Connecting Asia Pacific and Africa

Ford paints the town green New Fiesta sizzles in APA Communicating from the centre

Issue 3

Flying in ChinaFlying in China

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John Parker Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific and Africa

Contents

is published for the people of Asia Pacific and Africa, Ford Motor Company, by Ford Communications - 19th Floor, Lake Rajada Office Complex, 193/82-86 Ratchadapisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand. Director/Publisher: Whitney Foard Small; Managing Editor: Mia Barrett; Regional Content Team: PRISM; Design/Production: Oakins and Stone Limited. A publication of Ford Communications Network. May 2009. Please send questions and comments on this issue to apamedia@ford.com

W e just wrapped up a terrific, and by all

accounts, very successful and exciting

show at Auto Shanghai 2009. This has

truly become one of the world’s biggest auto shows in terms of number of exhibitors and attendees and certainly global media interest… and thus it has fast become one of the industry’s most significant and closely watched. I’m certain that our team left no doubt as to where this show and the China market fit into the global strategy of

Ford Motor Company. To be more specific, the Ford stand really rocked! And we made a firm statement about our overall vision and plans for China, the APA region and globally – with our world-class products and global technologies, and by highlighting China’s position as one of the cornerstones of our global footprint.

The recent launch and, so far, runaway success of the new Ford Fiesta in China was certainly highlighted – with the car making a flying entrance on to our stand from above – in a dramatic live recreation of the popular Fiesta TVC currently playing in that market. The ‘Drive Green, Drive Smart, Drive Safe’ theme of the Ford stand gave the thousands of attendees an up-close and interactive experience with some of the innovative contributions Ford Motor Company is currently making to the global automotive industry. Our EcoBoost engine technology has particular appeal to the Chinese audience, who are now sharply focused on ways to improve fuel efficiency and be more environmentally friendly. So our announcement that it, and our PowerShift technology, would both arrive in China next year was very well received. The Ford SYNC technology showcased our leadership in mobile connectivity, which will arrive soon enough in our APA markets. The competitive landscape in China is both tough and unforgiving, but I believe that anyone who stopped by the Ford stand at Auto Shanghai 2009 felt the excitement and the confidence of Ford Motor Company as a leader in this market and a stand-out at this Show.

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6 6

3 3

3 Product Watch New Fiesta sizzles in APA

4 Driving Skills for Life

7 Technology Ford paints the town green Putting a dent in auto insurance costs

8 Cover Story Flying in China

6 Product

11 Behind the Scenes How I became a fashion model

12 Voice of the Customer Dan in real life Communicating from the centre

14 Global Watch MAX joins iosis family

15 Hot News

16 CSR

17 News Roundup

18 Ford Faces

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15 15

5 South Africa

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product watch

New Fiesta sizzles in APA

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T emperatures have been rising ever since Ford’s global small car drove into the Asia Pacific and Africa region

late last year. Building on the worldwide wave of excitement, the new Fiesta is selling like hot cakes in APA,

with demand outstripping supply. “Fiesta is selling really well. In fact, our biggest problem is obtaining enough

stock to keep up with customer demand,” said Marq Roberts, dealer principal at Fury Sandton in South Africa. As of end April, more than 11,500 units have been sold in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and China. We check out why the customers are drawn to the irresistible Fiesta.

China

Object of desire Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Nissan Tiida. Xu Li, 26, tried them all in her two-month search for a small car but they were all missing something. The young executive wanted something that would match her style. Xu’s friend, who owns a Ford Focus, brought her to Shanghai Jiu Hua to see what was available. She clapped eyes on the new Fiesta and paid a deposit for it straightaway. She picked the sedan version, which is tailored to Chinese customers, saying: “I love the kinetic and fashionable interior and exterior of the new Fiesta.”

So

uth

Afr

ica

Love at first sight Gary Tilston needed a smaller car to supplement the SUV that he already owns. The plan was that his wife will use the bigger car as she travels less while he will drive the smaller car for his job as a key accounts manager for an outdoor advertising company. He looked at many small cars but always found something not to like – until he dropped by Fury Sandton and was shown the Fiesta. “I was blown away at first sight. When you see what you get in the Fiesta, as compared to what the competitors offer, the decision to go for the Fiesta was a no-brainer. I signed the offer to purchase right away,” said the father of two toddlers. “At traffic lights, people actually take a second look at my Fiesta Ambiente. The great styling, the decent size, the comfort levels and the leg space have all got me hooked onto this car. It’s like driving a sedan.”

New Zealand

Customer No. 1 Penelope Brown, who works for a company that designs websites, is the country’s first Fiesta customer – way before the official sale of the car on April 15. The mother of two was shopping at a Toyota dealership for a Yaris RS when she decided to pop across the road to South Auckland Motors. The salespeople showed her the Fiesta and she promptly fell in love with it. Said the 33-year-old who breezed right into how the car functions: “I love the style and look of the car and the technology component was an added extra.”

