Good news for non-USA automakers and Honda and Toyota pickup buyers

[Calson]

“Frankly, it gives free rein to South Korean, Japanese and European companies that are bringing 1.5 million to 2 million vehicles into the U.S. that wouldn’t be subject to those Mexican and Canadian tariffs. It would be one of the biggest windfalls for those companies ever.” Ford CEO Jim Farley

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[HammaMan]

Just imagine if pigs could fly

 

[dochawk]

Just imagine if pigs could fly

'tis easy.

It's simply a matter of sufficient thrust!

 

[Polo08816]

Just imagine if pigs could fly

You're the first to a lot of these tariff related threads...

 

[HammaMan]

Sir, do not overlook the fact I'm only first to 108 threads. In the case of this thread, I'm technically 2nd. Calson has the first post here. Until we actually see a tariff go into place, the speculation isn't worth pulling the fire alarm so to speak. I'm amused at farley's whinging though. Incumbent auto has needed a substantial pivot and they're just dragging their heels. FWIW this was 5 paragraphs that I just deleted referencing the coming pain we're going to go through when china moves on taiwan - a move whose odds are even greater than that of RU moving on UA while also being substantially detrimental to the western hemisphere.

 

[Cobra129]

'tis easy.

It's simply a matter of sufficient thrust!

they got the F-4 Phantom Jet to Fly…?

 

[Sojourner]

Ford CEO Jim Farley

Farley.

:sigh:

I'm amused at farley's whinging though. Incumbent auto has needed a substantial pivot and they're just dragging their heels.

I wish I shared your ability to be amused. I find Farley tiresome.

 

[HammaMan]

I wish I shared your ability to be amused. I find Farley tiresome.

He's pretty much useless IMO. I'm surprised he's still around. Stellantis sacked their CEO for similar performance a few months back. He talked a lot of talk and yet we've seen nothing but the same old marginal trajectory changes on-par with the rest of legacy auto. Just had ai generated summary of farley and it's hilarious from my POV.

Sync 4 is still powered by the cortex A53 which paper launched in 2012, and began shipping in many products back in 2014 including groundbreaking products like the galaxy s7. There have been 9 subsequent upgrades to the SOCs since. The price for that SOC is laughably cheap for a single piece, let alone at the 1mil order bulk price buy. Doubling the ram and using a more powerful SOC wouldn't cost them $15 at most while vastly improving the performance of the system. And yes, they could tell NXP to put a more powerful CPU on it and increase the ram.

Farley's last ~20 years.
---------------------------------
Here’s a concise history of Ford’s current CEO, James D. Farley, Jr. (Jim Farley), focusing on the last two decades (2005–2025), his career trajectory, and notable achievements:

Timeline of Jim Farley’s Career (Last 2 Decades)

• Pre-2007: Toyota and Lexus (1990–2007)
  • Before joining Ford, Farley spent 17 years at Toyota, rising through various roles in strategic planning, product development, marketing, and sales in the U.S. and Europe.
  • Notable Roles:
    • Group Vice President and General Manager of Lexus (early 2000s): Led Lexus to become a top luxury brand in the U.S.
    • Group Vice President, Toyota Division: Oversaw market planning, advertising, sales promotion, and internet activities.
    • Key Achievement: Spearheaded the successful launch of Toyota’s Scion brand, targeting younger buyers with innovative marketing and affordable vehicles.
  • This period established Farley as a seasoned automotive executive with expertise in brand reinvention and market expansion.
• 2007: Joined Ford Motor Company
  • Farley joined Ford in November 2007, bringing his Toyota experience to help revitalize the struggling automaker during the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis.
• 2007–2017: Ford Leadership Roles
  • Executive Vice President and President of Global Markets (2010–2017):
    • Oversaw Ford’s global marketing, sales, and service operations.
    • Played a key role in the reinvention of the Lincoln brand, repositioning it as a luxury competitor with a focus on customer experience and growth, including its successful entry into China.
  • President of New Businesses, Technology, and Strategy (2017):
    • Focused on emerging technologies, including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, and mobility services.
    • Laid groundwork for Ford’s shift toward digital and electric innovation.
  • Notable Achievements:
    • Strengthened Ford’s global operations and brand strategy during a period of recovery post-Great Recession.
    • Drove Lincoln’s turnaround, setting it on a path for growth as a premium brand.
• 2019–2020: Ford Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • Appointed COO in February 2020, responsible for Ford’s global automotive operations, including product development, manufacturing, and supply chain.
  • Notable Achievement:
    • Streamlined operations and improved efficiency during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring Ford’s resilience amid global disruptions.
• October 2020–Present: Ford President and CEO
  • Became Ford’s CEO on October 1, 2020, succeeding Jim Hackett, and joined the company’s board of directors.
  • In March 2022, took on the additional role of President, Ford Model e, overseeing Ford’s electric vehicle and digital software initiatives.

