Mulally's new Ford platform

THE Ford Motor Company’s new chief executive Alan Mulally has revealed that reducing the number of global platforms and powertrains will be a priority under his stewardship.

"(There’s) just a lot of opportunity to leverage the talent and the vehicles and the powertrains and the engines across this global Ford – that’s going to be one of the most important things that we capitalise on going forward," he told US industry journal Automotive News this week.

"The key is going to be the products. We have been moving to more global platforms with the variation that the customers want and desire. But we have so much opportunity to accelerate that and improve on that.

"Toyota (is) very focused on common platforms with the variation that is needed or wanted in the regions. Toyota’s probably going to move even further to customisations for the different regions but using the same platforms.

"And Ford’s going to move to a lot more commonality on the frames and the powertrain."