It’s Ford time

Farley’s ideas for recasting Ford’s marketing cover a broad spectrum: During a dinner with journalists this week, he floated the idea of transforming Lincoln into a global luxury brand — something Ford has ruled out in the past. Though he had already broached the idea with some Ford executives, no one was ready to talk about it publicly.

Farley acknowledged that Lincoln is unlikely to resonate with European consumers, but said it could play well in the Middle East and the emerging markets of Russia and China. Farley expects his first real test will be the Ford Flex, the company’s new full-size crossover that goes on sale next summer.

Farley said the Flex is a vehicle only Ford could have produced, a replacement for the minivan that combines an old-school aesthetic that evokes great Ford models of the past while carving out a new niche in the market, just as the Bronco and Mustang did when they were launched. He wants Flex marketing to convey that. “Ford has an innate ability to develop icons,” he said. “This could be another iconic product.

It could be a big part of the new Ford and who we are.” “Re-engaging” Ford dealers is a priority, he said. Farley wants to do that through face-to-face meetings with retailers around the country. He plans to spend an extra day in Los Angeles this week meeting with California dealers to hear their ideas for building Ford’s brands there, where the automaker’s market share is 8 percent. Farley is not daunted by that number. “I remember when Toyota was an 8 percent player,” he said.