Notable Achievements as CEO (2020–2025)

• Ford+ Plan (Launched 2021):
  • Introduced a customer-focused strategy to transform Ford into a leader in the digital and electric automotive revolution.
  • Reorganized Ford into three business segments:
    • Ford Blue: Focuses on iconic gas and hybrid vehicles (e.g., F-150, Bronco).
    • Ford Model e: Drives breakthrough EVs (e.g., Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning) and develops software and digital platforms for all Ford vehicles.
    • Ford Pro: Targets commercial customers with work-ready vehicles and services (e.g., fleet management solutions).
  • This restructuring aims to offer customers choice across powertrains while transitioning to an all-electric future.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Leadership:
  • Accelerated Ford’s EV strategy, positioning it as a leader in the U.S. EV market.
  • Key Launches:
    • Mustang Mach-E (2020): A successful electric SUV that broadened Ford’s EV appeal.
    • F-150 Lightning (2022): An all-electric version of America’s best-selling truck, which saw massive demand and production increases.
  • By 2024, Ford became the second-largest EV seller in the U.S. (behind Tesla), with significant growth in EV sales and market share.
• Financial and Operational Turnaround:
  • Under Farley’s leadership, Ford achieved strong financial performance, including record profits in 2023, driven by high-margin vehicles like the F-150 and Bronco.
  • Improved Ford’s resilience by addressing supply chain challenges and focusing on high-value products and services.
• Digital and Software Innovation:
  • Invested heavily in software and connectivity, aiming to create recurring revenue streams through services like FordPass and over-the-air updates.
  • Positioned Ford as a tech-savvy automaker, competing with Tesla and new entrants in software-driven vehicle experiences.
• Cultural and Strategic Shift:
  • Fostered a “startup mentality” at Ford, emphasizing agility, innovation, and customer focus.
  • Strengthened Ford’s iconic brands (e.g., Mustang, Bronco, F-150) while pivoting toward future technologies, balancing legacy strengths with forward-looking investments.

Where He’s Been (Summary):

• 2005–2007: Toyota/Lexus (U.S. and Europe) – Senior leadership roles, including Lexus GM and Scion launch.
• 2007–2017: Ford – Global Markets President, Lincoln turnaround, and New Businesses/Strategy roles.
• 2019–2020: Ford COO – Strengthened operations during a challenging period.
• 2020–Present: Ford CEO – Leading Ford’s transformation into a digital and EV leader.

Notable Impact Over the Last Two Decades:

• Brand Reinvention: Revitalized Lexus and Scion at Toyota, then Lincoln at Ford, showcasing a talent for turning around premium brands.
• EV and Digital Leadership: Positioned Ford as a top U.S. EV player and a pioneer in connected vehicle services.
• Strategic Vision: Through the Ford+ plan, Farley has guided Ford to thrive at the intersection of iconic vehicles, innovative software, and high-value services, ensuring competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.

Having played with your $50k-100k vehicles infotainment system and its overall responsiveness or lackthereof, especially if you have the 15.5" screen ... I present to you for comparison's sake a $99 walmart special, a rather mediocre piece of kit. The lightning and mach e do have youtube installed on them and it's embarrassingly bad compared to this.

 

[Samson16]

'tis easy.

It's simply a matter of sufficient thrust!

The F4 Phantom comes to mind

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

The F4 Phantom comes to mind

Yep…..that beast was a BRICK

 

[HammaMan]

WAS? It's still in service in few countries.

Still can't believe what happened to the F14 fleet There's no big 'kill all F4s' nonsense going on despite the same country having 14s and 4s. Such a poor excuse too. Bush should be tried for not allowing people to keep 14s flying. Then obama comes in, he really hates airplanes too. Couldn't let bush keep the title of 'biggest hater of cool jets' and canceled the 22. Biden thought NGAD stood for no good and just ignored doing anything on it.

We need a pro cool jet president already.

 

[Dakar09]

We need a pro cool jet president already.

Pretty sure we have one now

 

[HammaMan]

But he already has a jet and it's the biggest yuugest bestest ever so it remains to be seen if he's really pro cool jet or just pro his jet.

 

[Dakar09]

That's not what I meant. His jet is irrelevant to our military capability & strength.


More to the point, if Toyota doesn't fix their crappy 4 cyl engines, grenading turbo 6 issues and repair their credibility, no tariff is going to be a "windfall" for them. Their new Land Cruiser is a dud (Lexus version notwithstanding). Honda has no truck to speak of. Nissan is dying and being absorbed by Honda. And Korean cars are boring. Not that American cars are exciting either. There is no windfall.

Can't wait for the next tariff thread, lol

 

[Samson16]

Just to round out our glide ratio fun, the chunky F-4 with its 4:1 ratio still bests the F-104 Starfighter at 3:1 lol. Stubby little rocket fins posing as wings lol.
Our beloved SR-71 Blackbird at 3:1 as well, but she was so fast gliding was for lesser creatures ?

note: F-15 and F-16 both 8:1. F-22 is 10:1 and nasty when not earth bound. She's earned the nickname Rampster. They should have dispensed with the stupid coating re-applications and built more of them imo.

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