Ford finds its sweet ‘Model G’ spot with the Fiesta

Henry Ford’s Model T socialized cars for the American motoring masses a century ago. Today, the company that Henry built, and has expanded to the Philippines, has for the past two years been producing “future-proof” vehicles—cars, SUVs, and trucks built for the global market. They could even be called “Model G” (the G standing for globalization).

These globalized vehicles from the Blue Oval are rich in features, yet are competitively priced. More importantly, their aura has turned heads even from among those who have professed undying loyalty to Japanese and Korean brands. In a small but highly competitive market like the Philippines (which, by the way, is on its way to rapid motorization), Ford has breathed fresh air into the market. At the same time, Ford Philippines has also given local talents the much-needed career opportunity. Globalization is breaking the mold both in the assembly line and at the corporate setting.

On Jan. 30, 2014, Ford Philippines launched its five-seater compact SUV EcoSport, breaking perceptions of what a compact SUV should be. Powered by the 1.5L twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) engine, the EcoSport ranged in price from P775,000 to P975,000, immediately attracting the entry-level compact SUV market, which has turned out to be sizeable. Kay Hart, Ford Philippines’ managing director, said during the Jan. 30 launch that “the all-new EcoSport was designed to break through the boundaries of today’s compact car and SUV segment.”

Minnie Valencia Bustamante, Ford Philippines vice president for marketing and sales, explained it further: “The Ford EcoSport is a global product that will enable our customers to experience a right-sized vehicle that has been developed with our market’s road conditions in mind, creating its own space in a highly attractive and very practical vehicle segment.”

Two years before, on July 6, 2012, Ford Philippines introduced a features-packed Focus, complete with park assist, collision-mitigation technology, voice-activated systems, blind spot information, keyless entry, power start button, and other creature comforts found only in European luxury cars twice the price. Jonel Borromeo of the Ford Cebu dealership said of the Focus: “I can’t think of any other vehicle with the same class level at that price. This is the first in its class.”

Borromeo, along with fellow Ford dealer Willy Tee Ten, was visibly delighted with the Focus. He said that features once exclusive to luxury cars priced over P3.5 million could now be enjoyed with a Focus priced less than P1.2 million.

Last year, Ford stirred the proverbial hornet’s nest in the subcompact segment market by introducing the smallest of its award-winning Ecoboost engines with the turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0 Fiesta Ecoboost. At P100,000 shy of a million, tongues were wagging at the steep price tag—until the public got to learn about its styling, features, and ride. The Fiesta EcoBoost virtually entered the lair of the “big boys” of the 1.3- to 1.6-liter class, and there its value-for-money proposition was magnified. This one heck of a sophisticated subcompact car became the pocket-rocket of choice of buyers originally on the lookout for bigger engines.

The Asean plan

Ford Philippines’ share in Ford Motor Company’s global push is anchored in its plans for the region. Edmund Yee of Ford Edsa told Inquirer Motoring that “the success of Ford Philippines is basically due to the perfect timing of Ford’s implementation of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plan drawn about 5 years ago. In a nutshell, that plan was to develop products and pricing primarily for the Asean market. This also included the expansion of its dealer network nationwide, which is now happening.”

Yee added that the Fiesta, Focus, the Ranger pick-up and Ecosport are all part of the Asean plan. “That is why prices of Ford vehicles are very competitive, which also explains why Ford has improved its ranking in terms of overall sales. Competitive pricing, setting design, and upgraded and modern dealership facilities are all part of the Asean plan aimed to improve the customer experience.”

Joseph A.C. Ayllon, Ford Philippines’ assistant vice president for communications, in a statement sent to Inquirer Motoring, said, “Our record sales performance month after month and expanding dealer network validate this commitment and is helping Ford Philippines implement the One Ford Plan.”

Local to global talents

Notably, Ford has also been lauded for nurturing local talents in the international motoring business scene.

Jesus Metelo “Met” Arias is currently the managing director of Ford Vietnam. He is also the chair of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association. Arias was previously the regional director of Ford Customer Service Division for Asean and Japan (based in Bangkok). He was in this position from 2010 to May 2013. Arias, who graduated from De La Salle University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering degree, took up MBA units from the same University and a Leadership Management Development Program from Ateneo de Manila University.

Arias described his current role as “exciting, with the diverse responsibility that it brings.” He added, “My current positions entail not just overseeing our operations in Vietnam, but also working with government officials in crafting policies that would shape the auto industry of the country.”

He then reveals a workplace “secret” about the company: “Ford provides the equal opportunity to its members to excel and pursue the career they want, there are no glass ceilings to limit the role you can have in the organization. We have a lot of Filipinos at Ford in different management roles in various countries like Thailand, China and the United States.”

The latest addition of Ford executives coming from the Philippines making their mark overseas is Anika Salceda Wycoco, whose journey from Manila to Michigan has been quite the talk of the town in motoring circles. After completing her studies at the Brent International School and at the University of Asia and the Pacific, Anika worked for a year as integrated marketing communications manager for Publicis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, and as supervising account manager for Eon for two years in Manila before moving to Ford Philippines from February 2009 to June 2013. She rose from the ranks to become Ford Philippines’ assistant vice president for communications, before being assigned to Ford Motor Company Thailand in July 2013. She became Ford Motor Co’s Asean communications manager from July 2013 to November 2013 in Thailand, before moving to Michigan to work with the communications and broadcast division of Ford Motor Co, where she is still based.

Eighteen years ago, Automotive News said of Ford: “No company has sweated the details of globalization like Ford. It has been an all-consuming, all too-painful process that began long before Ford 2000 … For more than 15 years Ford has preached—and practiced—making world cars.” That foresight is reaping actual rewards right here, right now.