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Driving Skills for Life extends its reach in APA

your Ford DSFL

rapid rise in road accident statistics. In India alone, approximately 100,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2008, or an estimated 275 people every day. The Indian Transport Ministry estimates that the number of annual fatalities from road accidents might climb to 150,000 by 2015. In China, according to the Ministry of Public Security, one person is killed as the result of a vehicle accident roughly every five minutes. “The numbers are staggering in these markets – and clearly point to a need for concerted efforts aimed at helping improve road safety,” said Neal McCarthy, corporate communications director, APA. “The expansion of our DSFL programme to additional markets underscores Ford’s overall commitment to the region, and allows us to contribute both our expertise and resources in a way that will directly benefit these communities.” Training the trainers Professional drive instructors from Germany will arrive in China at the end of May to conduct a train-the-trainers session with a combined group of Ford training representatives from China, Taiwan and India. The intensive two-day workshop will include classroom theory and practical driving instructions that cover everything from a reminder to always fasten safety belts to proper techniques for stopping on slick road surfaces. Both Chinese and Indian drivers will also be equally keen to learn about increasing fuel efficiency and saving at the pump. But there

C hina, Taiwan and India will become

the latest markets to launch a

local Driving Skills for Life (DSFL)

programme in Asia Pacific and Africa (APA), which has already provided safe- and eco-driving training to nearly 5500 drivers since its launch in the region last year. Successfully kicked-off in four ASEAN markets in 2008 – Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam – DSFL is aiming to become the first region-wide corporate social responsibility programme in APA and an increasingly significant component of the overall global DSFL campaign. The DSFL APA programme is helping raise awareness of safe driving practices among Asian drivers, as well as techniques to help achieve better fuel efficiency, through classroom sessions and practical driver training. To help facilitate the DSFL sessions, the participating markets are working with their respective Ford dealer networks to provide Ford vehicles and local venues for the free training, as well as leveraging their local presence to help solicit training participants within their communities. Helping reduce the toll Ford is extending the driver education programme to additional markets this year in the hope it will help reduce the toll of road traffic accidents. The exponential growth rate of vehicle ownership in the APA region, combined with a lack of formal driver education programmes, has meant an equally

won’t be a need to alter the instructions, as many of the eco-driving techniques are the same used for safe driving, such as keeping tyres properly inflated and maintaining uniform engine and driving speeds. The newly DSFL-equipped trainers will then add any appropriate customisation for the local driving environments in their countries, and act as the training facilitators for the ongoing DSFL sessions in their markets. China is planning to train at least 3000 consumers in 15 to 20 tier-1 and tier-2 cities, starting from mid-June. Taiwan has already secured the endorsement and support of the government’s Road Safety Supervising Commission and will partner with the Automobile Safety Association to help run the programme. In India, the programme will be launched among Ford’s employees, as well as dealer representatives, before being launched to the public later in the year. Keeping the momentum going The markets that successfully launched DSFL in 2008 are all continuing with regular events throughout this year, with the Philippines re-launching its comprehensive and U.N.-recognised road safety campaign, formerly known as R.I.D.E., under the DSFL umbrella. “Our target is to train at least 7500 drivers this year across the seven participating markets, with a larger goal to continue expanding the programme so that it’s running in all of our APA markets by next year,” added McCarthy.

DSFL event in Vietnam

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A s we expected, the 2009 calendar year is shaping up to be challenging in every respect – not only in South Africa but all over the globe. Many analysts are describing present conditions as the worst economic climate since the Great Depression of the

1930s. I don’t know about that (as I missed the 1930s!) but I do believe this recession is very different from a regular cyclical down-turn in a number of significant ways – the recessionary boundaries are global in scope, the access to fresh sources of capital are limited and expensive, and the confidence of both

customers and business is severely shaken and will be slow to restore. So is this the end of the economic world as we know it? Nope. Do we give in to fear and despair and fate? Not a chance. Do we resolve ourselves to being a smaller and less significant role in the “ONE Ford” plan? Not in the FMCSA workplan. Quite simply, we must become comfortable being uncomfortable. We must embrace change and allow change to become the catalyst for our transformation. And we must stay emotionally resilient and focused on our plan towards becoming the T6 and Puma Motor Company. Over the next several months, we will be going through some important product and business gateways that will greatly influence our collective future. And despite the multitude of external

challenges facing us (and others in our business), I like what I’m seeing and feeling in FMCSA today and how we are rallying together and moving forward around our shared cause. I can see transformation in the assembly plants. I can feel excitement in the dealer body about the new Ford Fiesta and other freshened products like the Bantam, Focus, and Ikon. I can sense a renewed commitment from our Supplier and NUMSA partners who share in our export company vision. This is an exciting time. This is a stimulating business. We work for a company that is getting better and better – each and every day. I look forward to the next phase of our journey and to learning together in these fascinating times. The winds of change are howling – keep the faith, spirit and resolve.

South Africa

Hal Feder President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa

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product

A fter more than 25 years of service in South Africa,

the Ford Bantam range has now been expanded to

include a diesel derivative – the1.4-litre turbo diesel.

