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Autocar RSS Feed: Stephen Odell: the man who saved Ford in Europe

Autocar RSS Feed Welcome to nirvana for car enthusiasts. You have just entered the online home of the world's oldest car magazine, and the only place on the internet where you can find Autocar's unique mix of up-to-the-minute news, red hot car reviews, conclusive road test verdicts, and a lot more besides.

Stephen Odell: the man who saved Ford in Europe Jan 14th 2018, 07:00 Stephen Odell Tough decisions made in the past have put Ford Europe on track for the future, says the company's boss Don't doubt the long-term potential of the traditional global car giants, says Stephen Odell, Ford's retiring executive global sales and marketing boss – even if it's fashionable to do so in a world increasingly focused on autonomous and electrified vehicles. The winners, Odell believes, will be the companies that pay attention to the fast-changing requirements of customers – and he numbers Ford among them. The task will be to make "frenemies" of the emerging connectivity and data companies, as people adopt and use the new transportation and mobility services. Perhaps you'd expect a top-notch Ford retiree to spread love and optimism as he departs, but Odell is special. He's the "tough but fair" Romford-born Brit who led the downsizing of Ford's European business, starting in 2012, that closed two UK plants and one in Belgium, and scaled down Ford's operations in Germany, Russia and Romania, dramatically shrinking their workforces. It may not have looked like progress at the time, but it secured the company's future in Europe by matching capacity to demand. Now Ford "and some others" are starting to prove their suitability for the brave new world. Staying flexible "The realisation that we were moving into an era of accelerated change started to be evident 10 or even 15 years ago when electric cars started to get fashionable," explains Odell, who joined Ford in 1980. "Everything was going to be electrified, we were told by the new experts. That world tended to write off the prospects of companies like ours – with share prices and investment ratings – in the belief that we were too big and too inflexible to operate in the new way. But that's wrong. The global car companies very much will make it, and they're starting to prove it." There are serious hurdles to overcome, admits Odell, but Ford's hard-won financial stability will be a major asset as investment in new models and new infrastructure has to be made. He says: "Seven or eight years ago, there were only a handful of electric models on the market, and the demand was a couple of per cent. Now there are upwards of 50 offerings, and the market's still only 3.5%. The challenge is taking the customer with us." Odell sees a similar model structure to today's – Fiesta, Focus, Transit, Mustang, F-150 – but believes the cars themselves will be very different. "How people view things will be vital," says Odell. "An electrified Mustang can either be a problem or the fastest-accelerating machine you've ever owned. An electrified F-150 can be just a load hauler or a mobile business centre on a building site with its own power supply and communications centre. We've got to lead opinion." Given that taming manufacturing capacity has been such a big part of his recent life, Odell's impressions of current world car-making potential are fascinating. Capacity and demand are broadly equal in the US's 17.5 million unit market, Europe (though not Ford) still has a car-making surplus and China's explosive market may well be reaching a point where capacity starts to outweigh demand – a situation that might favour home-grown makers because they will have cost advantages. Odell is proud of his time at Ford-owned Volvo, during which the company was configured for an orderly sale to Geely ("They've made a very good job of partitioning it, which is what Chairman Li [Shufu] said he'd do") and, yes, he feels some pride in having set Ford of Europe back on a profitable track, even though it couldn't have happened without the closures. "I did what was necessary for Ford," Odell says. "Anyone who feels good about such a thing is either not telling the truth or not a very nice person. I'll have regrets for the rest of my life, but we made it work. It's ironic to me that GM now gets credit for pulling out of Europe and selling to PSA – because they couldn't sort it out – whereas we're criticised for taking the tough decisions and staying." How Odell brought the Mustang to Europe Stephen Odell will always be remembered as the man who brought Ford's iconic Mustang to Europe, where at times it has been the region's biggest-selling sports car. "While we were planning the European turnaround, it became clear our line-up had some holes," he says. "So we pushed to have a refresh of the Transit, which is now working, and to launch the EcoSport and Edge, because there were signs, not then backed by demand, that the SUV [sales surge] was about to happen. We also needed to have something sexy. It had to be the Mustang, which had admirers all over the world. So we lobbied very hard, which wasn't so difficult until they [the management] realised it'd need to be made in right-hand drive. After that, there was some pushback. "However, our team was stubborn about it, and I was able to convince [the bosses] we'd earn enough to pay for all the extra engineering. "We managed to do it in the very first year, which is something I'll always look back on with pride." Read more  Ford Mustang review  Ford Fiesta review  Ford GT review

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Autocar RSS Feed: Used car buying guide: Ford Mustang

Autocar RSS Feed Welcome to nirvana for car enthusiasts. You have just entered the online home of the world's oldest car magazine, and the only place on the internet where you can find Autocar's unique mix of up-to-the-minute news, red hot car reviews, conclusive road test verdicts, and a lot more besides.

