New York, Apr 17: Ford Motor Co. says it aims to reduce by 25 per cent the time needed to design and produce new vehicles, as the world's second-largest automaker tries to reinvent its core business in its centennial year. By sharing designs and technology among similar models, Ford also expects to cut development costs by 10 per cent and double the number of vehicles it can create and deliver, Nick Scheele, Ford president and chief operating officer, said yesterday at the New York International Auto Show.
Ford typically takes about three years to develop, manufacture and introduce a new vehicle, which is about a year longer than the industry's best, Toyota and Honda. ``We're keeping the same number of people, but we're going to double the output because we'll increase the speed,'' Scheele said.
The new system involves replacing six loosely tied product development groups with a single, integrated team. Scheele called it ``the most far-reaching changes ever attempted in our product development process.'' The changes are important for Ford as the company embarks on a major remake of its car lineup and positions itself for increasing competition from European and Asian brands.
Creating cars faster also would allow the company to react better to changing consumer preferences. Ford, which turns 100 on June 16, plans to introduce 65 New Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products in North America in the next five years, which Scheele said was a ``dramatic acceleration on the product side'' of the company's ongoing turnaround plan.
Bureau Report