The state of the art DuraTorq TDCi engine utilises

a turbocharger and electronically controlled direct injection

system to create a peak power output of 50kW at 4000rpm and a

maximum torque of 160Nm at 2000rpm.

“Consumers will now have even greater choice when looking

for a new Bantam, while a number of upgrades to the range

further improve on the overall offering,” said Ben Pillay, marketing

manager, Ford South Africa.

Keep the noise down Noise reduction technology makes the 1.4TDCi one of the

smoothest and quietest diesels in its class. The innovative

technology incorporates a system called ‘Accelerometer Pilot

Bantam gets diesel power

Control’ (APC) – an ingenious system that monitors combustion

noise levels – that makes adjustments every 0.3 milliseconds to the

pilot main injectors, ensuring an incredibly quiet drive. Moreover,

the body sealing of all models has been improved to ensure a

comfortable interior environment.

The styling of the Bantam also gets a revamp for 2009. The

range will now be offered with a redesigned front bumper and

bonnet, complemented by newly styled front headlamps. The rear

lamp cluster has also been updated, while new 14” alloy wheels

complete the profile.

Focus makes a good bet

T he upgraded Ford Focus has just upped

the stakes in the medium car market

with a fresh exterior and an innovative

new engine.

The most influential visual enhancement is the

dramatic new front featuring ‘kinetic design’ elements,

such as the large trapezoidal opening below the

bumperline and new bonnet with defined contours.

The new upper grille with a larger Ford badge,

dominates the new front design. It is more expressive

and more athletic.

Inside, the emphasis is on enhancing the overall comfort levels with high-

quality materials and improved ergonomics. USB connectivity and Bluetooth

capability are also available.

Smooth shifts The Focus now comes with the innovative six-speed PowerShift automatic

transmission with the potent 2.0-litre DuraTorq turbodiesel engine and delivers

outstanding fuel efficiency without compromising driving performance.

The six-speed PowerShift automatic with double-clutch technology is

extremely refined and able to shift smoothly through its six-speed gearing more

efficiently than a conventional automatic transmission.

PowerShift convincingly demonstrates a high degree of driving comfort and

agility in congested urban driving. In fact, PowerShift is much more efficient

than a conventional torque converter automatic transmission, and this efficiency

is evident when noting the fuel consumption figure of 5.8l/100km (combined

urban and extra urban according to 1999/100/EC).

“We are confident that the new Focus will be a highly competitive player in

the medium car market and offer enjoyable dynamic on-road driving qualities

which have become a Focus trademark,” said Pillay.

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ainting vehicles has traditionally been one of the auto industry’s biggest environmental challenges, but Ford has come up with an eco-friendly, cost-efficient solution thatproduces beautifully painted vehicles with

long-term durability. The new 3-Wet high-solids technology developed by Ford produces less carbon dioxide emissions and reduces volatile organic compounds emissions by about 20 percentas compared to current medium-solids solvent-borne paints.

High solidsAs the new formulation contains more paint solids, less paint is needed to cover a vehicle than the medium solids technology. This technology also eliminates the primer ovens and primer preparation booth, resulting in significant reductions in operational costs and greenhouse emissions. Moreover, the paint formulation – which contains new polymers and other additives that minimise running and sagging during the application process – allows for three coats of wet paint to be applied without baking between coats. Laboratory tests have also shown that the high-solids, solvent-borne paint provides better long-term resistance

technology

to scratches than water-borne paint and medium-solids solvent-borne paint.

Coming soon to IndiaFord pioneered the technology at the Avon Lake plant for trucks in the U.S. in 2007 and will be the only automaker to use it in India. The 3-Wet high-solids technology will be used for the first time on passenger cars this August in India and Ford has partnered with paint suppliers BASF and PPG and robot supplier Dürr for this project. “It’s not very often that we can deliver quality, cost and environmental objectives with a single paint technology,” said Kalyan Murugan, project manager for Ford India’s paint shop. “We’re excited to launch this breakthrough technology in India.”

Putting a dent in auto insurance costs

If a car costs less to fix, it’s going to cost less to insure. So Ford has opened an industry-first technologycentre in Inkster, Michigan, to

develop design solutions and repair procedures that will lower repair costs and ultimately drive down auto insurance premiums. Funded by a US$650,000 investment by collision repair product, equipment and service suppliers, the new Ford

Paint and Body Technology Centre will leverage on the combined expertise of Ford’s repair and safety experts, auto repair technicians and insurance companies to provide repair recommendations early in a new vehicle’s development.

Starting with the 2009 Ford F-150Ford repair and safety engineers began collaborating on the new 2009 Ford F-150.During the early development period, engineers realised new materials –including ultra high-strength steel and boron – made the truck safer but could also make it more expensive to repair after a collision.

Ford paints the town green

To address the issue, Ford developed special front and rear frame section kits that can be used instead of replacing the entire frame. Partial frame repairs cost at least $2000 less than full frame replacements. The success of thiscollaboration led to the decision to open the new facility. “We’re now able to prepare repair procedure manuals in advance for allof our new vehicles,” said Mark Albrant, customer service engineering supervisor.“This effort saves insurers repair costs so they can reduce consumers’ auto insurance premiums. At the same time, repairs can be done with safety-approvedprocedures that help ensure the vehicle’squality is restored.”

