Bradford Wernle

Hinrichs: Quality is 'of the highest priority' at Ford
After three frenetic years overseeing Ford's ambitious Asia Pacific expansion plans, including the construction of nine plants, Joe Hinrichs returned to the Dearborn, Mic ...

In the Land of Many Buicks, one in particular stood out
If you were an alien from another world and your spaceship landed in Shanghai, you would immediately conclude that Buick is a planetary titan among automotive brands. ...

Ford must switch gears, tout trucks, Mustang
Ford-brand marketers face an interesting challenge. ...

China is a learning lab for Lincoln
Lincoln is studying the habits of luxury shoppers at Shanghai's luxury malls for new ideas in customer service that eventually could find their way back to U.S. dealershi ...

Marketer uses customers' voices to tell the Ford story
Toby Barlow, chief creative officer of the Team Detroit ad agency, has the job of telling the Ford brand story. Barlow and Team Detroit have relied heavily on customer te ...

Ford takes long look at launches
Ford Motor Co. is modifying its vehicle-launch procedures to catch problems earlier, said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of the Americas. ...

Ford's latest high-tech twist: Granddad's old-school knobs
Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Co.'s president of the Americas, won't say directly how the company plans to fix its troubled MyFord Touch control system, which has hurt Ford's ...

In China, car deliveries are reasons to celebrate
HONGQING, China -- When Xiu He Ping and his family took delivery of their shiny blue Ford Focus last month at An Fu Ford in Hongqing, China, they walked into a special co ...

First-time car buyers are driving China market growth
The thrill of new-car ownership may be largely gone in the United States, where young consumers can be enamored of smartphones and iPads. ...

Ford boosts F-150 capacity in Kansas City
Ford Motor Co. will add workers and capacity at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri to build more F-150 pickups, its best-selling vehicle. But the company remains ...

Ford to add 2,000 jobs, raise F-150 capacity at Kansas City plant
Ford plans to hire an additional 2,000 workers at its Kansas City Assembly Plant to meet increased demand for F-150 pickups and for the upcoming production of the new Tra ...

Lincoln to hike MKZ Hybrid mix; Ford volume up 18%
Ford Motor Co. will increase the production mix of Lincoln MKZ Hybrids to 30 percent for the 2014 model year, from 20 percent now, to meet increased demand, a Ford execut ...

West is best for growth in China sales, output
Automakers, urged on by China's national and local governments, are eager to expand in the markets of central and western China. ...

Ford weighs compact for China
With an eye to growth in China's booming compact car market, Ford has revived an old nameplate for a new concept car. The Ford Escort Concept is an extended-wheelbase ver ...

After late start, Ford goes full tilt on China growth
Dave Schoch, Ford Motor Co.'s recently appointed Asia Pacific chief, shrugs off critics who say the automaker is a latecomer to China. ...

Ford targets Chinese buyers with Focus-based concept
Ford Motor Co. was to have unveiled a Focus-based concept car last week at the Shanghai auto show that targets local tastes with a stretched wheelbase and larger rear doo ...

It's hard to see where China's love affair with cars will lead
If you hang around anyone connected with the Chinese auto industry for any length of time, you'll hear mind-boggling numbers about the industry's rosy future. ...

Ford, GM partner on 9-, 10-speed gearboxes
Ford and GM are developing nine- and 10-speed transmissions jointly for use in cars, crossovers, pickups and SUVs. ...

Ford's top execs devote much more time to China
During a recent visit to China, Ford COO Mark Fields ran the company's global business-plan review meeting -- a weekly gathering that includes all of the company's senior ...

Ford, GM partner on 9-, 10-speed gearboxes
Ford and General Motors are developing nine- and 10-speed transmissions jointly for use in cars, crossovers, pickups and SUVs. ...

Ford: New EcoBoost to fuel China sales
China gets part of the credit for Ford Motor Co.'s newest EcoBoost engine, a 1.5-liter powerplant. China gives car buyers a roughly $300 tax break for buying a vehicle wi ...

Ford video library lets buyers control training
Ford has amassed a library of about 150 videos, 30 to 60 seconds long, explaining Ford and Lincoln features such as MyKey, Blind Spot Monitoring and Active Park Assist. ...

Ex-Cadillac boss LaNeve takes helm of Lincoln's ad agency
Mark LaNeve, former top North American marketer at General Motors and ex-head of Cadillac, now is devoting his talents to Cadillac's traditional American-luxury rival: Li ...

Ford 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine to debut on 2014 Fusion
When the 2014 Ford Fusion debuts this fall it will be offered with a new 1.5-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, the fifth member of Ford's EcoBoost family, Ford said T ...

Ex-GM marketing boss LaNeve takes over Lincoln's ad agency
Mark LaNeve, former top North American marketer at General Motors and ex-head of Cadillac, has taken over as president of the Lincoln brand's ad agency. ...