Yahoo Autos With Bronco, F-150, and Mustang Mach-E, Ford's Future Comes Into View
At the Detroit Auto Show in 2016, Ford used its press conference not to launch a car (as is traditional) but to proclaim its intent to transition from being an automotive company to an auto and mobility company. The service they launched that day, called FordPass, has yet to revolutionize the automotive experience. But the last six months at Ford have proved it is still interested in diversifying. The debuts of the Mustang Mach-E, F-150, and the revived Bronco, plus a leadership change that elevated Jim Farley, former head of new business, technology, and strategy, signal that Ford is getting serious about becoming more than just a car company.
Those three launches were important to the company for all the usual reasons (continued revenue, the chance to be better than Ram again, etc.), but they also serve as clear signals that Ford is finally in the execution stages of its plan to become that mobility company. The F-150 brings over-the-air updates to the mainstream. With it comes the ability to save huge amounts of time and money on warranty fixes, but also a foothold for Ford’s plans to collect and sell its customers’ data. The Mustang Mach-E and Bronco are the fruit of a more straightforward strategy: Ford is turning its best-selling models into lifestyle brands.
