(autoinsidernews) - As part of its new global product strategy, future Ford-brand vehicles will share sheetmetal and interiors globally. Ford Motor's newly appointed global product czar, Derrick Kuzak, said that the B-car currently in development will epitomize the automaker's global sharing strategy. The new Ford B-car will have common exterior sheetmetal, greenhouses and interiors in North America, China, Europe and South America, reports Trend.
It will be a different front end for North America than for China, for example, Kuzak said. The vehicles will be tuned and designed to the specific market.
Ford's B-car effort goes against the company's plans to share platforms and engines worldwide, but to give products in different markets unique sheetmetal вЂ" top hats in Ford-speak. The best example of this strategy is the sucessful Kuzak-led C1 small-car platform, which has spawned several well-regarded vehicles, including the European Ford Focus, Mazda3 and Volvo S40.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally made it clear that the future of the automaker is riding on proper execution of its global product strategy.