Send Us Your Questions For Ford CEO Alan Mulally!

Send us your questions for Ford CEO Alan Mulally!

What's the future of the American car industry? Will manufacturing jobs return to Detroit? Can American car companies out-innovate their foreign rivals? Will the government need to repeat its wildly popular "Cash For Clunkers" program to get auto sales moving again? When will the auto industry make a wholesale commitment to alternative vehicles?

We'll be selecting the best HuffPost reader questions and asking them to Ford's CEO directly. Leave your questions in the comments section!

Ford, the only U.S. automaker to avoid taking government funds during the financial crisis, has been on a roll lately (we apologize for the bad pun). At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ford CEO Alan Mulally is promoting the company's new Sync technology, which brings Internet connectivity to new vehicles. Among other things, the new features will include iPhone-like apps for your dashboard.

And in bold fashion, Mulally predicted that Ford will turn a strong profit in 2011, which will likely be fueled in part by its explosive growth in China, where sales soared 44 percent in 2009. In the past year, Ford's stock has been on fire and has been one of the top performing stocks in the S&P 500.

Helped by smart -- and timely -- borrowing in 2006, Ford has been able to stay afloat while its Detroit competitors have largely floundered. Mulally, who took the helm at Ford in 2006, has been adamant that his company won't continue to make the mistakes that have long plagued American car companies.

In the comments section below, suggest your questions for Ford CEO Allan Mulally. We'll choose the best four to ask him on Monday.

Comments

[copelli21]

02:48 PM on 01/11/2010

Mr. Mulally -

Why does it seem like you release your best products in Europe and these models never make it to the U.S.?

Specifically, why wouldn't Ford release the Focus RS in the United States? It's EXACTLY the type of car Americans would buy, especially in this economy.

The Ford Focus ZX-3 (a hatchback, which I prefer) was a big winner when it came out in the US. It received rave reviews. So much so, that I ended up buying one, even after owning a Honda Civic! I love my Focus ZX-3 and 10 years later I am still driving it. However, it is 10 years old and I am looking for my next car purchase.

I was fully prepared to buy another ZX-3, until I learned that there is no new ZX-3 coming out in 2010. And then I saw the Focus RS. My dream hatchback right in front of my eyes! And then I learned that it would not be released in the US!!!! To say I was heartbroken is putting it mildly. I was pissed.

The Focus hatchback (zx-3) is a car I see driven by people of all ages. It's cute, economical and is so much fun to drive. I like to say it has "WHIP action" and from what I've read and seen of the RS, it's even better.

So why would Ford elect to not give Americans the opportunity to buy this RS model in 2010?

[ferrarimanf355]

02:28 PM on 01/11/2010

I love the new 2012 Focus. I can has 2012 Focus with an EcoBoost motor?

[RevSpaminator]

02:19 PM on 01/11/2010

Dear Al,

Back in the mid-90's I worked at another manufacturing company you may be familiar with. Back then there was a big focus on being a world class organization. Having worked with the maintenance training guys at Boeing Customer Training, I learned about how the designers of the 777 did a lot of the right things. I'm wondering when Ford and the other US automakers will take on that attitude.

Reliability is the biggest killer of the American auto industry. I personally would give up a few mpg's if I know I'll get a reliable vehicle that will keep on running for years. When can we expect the 250K+ mileage cars from Ford? Will we ever see cars again that people can keep driving for 20+ years and someday become classics that our children will want to collect?

[beachsandshuffle]

11:08 AM on 01/11/2010

My wife's 2008 Escape now leaks transmission fluid, a common repair issue I find with other Escape owners online, $800 to fix a bad weld on the condenser assembly. The power train warranty includes the transmission but not the fluid and secondary components. Will you direct your company to fix this and honor your warranty? One more question, can you expect us to be your customer again if you do not honor your warranty?

[RevSpaminator]

02:27 PM on 01/11/2010

Al,

This is what I was talking about as far as reliability. Something like this should be unheard of, not a common problem amongst owners. A few extra mpgs are meaningless if you have to throw the vehicle out and replace it every 5 years.

[masher]

08:14 PM on 01/10/2010

When will you make an American car? I don't mean Canadian or Mexican...I mean really American made?

Until you do I will keep buying other "global" brands.

[ScottMonty]

09:04 PM on 01/10/2010

We already to. The Ford Focus is built in Michigan and the next generation global Focus - including the Focus Electric (and its batteries) - will be built in Michigan. Tune in on http://www.ford.com tomorrow at 8:45 a.m. EST for a livestream of the reveal of this new car.

Scott Monty
Global Digital Communications
Ford Motor Company

[chipn22]

10:06 PM on 01/10/2010

The problem with people today is that they are lazy bums that don't do their own research. Let's count every nameplate that specifically the Ford brand has...

US Made: Escape, Explorer, F-150, Ranger, Super Duty, Taurus, Focus, Sport Trac, E-Series, Mustang
Other Countries: Fusion (Mexico), Flex (Canada), Edge (Canada) Transit Connect (Turkey)

I don't know about you, but it seems like a 10:4 ratio is pretty good, and if you want to reduce that number to 10:3 since the Transit Connect is a global vehicle that has finally been shipped to the US, then I'd say what more can you ask for? And out of those three plants, the Fusion plant was built in 1986, while the Edge/Flex plant was built in 1953, and the Transit Connect plant in 1976. So maybe I'm just a little rusty with some simple economic principles, but I would think it's smarter to build your products at plants that are already in existence.