P3-Wet high-solids paint technology at work.

Testing in progress at the new Ford Paint and Body Technology Centre.

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T his may be the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese calendar but there must be more to Ford’s bullish performance in China than a zodiac sign. In fact, Ford aims to grow even faster than

China’s car market. “If the industry is 10 percent, we will grow more than the industry this year,” predicts Nigel Harris, vice-president of Ford Motor China and general manager of Changan Ford Mazda Sales Company. Why is he so bullish? New Fiesta is the reason, and it is a very powerful confidence builder considering it has sold more than 161,000 units since its global debut last autumn. Small cars win big The global small car was officially launched across China in early March and has been flying off dealers’ floors at a rate that exceeds expectations. The cheeky Fiesta arrived at a time when the Chinese government unveiled incentives that included halving the purchase tax on smaller cars. This is a savings of at least4000 yuan (US$585) on the 1.3-litre hatchback.

Showing off in Shanghai While some international automakers scaled down at AutoShanghai 2009 last month, Ford confidently displayed itsfull China line-up as well as the highly interactive Ford SYNCtechnology as demonstrated in a Ford Flex with a twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine. A Fiesta hatch was spectacularly flown down onto the stageaccompanied by aerial performers in a reenactment of thedramatic TV advertising campaign in China. Sharing thespotlight was the iosis MAX, a concept vision of a Multi ActivityVehicle that generated waves at the Geneva Motor Show inMarch. (Meet the iosis MAX designers on the Global Watch page.)

Flying in China

cover story

Fiesta makes a grand entrance at Auto Shanghai 2009.

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Using interactive and innovative exhibits that wowed visitors to the Ford stand, Ford aimed to show that it is driving towards a greener, smarter and safer future. Drive smart The acclaimed SYNC technology that has won the North American public over with its usability and affordability was previewed to Chinese consumers who had an opportunity to experience the award-winning hands-free communications and entertainment system. A Fiesta cutaway bodyshell highlighting theextensive use of high-strength steel and boron was also on display to show journalists and visitors that the Fiesta’s bold exterior styling is supported by a very well-engineered, rigid and safe structure. There was also a touch table that showcased the car’s mobile-phone inspired centre console and where consumers could send images they liked to themselves.

Milestones 1995 FordMotor(China)Ltd.wasestablishedand headquarteredinBeijing.

1997 FordincreaseditsshareinJianglingMotors Corporation(JMC)to29.96%.Bothjointlydeveloped theChinaTransitwhichcombines JMC’s powertrain and Ford’s European Transit body.

2000 FordMotorCompanyandChanganAutomotiveGroup establishedcarmanufacturingjointventureChangan FordAutomobileCo.

2002 FordMotorCompanybecamethefirstmultinational autocompanytoestablishaglobalsourcingoperation inChinawithFordMotorChinaSourcingOffice inShanghai.

2003 ChanganFordAutomobileCo.startedproductionat theChongqingplantwithFordFiesta,thefirst domestically-builtFordcarofferedinChina,inJanuary.

2004 Locally-producedFordMondeowaslaunchedand recognisedwithmorethanthirtyawardsinChina, includingthe2004COTYawardfromAutoTrend(China).

2004 TheheadquartersofFordMotorChinarelocatedfrom BeijingtoShanghai.

2005 FordAutomotiveFinance(China)wasofficially establishedinShanghai.

2005 FordFocus,thefirstautomobiletobehonouredasthe “car of the year” in both the U.S. and Europe, was launchedinChina.

2006 Mazda’s investment was approved by the Chinese governmentandChanganFordwasthenrenamed ChanganFordMazdaAutomobileCo.Ltd(CFMA).

2007 CFMAbeganproductionattheNanjingplantwithMazda2.

2007 FordS-MAXandthenewFordMondeo,thefirstcarsof FordkineticdesignwerelaunchedinChina.

2009 Productionofthesedanandhatchbackversionsofthe newglobalFiestaforChinabeganattheNanjingplant inJanuaryandwentonsaleinMarch.

“I love the S-MAX because it’s practical and functional. This is my second car and it can do so much more than my first one. Use it and you’ll know it.”

Li Qi, 31 Joint venture executive

“I believe in the Mondeo’s safety record.” Xu Yongfeng, 41 Businessman

“Many of my colleagues bought the Focus. They can’t be wrong. I trust them.” Ding Lin, 29 Policewoman

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Drive safe Are you a good driver? Visitors to the Ford stand got to take part in a safety driving challenge to pit their driving skills against one another on a timed course around a digital town. They also saw how boron steel is used in Ford cars for improved strength and safety as compared with normal steel. Moreover, the safety touch table told the stories of how Ford vehicles have received praise from independent safety organisations, with the Mondeo and Focus earning C-NCAP five-star ratings for occupant protection. Drive green If seeing is believing, visitors were shown how EcoBoost engine technology combines turbocharging with very precise direct gasoline injection to deliver excellent driving performance while also being fuel-efficient and producing less carbon dioxide emissions. The public also tested it out for themselves by racing a slot car around the track to see how much fuel they would save with the EcoBoost technology which will be making its way to China in the future. A famous Chinese proverb says, “又要马儿跑得好，又要马儿不吃草” or “You want your horse to run well but you also wantit not to have to eat grass”. And with all the fuel-efficient vehiclesin Ford’s line-up, it just goes to show that the Chinese consumerscan have their cake and eat it too.

