Jim Hackett, head of Ford's autonomous vehicle unit, replaces Mark Fields as CEO

[Shawn Knight]

Ford Motor Company on Monday announced that Jim Hackett, who has served as chairman of Ford Smart Mobility LLC since its inception in March 2016, will take over as president and chief executive officer effective immediately.

Hackett, 62, is replacing Mark Fields, a 28-year Ford veteran that took office as CEO in mid-2014. Although Ford notes in a press release that Fields elected to retire, The New York Times suggests that he was likely forced out as a result of a three-year term in which the company’s share value dropped around 40 percent.

Shares are trading up 1.46 percent on the news as of writing.

Hackett relinquished his position on Ford’s board of directors last year to lead Ford Smart Mobility LLC. The subsidiary, which was meant to operate like a start-up, was tasked with designing, building, growing and investing in emerging mobility services.

Then-CEO Mark Fields said their plan was to quickly become part of the growing transportation services market, an industry that is already generating $5.4 trillion in revenue annually.

Hackett served as CEO of office furniture company Steelcase for many years and even filled in as interim athletics director at the University of Michigan from October 2014 through March, 2016, helping the school find a permanent replacement. He will report directly to Executive Chairman Bill Ford and lead the company’s more than 200,000 global employees.

Together, Ford said they will focus on three priorities: sharpening operational execution, modernizing Ford’s business and transforming the company to meet future challenges.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/69413-jim-hackett-head-ford-autonomous-vehicle-unit-replaces.html

 

[VitalyT]

In the meantime, Ford will continue its sub-par trademark in the European market where its low efficiency of engines and low-quality interior and electronics puts it right at the bottom, just below Opel/Buick.

Until now the current Mondeo was just a little worse than Opel Insignia (mostly due to very poor multi-media panel), but with the new 2017 Isignia, Mondeo is now miles behind.

 

[MoeJoe]

Ford is junk.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

In the meantime, Ford will continue its sub-par trademark in the European market where its low efficiency of engines and low-quality interior and electronics puts it right at the bottom, just below Opel/Buick.

Until now the current Mondeo was just a little worse than Opel Insignia (mostly due to very poor multi-media panel), but with the new 2017 Isignia, Mondeo is now miles behind.

Ford being low efficiency is news to me. The focus and fiesta both easily crack 40+MPG city, which is about as good as you can get, and 28 city, right behind the Japanese civic and corolla. The F-150 is on par with every other major truck in efficiency or better, depending on the engine.

Their sedans and CUVs, OTOH, I have little clue as I am not familiar with average performance. But calling ford sub par seems to be taking it a little far, isnt it?

Unless the EU engines are that terrible.

 

[Reehahs]

In the meantime, Ford will continue its sub-par trademark in the European market where its low efficiency of engines and low-quality interior and electronics puts it right at the bottom, just below Opel/Buick.

Until now the current Mondeo was just a little worse than Opel Insignia (mostly due to very poor multi-media panel), but with the new 2017 Isignia, Mondeo is now miles behind.

Ford being low efficiency is news to me. The focus and fiesta both easily crack 40+MPG city, which is about as good as you can get, and 28 city, right behind the Japanese civic and corolla. The F-150 is on par with every other major truck in efficiency or better, depending on the engine.

Their sedans and CUVs, OTOH, I have little clue as I am not familiar with average performance. But calling ford sub par seems to be taking it a little far, isnt it?

Unless the EU engines are that terrible.

The EU competition is tough with the likes of cars like Citeron C1 etc that do 60+ MPG.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

In the meantime, Ford will continue its sub-par trademark in the European market where its low efficiency of engines and low-quality interior and electronics puts it right at the bottom, just below Opel/Buick.

Until now the current Mondeo was just a little worse than Opel Insignia (mostly due to very poor multi-media panel), but with the new 2017 Isignia, Mondeo is now miles behind.

Ford being low efficiency is news to me. The focus and fiesta both easily crack 40+MPG city, which is about as good as you can get, and 28 city, right behind the Japanese civic and corolla. The F-150 is on par with every other major truck in efficiency or better, depending on the engine.

Their sedans and CUVs, OTOH, I have little clue as I am not familiar with average performance. But calling ford sub par seems to be taking it a little far, isnt it?

Unless the EU engines are that terrible.

The EU competition is tough with the likes of cars like Citeron C1 etc that do 60+ MPG.

60+MPG by american or european standards? Their MPG is a different gallon then US MPG.

 

[CrazyDave]

In the meantime, Ford will continue its sub-par trademark in the European market where its low efficiency of engines and low-quality interior and electronics puts it right at the bottom, just below Opel/Buick.

Until now the current Mondeo was just a little worse than Opel Insignia (mostly due to very poor multi-media panel), but with the new 2017 Isignia, Mondeo is now miles behind.

Ford being low efficiency is news to me. The focus and fiesta both easily crack 40+MPG city, which is about as good as you can get, and 28 city, right behind the Japanese civic and corolla. The F-150 is on par with every other major truck in efficiency or better, depending on the engine.

Their sedans and CUVs, OTOH, I have little clue as I am not familiar with average performance. But calling ford sub par seems to be taking it a little far, isnt it?

Unless the EU engines are that terrible.

The EU competition is tough with the likes of cars like Citeron C1 etc that do 60+ MPG.

60+MPG by american or european standards? Their MPG is a different gallon then US MPG.

In Europe we use standard forms of measurement
I have a Fiesta with the 1 liter turbo engine, 125ps, and I do between 6 and 7 liters per 100km. No idea what that relates to in American speak, but that's reasonably efficient in my book, and still good for 190kph on the Autobahn.

 

[Reehahs]

In Europe we use standard forms of measurement
I have a Fiesta with the 1 liter turbo engine, 125ps, and I do between 6 and 7 liters per 100km. No idea what that relates to in American speak, but that's reasonably efficient in my book, and still good for 190kph on the Autobahn.

That is true, though in UK they still prefer to use UK mpg to advertise. Some habits are hard to change. I took the liberty of converting UK gallons to US gallons and still these cars do 60+ mpg.

They are so light that if all the occupants sneezed in one direction, you can roll the car over.