln Brand.
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Tags: Ford, Jim Farley, Lincoln MKZ, auto news, car news, lincoln, lincoln ads, lincoln la auto show, lincoln motor co., lincoln navigator, lincoln news, lincoln revival, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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A "distinctive growl" - and more power than a Mini Cooper S.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.27, 2012
Ford will get into the hot hatch market with the launch of the 2014 Fiesta ST.
Ford plans to power up its new 2014 Fiesta subcompact. Barely a week after announcing it will add a new 1.0-liter version of its EcoBoost technology to the updated Fiesta line, it now says it also will add a sportier ST version to rival the likes of the Fiat 500 Abarth and Mini Cooper S.
The 2014 Ford Fiesta ST will bring the sportiest version of the Fiesta to the U.S. market from Europe, where the ST designation was first introduced. Ford has also launched an ST version of the larger Focus model. It will be powered by a 197-horsepower, 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine.
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“There’s a big opportunity” to appeal to young buyers who aren’t interested in the conventional American definition of a muscle car, which would be a larger product like the Ford Mustang powered by a more fuel-hungry V-8, explained Jim Farley, Ford’s global marketing czar.
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Tags: 2014 ford fiesta st, Ford Fiesta, Jim Farley, ford fiesta st, hatchbacks, hot hatches, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, performance cars, performance small cars, sporty small cars, thedetroitbureau
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Maker adds iPhone voice-activated system to three small cars.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.27, 2012
Chevrolet will integrate Apple's voice-activated Siri personal assistant into three of its small car models.
General Motors is getting Siri-ous about its voice-activated infotainment technology. The maker plans to introduce the Apple iPhone’s popular voice-activated personal assistant technology on three of its Chevrolet models early next year.
The technology will allow a motorist to do many of the things already found in older, less advanced voice-controlled in-car technologies, such as playing music, switching radio stations or plugging in a destination. But Siri was designed to go even further, providing access to an iPhone contact, for example, or checking or adding appointments and even finding a local business, store or restaurant.
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“Safe, easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers and Siri complements MyLink’s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet’s small car marketing director, referring to the brand’s current infotainment technology.
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Tags: Jim Farley, apple siri, auto news, car news, chevrolet mylink, chevrolet news, chevrolet siri, chevy news, ford sync, infotainment, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, siri chevy, siri chevymylink, thedetroitbureau
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