FordsalesmanZhangJunhasnowalmostbecomethefaceofFiestaafterappearinginathree-minuteprogrammeonChannelYoung,aTVshow aimed at the hip and young, to promote Ford’s global small car. HailingfromAnhuiprovince,ZhanghasbeensellingFordcarsfor

almost three years and he’s been sobusysellingthenewFiestathatthe@Fordteamhaddifficultiespinning him down. Here’s a snippet ofourconversation.What’s so special about the new Fiesta? The first time I saw it, I couldn’t helpbutexclaimhowbeautifulit

is – both inside and outside. It’s completelychangedthepreviousForddesigns,ahugeleapforward.ThenewFiestapaysalotofattentiontodetails,youcantellfromtheinteriorsurfacesandtheambient lighting. The public loves it and I’m sure it’ll sell well. I’ve alreadysoldfiveinlessthanamonth.

Selling the Fiesta How did the company equip you to sell the new Fiesta? Wereceivedverythoroughtrainingoneveryaspectofthecar,fromthetechnologyinvolvedtoitsuniquesellingpoints.How did you feel when you were recording the TV programme? ActuallyitwasmyfirsttimeonTV.WhenIfacedthecamera,IjustspokeasIwouldwhentalkingtoacustomer.IfeltIhadbeenentrustedwiththemissionofpromotingthisperfectlittlecartotheaudience.Has life changed after your TV appearance? Life hasn’t changed much, I’m still a long way off from being a movie star but I’ll try my best (chuckles).Tell us about the car you now drive. I drive the previous generation Fiesta. It’s still an energetic littlecannon!

FeeltheFiestacutaway,raceslotcarsandtestthestrengthofboronsteel–visitorsflockedtotheFordstandatAutoShanghai2009becausetherewassomuchtodo.TheseassetshelptobringtheFordstoryofinnovationandfuelefficiencyalivetothepublicinafunandinteractiveway. AndtheseassetsarenotconfinedtoChina.Theyhavebeenandwillbeusedinmotorshowsintheregion.Therearecutawaysandproductionvehiclesforvariousnameplates,aswellastouchtables to showcase Ford’s safety achievements and fuel-efficient technologies like that of the EcoBoost engine. ContactyourRegionalAutoShowStakeholderscommitteememberforacompletelistoftheassetsthatyoucanuseforyourmotorshow.

Show and tell

Catch Zhang’s TV debut at http://snipurl.com/ez4lx

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behind the scenes

It all began when Ford and Wallpaper, Thailand’s top design magazine, worked together on “100 Designs to Save the World” – an environmental exhibition held at one of Bangkok’s upmarket malls in March. Since I was the only car on display – ahem – they got these really famous people to dress me up for the show!

Name: E20 Ford Focus Biodata: FASHION MODEL

How I became a fashion model

Name: Ford Focus (E20) Biodata: Sporty. Confident and bold. First E20 flex fuel vehicle in Thailand.

You may know that sugarcane is used in the production of ethanol. This is my sugarcane-inspired wrap by renowned architect Vasu Virajsilp who set out to make me look even more athletic and muscular.

Celebrated fashion designer Issariya Virajsilp went for elegance in motion and dressed me in an eco-friendly suit.

In the process, the Wallpaper team was so impressed by my kinetic design cues that they wanted me to star in a special fashion spread in the April automotive issue!

Using the concept of “In Motion” for the 12-page spread, they captured the smooth flowing lines of my expressive exterior and ergonomic interior.

So there we were – two E20s and one TDCi with PowerShift – showing off our distinct European design heritage from every angle.

Catch behind-the-scenes footage at http://snipurl.com/e793s

Mission complete. Now, where else will you find a visually exciting car like me other than with dynamic works by top architects such as Heatherwick and Libeskind?

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D an Morris,

Ford’s new chief

of marketing,

sales and service

for Asia Pacific and Africa, likes to push himself to the limit, be it at work or when leaping off bridges. What’s he like outside the office? Here’s a peek into his world.

