An Unlikely Alliance - Chairman Says Volkswagen And Ford Fit Together Well

Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG, which have been in talks to team up on electric and autonomous vehicles, make for good partners because both recognize the extent of the challenges ahead, according to Bill Ford, executive chairman of the U.S. automaker.

"We fit together geographically really well, product line-wise, we fit together well," Bill Ford, the great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, said Tuesday at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. "We both came to the same realization that as big as our balance sheets are, no company can do this alone."

malba2367 - 3/13/2019 11:38:19 AM

+2 Boost

VW and Ford together are a very strong alliance. They have the breadth of resources and leadership in certain segments that no other automaker or alliance can match at the moment. Both companies have significant “cash cows” that they can leverage in the near term to fund EV and autonomous technology.

PUGPROUD - 3/13/2019 11:41:43 AM

0 Boost

Strategically yes. Culturally no! The problem Bill Ford has is that all of his many relatives who own Ford stock but are not active in the business and not drawing a salary want cash and care less about the company's heritage except at cocktail parties or when chasing tail. Happened to the Rockefellers and was the reason Rockefeller Center, one of the most valuable building complexes in NYC, was sold. Henry Ford was a German sympathizer before WWII and might be fitting that his company end up as a German subsidiary one day.

malba2367 - 3/13/2019 12:51:44 PM

+2 Boost

Not too different culturally than VW. The grandchildren or Ferdinand Porsche control VE through their special voting shares and they are also on the company dime.

MrEE - 3/13/2019 8:25:46 PM

+2 Boost

Just like MB and Chrysler. Ford does need a partner for new platforms going forward.