Used car buying guide: Ford Mustang Jan 14th 2018, 07:00 Stiffer Mk5 Mustangs can be further uprated to suit UK tastes A fifth-generation example of the Ford Mustang would make a fine addition to any automotive stable. We check the teeth and hooves Now that right-hand-drive Ford Mustangs are on the market, is there any sense in buying the imported previous model? You can pick up a used, low-mileage, current-generation Mustang 2.3 Ecoboost from £26,000, or a 5.0 V8 GT manual from £29,000, with the benefit of driving on the correct side of the car. That said, the last-gen model is potentially much cheaper, infinitely tweakable and, well, just so darned charismatic. See Ford Mustang for sale on PistonHeads Prices begin way lower than £25,000. How about £9000 for a 2008-reg 4.0 V8 Fastback? It's done 225,000 miles but has a new clutch, control arms and brakes. The work reads like a buyer's guide of things to look for when buying an S197 (the codename for this fifth-generation Mustang of 2005-2014). Another thing to look for is proof that all taxes and duties have been paid. The seller of the above car bought it from a US serviceman. They're allowed to import and register cars on UK plates without paying import taxes but must take it home at tour's end. However, some sell their cars to UK buyers at knockdown prices without paying the taxes, which is when Customs and Excise comes knocking... The S197 was a more brutal-looking take on the legendary Mk1 Fastback of 1967. Otherwise, it was bang up to date, sharing nothing apart from some key styling details, including its tri-bar taillights, with its immediate Mk4 predecessor. It sat on a new and much stiffer platform but, even so, UK enthusiasts uprate the suspension for a sharper drive. It was launched in 2004 in Fastback form with a choice of a 4.0 V6 with 207bhp or a 4.6 V8 with 296bhp, both with five-speed manual or automatic gearboxes. A convertible followed in 2005. In 2009, the 4.6 V8 GT engine was uprated to 311bhp. A facelift in 2010 brought a redesigned Mustang emblem, indicators within the headlights and LED taillights. The following year saw a new generation of six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes mated to two new engines: a 301bhp 3.7 V6 that was more efficient than the 4.0 V6 it replaced and, in place of the 4.6,a 406bhp 'Coyote' 5.0 V8, which in turn spawned the uprated 438bhp Boss 302. The new GT500 trumped that with a supercharged 5.4 V8 making 542bhp. In 2013, this version grew to 5.8 litres and 653bhp (80mph shows at a cool 1800rpm), while the 5.0 V8 eased up to 414bhp. These cars have HID headlights too. Talking of which, and regardless of model year, check that all the lights work when buying an S197. They're controlled by a computer, and bodging them to pass the Individual Vehicle Approval test wreaks havoc– although specialist Nick Haes can help (01902 847848). Watch what you pay for an S197 since they're starting to look expensive against the S550 Mk6. Bear that in mind and enjoy one of the most charismatic cars you can buy from £9000. How to get one in you garage:  An expert's view - MIKE LACEY, MODURSTANG: "In 1982, when I was 19, I moved with my parents to the US, where I fell in love with Mustangs. A few years after returning to the UK, I started my own business servicing and tuning them. The S197 was a fantastic era for the model. You could modify every inch of the car and it kicked aftermarket upgrades to a new level. Like all Mustangs, it holds its value very well. You can pay up to £26,000 for a top- spec 06-reg 4.6 V8 in mint condition, but that's too much. Most S197s are overpriced, especially when the first current-generation S550s start at around the same money. For just £10k more, you can have a low-mile 16-reg 5.0 V8 GT with everything on it." Buyer beware… ENGINE - Engine runs best on 5W30 fully synthetic, changed every 10,000 miles. Beware spark plugs on early V8s – they're in two parts and when loosened can snap, especially when cold. There's a special tool to extract the remaining part.  TRANSMISSION - Check for oil leak from rear axle pinion seal. It's a £5 part but a day's labour to fix.On manual cars, check if second gear crunches on selection when cold. SUSPENSION AND BRAKES - The brakes get worse as they get hotter, so make new discs and pads (by StopTech, for example) a priority. Rear lower control arms and its end bushes are the same grade regardless of engine, so replace with superior BMR Suspension parts. Same goes for springs and dampers. BODYWORK - Check for rust on the underside of the bonnet's leading edge. It's in two layers and condensation can form between them. Failed door seals let water into the front footwells where, on the passenger side, it can short- circuit the junction board. Check plastic spacer and metal bracket between grille and radiator for crash damage. Check windows drop a fraction when the door is opened. ELECTRICS - Inexpert brake light and rear indicator mods for the IVA test can cause electrical issues. Check cruise control works – bodgers cut the brake light wire the system relies on. Check if LED brake light bulbs have been replaced with ordinary bulbs. INTERIOR - Trim looks and feels plasticky but should stay anchored. Also worth knowing: If the car is more than four years old, ask for a copy of its C386 customs form that shows import taxes and duties were paid. Cheap cars may owe duty (10%) and VAT (20%). Former US service cars are especially risky. How much to spend: Below £14,995 - assortment of cars, most manuals, as low as £9000. Includes early 4.0 V6s, some with over 200k miles, such as one 2008-reg 4.0 V6 with 225k.  £15,000-£19,995 - Mix of 07- to 14-reg 3.7 V6s, 4.6 V8s, 5.0 V8 coupés and convertibles with 35-70k miles. Includes a 2001 5.0 V8 GT with 35k miles for £19,995. £20,000-£24,995 - Low-mileage 4.6s, and average- mileage, late-plate 5.0 V8s. Next-gen 2.3 Ecoboost from around £26,000. One we found: FORD MUSTANG 4.6 V8 GT FASTBACK AUTO, 2007, 55k MILES, £15,995 - Recently shipped in by a specialist claiming to have dealt with all import requirements. Has the Premium pack (switchable traction control, leather trim) and full history, and is 'rust free'. Loads of Shelby extras including GT Classic apron and grille and louvres. John Evans Read more  Ford Mustang review  Ford Focus RS review  Ford Fiesta ST review

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