What do you think is the key to Ford’s success in these challenging times? We have to execute the plan. We have the right plan, now we have to execute and deliver it flawlessly. We need to continue to understand the customer better and to provide the right product and ownership experience so that they want to buy again…and again. You’ve lived and worked in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Which is your favourite? I’ve moved 15 times in my Ford career. The best place is always the place I’m in. If I approach it with this mindset, it’ll be new, exciting and we’ll discover the treasures of the country we’re in. How does your intercultural experience help in your job? I’ve learned to seek out and look for “diversity of thought” by seeking diverse input and encouraging open dialogue. It always yields better decisions. My motto has always been to be tough on issues, but respectful of people. We heard you hold racing licences from clubs in the U.S. and Japan. Tell us about the most memorable race you’ve had. It was a four-hour endurance race that involved 30 teams in Japan. I was driving the anchor leg during the night time. I had the added handicap of driving a right-hand drive manual. We were in 21st position when I took over and managed to finish 11th. I was very pleased with it, but actually it had nothing to do with driving ability, it was just that we managed our fuel better while the other teams ran out of gas.

Apart from racing, it looks like you’re quite the adventure buff – bungee jumping, scuba diving and landing in a helicopter on a glacier. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in your life? I once drove straight from New York to California – 47 hours, a cup of coffee and no sleep. I had a week-long holiday and I wanted to get to San Francisco as soon as possible. It became a mental challenge, not a physical one. You learn about yourself and how you can push yourself through a tough situation to reach the target. It also taught me the strength of the mind in overcoming your physical limits. If you had an extra eight hours every day, what would you spend the extra time doing? Playing baseball with my two boys, who are eight and six. Or going on a family outing. In an alternate universe, what would you be? I’d be playing shortstop for the New York Yankees. I’ve always aspired to play professional baseball, but never had the talent to play at that level. The sports industry is almost parallel to the automotive industry. Both are highly competitive and demand immediate results.

Dan in real life

2009: Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford APA 2005: Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service, Mazda Motor Corporation 2003: President and CEO, Mazda Motor Europe GmbH 2001: Vice President, Sales, Mazda Motor Europe GmbH 1979: Joined Ford as a field trainee and subsequently held a number of senior marketing, sales and service positions in the company.

Born in the United States, Dan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York in 1978 and completed a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1979 at Clarkson College, Potsdam, New York.

Biobox

Why are people talking about the Indian Fiesta? See the ad on the back cover.

voice of the customer

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In the past, individual markets developed the entire

go-to-market strategy on their own, which sometimes

resulted in different messages across different markets.

But with Ford moving towards more common products based on a common target customer and common product positioning, it only makes sense to approach brand communications from a common strategy to achieve a greater consistency and consensus of the message across all APA markets. Moreover, developing assets centrally means that all the markets can have higher quality campaigns at a lower cost.

For example, Indonesia might not be able to afford high quality full-colour ads for a vehicle campaign. But now that the campaigns are being developed with other markets across the region, Indonesia gets the ads it needs and at a much lower cost (up to 30% less in 2008). “The board is really a process designed to enhance our brand communications and attract more customers,” said Dan Morris, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, APA. “The key is to showcase the right product with the right message to the right customer. And the board will ensure this is done with greater efficiency.”

Communicating from the centre See the difference? Expect more to come as the Asia Pacific and Africa (APA) Communications Strategy Board kicks into action. As the single authority to provide governance for communications strategy, brand direction and the development of assets across all markets in the APA region since January, the board is already seeing the benefits from faster and more strategic decision making.

Before

After

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MAX joins iosis family Designers behind the eye-catching iosis MAX – a concept vision of a Multi Activity Vehicle – explain how they fused style with function to create one of the most talked-about concept cars at the Geneva Motor Show.

global watch

Martin SmithExecutive design director The iosis MAX has dramatic, bold, emotivestyling. It is also practical and has innovativedoor and rear-hatch opening systems and a bonnet that folds up onto the screen to reveal the EcoBoost engine. iosis MAX demonstrates a further development in our

kinetic design principles, inside and out. It is lightweight and aerodynamicwith a big focus on sustainability. Although the iosis MAX isn’t aforerunner to a specific production vehicle, it proves that a people-mover can have emotive, dynamic styling without sacrificing their traditional virtues of practicality or efficiency.

Stefan Lamm Chief designer, Exteriors It shows the next leap in kinetic design, giving a very modern interpretation of a Multi Activity Vehicle. You can see the influence of kinetic design throughout the vehicle. In particular, the front-end is very bold with a bold trapezoidal lower grille

and strong headlamp graphics. At the side, the aerodynamically efficiency‘flying buttress’ C-pillar is innovative and distinctive. The shape of the rear end of the vehicle is both stylish and aerodynamic and hints at how our DNA is evolving.

Ernst ReimChief designer, Interiors Drawing inspiration from modernist architecture, lightweight construction technologies and even the sporting world,we have created an innovative interior which gives a feeling of spaciousness. It is a look intothe future, showing a new generation of interiors.

The stylish centre console has touch-sensitive surfaces and a sliminstrument panel. A lightweight spine-like bridge flows from the console to the rear of the vehicle. The seats sit on that ‘bridge’ and seem to float inthe air. That allows stowage space under the seats while enhancing the feeling of roominess.

Ruth Pauli Chief designer, Colour & Materials The focus on transparent or translucent materials in the vehicle exterior and interior emphasises the lightweight construction of the vehicle, the colouring of the materials reflects the icy shades found in polar regions.The Limelight exterior colour is complemented

by frosted translucent whites and transparent greens of glass and lamphousings, which give the vehicle an overall airy and technical personality.

