It would have been too much to expect Mark Fields to exclusively discuss India in his Vision 2020 presentation a fortnight ago. Yet, the President and CEO of Ford Motor Company referred to a shift in customer and regional trends which meant small vehicles would play a larger role in the company’s product portfolio. Global models like the Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport, as well as regional nameplates such as the Figo, Ka and Escort, would comprise a greater percentage of Ford’s sales.

Future plans The Figo was Ford’s long overdue model in India’s small car space launched in 2010. Likewise, the more recent EcoSport is part of a rapidly growing segment which comprises compact crossovers/utility vehicles.

Ford’s top management had said earlier that eight models would be launched in India by 2015. While this does not seem very likely now (given the two-year slowdown in the auto segment), all eyes are on the B562 compact that will roll out of the company’s new plant in next year. India is also an important export hub for the American automaker thanks to its robust ancillary supplier base which offers the best mix of quality and costs.

Ford’s 2020 vision includes plans to increase global vehicle sales by 45 to 55 per cent to approximately 9.4 million units. “Our long-term plan underscores the commitment we have to our One Ford plan, while accelerating our pace of progress, delivering product excellence and driving innovation in all areas of our business,” said Fields.

The 2020 vision is driven by the company’s confidence in its global product plans which focus on delivering a full family of vehicles. According to Fields, Ford will continue to be a leader in bringing new features to market and will seize opportunities to differentiate itself from competitors. Fuel-efficient and versatile sport-utility vehicles and crossovers, like the Edge and Explorer, will also make up a larger portion of Ford’s overall sales total, as those models become available in new regions. The company is on plan to have 99 per cent of its global sales volume built on nine platforms by 2016 and is furthering its strategy by consolidating its long-term product plan to eight platforms.

Going luxe The reinvention of Lincoln as a world-class luxury brand continues in North America and China and will lead to long-term sales growth and an increase in operating margin. The majority of Lincoln’s growth will come from China, where the brand debuts this year with the MKZ sedan and new MKC luxury utility, the first of four new vehicles Lincoln plans to introduce globally by the end of 2016. The MKX midsize crossover and full-size sedan will follow. Additionally, Lincoln plans to add two new entries to its lineup by 2020.

This year will continue to serve as a critical building block in the One Ford plan where the company will launch 23 vehicles.

In 2015, Ford will continue its strong product push with 16 vehicle launches across the world.

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