[chipn22]

10:08 PM on 01/10/2010

Oh, sorry, forgot the Expedition, also a US built vehicle. So 11:4, or 11:3.

[nanderson]

07:57 PM on 01/10/2010

Mr. Mulally,

Do you believe that a relationship between a well-known music artist and Ford Motor Company will make its vehicles more appealing to consumers through advertisement? Because music captures a feeling and sets a mood, it creates a connection from product to consumer that could never exist with verbal advertising. Music artists have the ability to cause an increase in attractiveness which causes the product to engage desired attention which causes...."Cha-Ching".

~Norma Anderson
D/FW, TX

[chipn22]

10:26 PM on 01/10/2010

This is a really good idea and I hope Ford does something with a popular artist like you're suggesting. People can already say "Hey, isn't Mike Rowe that guy that does Ford ads?" but especially for generation Y people such as myself, we love music and can associate other products with music so for Ford to get a popular artist would be a great marketing idea.

[nanderson]

02:53 PM on 01/11/2010

Thanx for the reply. I believe that when using music to market, a company should consider an artist who creates music that leaves an impression and who is truly loved, admired and respected worldwide. My choice for Ford would be ANTHONY HAMILTON...hands down. If Ford doesn't nab this artist, somebody else will for sure. His music, his voice, his style reaches all people of all ages and of all nationalities. Anthony is already a Ford Fan and was an inspiration for the design of Ford's 2010 Taurus SHO, per - Earl Lucas, 2010 Ford SHO designer.

Check out Anthony's music at:
www.anthonyhamiltonfanclub.com

[palsapal]

07:54 PM on 01/10/2010

alan,,,is it a good time ,to build cars in usa again,considering,voilence in mexico,lower home prices in usa communities ,and loyaty to americans ,because,it their,children,riskin,their,lives,for our protection,

[Dave Smartt]

07:28 PM on 01/10/2010

1. What is the future for rear wheel drive family cars in Ford's lineup?

2. Do you see a future for Ford manufacturing in Australia & if so, how do you see that future unfolding?

3. How is hybrid & electric car development going? When can we expect to see widespread rollout of affordable hybrids & electric cars in Ford's lineup?

4. Do you think an ideal market position for Ford would be producing reliable cars in the style of Toyota but that are more 'fun' to drive?

[mteem4]

06:45 PM on 01/10/2010

I am blue oval certified so this question is asked with sincere best wishes for the success of FoMoCo. In the midst of what appears to be an all out effort to improve quality, how is it possible that the flagship Lincoln MK S can be appearing on Yahoo Autos and elsewhere as a "Do not Buy" because of quality issues?

[chipn22]

06:24 PM on 01/10/2010

Alan -

After reading many responses on this board and other comments I've heard over the past year elsewhere, a major issue in the public's eye is products that are built in the United States. I'm a high school student and have a huge interest in the auto industry and particularly Ford, so I'm not completely against importing Fusions from Mexico or the Flex from Canada, amongst other imported vehicles because I have knowledge of the business side. Most people don't understand (and honestly don't care to understand if it involves doing their own digging) that it isn't a smart business decision to just go out and build a brand new plant when there's already an adequate plant elsewhere. My suggestion as one of the topics you will talk about is to address the business side of building a car instead of just what the public wants. People should understand that it's a huge investment to start a plant from the ground up and no matter where the car is built, since Ford is a company based in the United States, there are still profits that are invested back in the US. Thanks for listening.

[Scott Sipe]

06:16 PM on 01/10/2010

With GM terminating Pontiac and Saturn due to similar models across each of the brands, what are Ford's thoughts on continuing the Mercury brand? Does it still make sense strategically or is there only a need for the Ford and Lincoln models?

[Sim0n Gomez]

05:49 PM on 01/10/2010

How does Ford's strategy on alternative fuel vehicles and hybrids vehicles fit on the One Ford corporate mantra? I understand that One Ford's goal is to unify product and methods throughout all of the markets served by the Ford Motor Company of which by the way, we are seeing the first result today, the new Ford Focus. So, I guess I am curious to know, how will Ford approach such unification and what is the strategy to reconcile the needs of different markets in relation to such a new and innovative technologies? In other words will Ford look to replicate the success of the Fusion Hybrid globally and if yes, how? Thank you.

[optimal 909]

05:41 PM on 01/10/2010

It is said you regard Toyota as role model, with true world cars and one single brand. However, they are heading towards difficulties. Its models are about getting from A to B - this position is threatened by Hyundai-Kia, which offers dependability for lower price. Other manufacturers such as Ford itself is catching up in reliability. Toyota can be a global brand, but low on differentiation.

On the other hand, Volkswagen proves it is possibly to build efficient strategy around a family of brands. It is essentially important, that in the last quarter Audi generated 80% of VW's profit.

What is the brand essence of Ford? Will it be different in 5 years? Was it really wise to sell Volvo, knowing its potential, especially in the Far East?

[Samuel Gonzalez]

04:59 PM on 01/10/2010

I'm always impressed with Ford's continuous focus on value to their customers, but how can we be certain that the 90s and 00s aren't going to happen again? Is the company committed to building on their success with quality cars, or will it take another economic downturn and declining sales to make great products?

[ReedYoung]

04:22 PM on 01/10/2010

Do you consider Organized Labor or a disorganized and inadequately regulated financial sector the greater threat to your business?