Excerpted from the April issue of @Ford Europe.

Issue 3 / 15

hot news

Even Thembo the elephant couldn’t resist checking out the freshened

Ford Bantam, especially when it had to lift its food off the back of the

rugged pickup, much to the amusement of the journalists who were test

driving the Bantam and the facelifted Ford Focus earlier last month.

More than 40 motoring, lifestyle and Internet media congregated in the

picturesque Mpumalanga region to put the vehicles through their paces during

the three-day launch. They attended a business presentation highlighting the

positioning and unique selling points of the two nameplates, followed by a

presentation by a technical expert who explained and highlighted the advantages

of the new PowerShift gearbox.

And the media seemed to be as taken by the Bantam as six-tonne Thembo was.

“The Bantam TDCi was extremely responsive,” said a journalist from a weekly

community newspaper. “The changes to the Bantam have made it look more modern

and it now looks and feels more like a motor car.”

Meanwhile, the mountainous nature of Mpumalanga offered the perfect mix of

roads – smooth and straight to winding and corrugated – to test the dynamic Ford

Focus new 1.8L engine and 2.0L TDCi PowerShift gearbox.

Donating old plant bicycles to worthy causes FMCSA donated 58 bicycles through Hatfield Christian Church

North to various charities, organisations and individuals in Pretoria.

Of the 32 bicycles already handed out, ten were given to Love

in Action in Mabopane, seven to Tumelo Hospice in Mabopane,

eight to Wolmer Community Projects, two to Rivoni Missions, two

to Kagisanong Hospice and three to needy school children.

It was a new vehicle and a minor electrical problem sidelined drivers

Neil Woolridge and Kenny Skjoldhammer but the Ford Ranger 3.2

TDCi still exceeded all expectations during the opening round of the 2009

South African National ABSA Off Road Championship at the Eastern Cape

400 last month.

“Unfortunately when introducing

a new car there are teething problems

you have to contend with,” explained

Woolridge. “On a positive note it was

only a minor difficulty so hopefully

we’ll be able to iron it out before the

next round.”

Newcomers to the team and the

premier SP class, Thomas Rundle and Hennie ter Stege racing the Ford

Ranger 4.0 petrol, finished second on their first venture into the premier

SP class. Baphumze Rubuluza and Khulile Vakalisa got their Class E

campaign off to a good start, finishing third.

Team Ford enjoys a solid season debut

A true-blue South African launch

“The new Getrag dual-clutch gearbox is a quiet and

powerful two-litre diesel. It feels lighter and is very accurate

and stable at speed,” said the editor of a leading

automotive website.

“The twisting, hilly and unfortunately potholed roads

through the mountains of Mpumalanga showed off the

car’s handling prowess admirably.”

16 /

CSR

Caring for those with HIV/AIDS They regularly visit families where a parent or guardian is ill and cannot afford to take care of the children and offer services such as teaching home hygiene, developing a vegetable garden for nutritional support, ensuring full school attendance and assistance with homework, as well as helping to alleviate the nursing burden on the children by accessing medical care.

The volunteers also adopt a family each and work with them to develop a care plan for their children, decide on when and if to start antiretroviral treatmentor provide bereavement counselling to help family members cope with their loss. Given the emotional nature of the

T he HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa has left more than a million children neglected and orphaned.

A growing number of children have also had to become the head of the household and look after their younger siblings, facing challenges such asfood, clothing and lack of support with school work. Even when older relatives take over that role, the problems are far from over. The children could end up being physically and sexually abused, testing positive for HIV at a later stage.

Iso Labantwana Ford has helped almost a thousand such children since 2005 through the Iso Labantwana project run by the Ford Care Centre. The 50 trained volunteers in the project identify children at risk and provide them with ongoing support and life skills to prevent them being abused or becoming HIV-positive.

job, the volunteers get ongoing training and debriefing sessions with the social worker on-site to help them cope.

A comprehensive service Other than the Iso Labantwana project, Ford Care Centre also runs two other services – a daily support group for HIV-positive people where they learn to come to terms with their status and become contributing members of their communities; and the Mothusi project, an educational outreach driven by women to encourage people to go through HIV testing and to remainHIV-negative. Back in 2001, Ford gave the then Pretoria Child and Family Care Society funding to start the care centre toreach out to HIV-positive people in the Mamelodi area, resulting in a uniquepartnership between a business and a non-governmental organisation. Ford continues to provide financial support, a secure home for the projectand hands-on assistance from employees who donate clothing, blankets and food while the NGO provides staff and social work expertise.

16 /

Issue 3 / 1�

news roundup

Supporting the Earth Ford employees and plants throughout the region showed their support for Earth Hour in March by shutting off

lights for one hour. Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa switched off all possible lighting and power at both its

Silverton Assembly plant and Struandale Engine plant, while Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Nanjing Company

turned off all lights, including lighting at the plant’s gate and all three company signboards.

Ford Vietnam celebrates new facility Ford Vietnam celebrated a milestone in March when it opened a new

state-of-the-art assembly facility in the northern town of Hai Duong.

The new assembly facility is the first of its kind in Vietnam, and utilises

the same state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing technology

that is employed by Ford’s world-class European and North

American operations.

New Focus revs it up Ford Indonesia launched the new Ford Focus to 50 key media

at a press conference in Jakarta in March. The launch included

both the Focus TDCi with PowerShift and petrol variants. The new

Focus’ best-in-class fuel efficiency, performance, refinements and

styling improvements received positive feedback from the media.

Ford powers into Bangkok Motor Show

Ford Thailand set the bar high in March

at the 2009 Bangkok International Motor

Show with a full new product line, including

the new Ford Ranger line, the new Ford

Focus MCA E20, the new Ford Focus TDCi and the new Ford

Focus TDCi with PowerShift automatic transmission.

At the Car of the Year awards ceremony that took place at the

motor show, the Ford Focus TDCi won for Best Diesel Hatchback

and the Ford Escape for Best Petrol SUV.

Fast and Furious Ford Racer Vaughan Gittin Jr. embarked on a once in a lifetime

opportunity in March – drifting a 500-horsepower 2010 Ford Mustang

in Japan. Gittin’s

adventure took him

from Osaka to Tokyo

to Ebisu, where he

hit such tracks as

the Bihoku Highland

Circuit and the YZ

Circuit with Japanese

“Drift King” Keiichi

Tsuchiya.

“Not only am I thrilled to drift places I have only dreamed of, but

also to give others the opportunity to experience why I love the

Mustang so much. It is a true honour to have this chance to be able

to experience the home of drifting in a Ford Mustang,” said Gittin.

18 /

Ford faces

On the line Many countries around the world mark Labour Day this month to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. At Ford, we turn the spotlight on the people who are responsible for putting together the vehicles that roll off the line every day.

Sello Papo Trimline 5 years with Ford South Africa

Pham Thi Mai Lan Paint Shop 7 years with Ford Vietnam

Jimmy Sanque Body Shop 7 years with Ford The Philippines

Vedagiri Punnaikodi Body Shop 10.5 years with Ford India

Q What does ONE Ford mean to you?

A: Someone’s problem shouldn’t be his own. We all work together to achieve the same objectives.

A: We’re like a hand. Look at our fingers, each of them is unique but each has a function to fulfil.

A: We treat and consider everyone as ONE big family and community. Together, we can achieve our goals.

A: ONE Ford means one team, one united Ford.

Q Tell us something that most people don’t know about you.

A: I’m a caring person. The other side of me can be hurt easily.

A: I’m soft-spoken by nature and speak only when required to.

A: I’m a very health-conscious person. I don’t drink or smoke.

A: The only flower that I like is the orchid. My name also means “orchid”.

Q Which is your favourite place in the plant?

A: Where I’m working. Every time I see the Sealer Robots malfunctioning, they remind me of how people also act strangely at times.

A: Training Hall – whenever I go there, I learn new things which help me in my work and give me the opportunity to assist and support others too.

A: Fabrication area – I am able to experience and observe multiple things happening at one time.

A: The paint shop. I’ve been at this place for seven years, from learning the skills on my first day at Ford to being a skilful worker now.

Q Who are you most grateful to in your life?

A: My mother. She’s caring and understanding. She’s been everything to me.

A: My parents, without whom I wouldn’t be here.

A: My family, my Ford family and on top of all, God.

A: The paint shop manager. He supports his staff in training, so I’ve joined training courses which have given me the skills to gain respect and support from my team.

Q If Ford Motor Company is a vehicle, which part of the vehicle are you?

A: Windshield – it stops so many things like wind, noise and rain, and it brings out the beauty in the car.

A: Body – it not only shields and protects the interior components of the vehicle but it also protects the people inside it.

A: Engine – the engine is the heart of the vehicle that is responsible for the vehicle’s performance on the road.

A: I’d be the smooth surface of the car before applying the paint. Only with a spotless surface would the car have a perfect and appealing “skin” to the customers.

1� /

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Email your happy snaps to apamedia@ford.com

Sanjeevi Medical Centre visit

International Women’s Day celebration

2009 Variety Bash

Football match with dealers

Outbound team building activity

Marketing and sales

entertain at party

Explore the Explorer event at Lalaport mall

Bushfire relief effort

10 year service awards in March

International Melbourne Motor Show

Service managers put

on a show at dealer meeting

Lending a hand to help children

Fun and games during staff gathering

Managers attend health week meeting

Cookie handover to Multi- purpose Community Centre

Fun-filled Partner’s Day celebration

Helping repair a school

Finance execs get decorated by their teams

Health week managers’

messages

New Fiesta transit campaign

Staff at Explorer training

Big smiles at employee party

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South Africa

Philippines Australia Japan

Taiwan Thailand Vietnam Japan

Taiwan Indonesia India

China

New Zealand Philippines Australia

Thailand Vietnam South Africa

India