Ford plans to develop future models without Mazda

Ford Motor Co., after decades of developing vehicle platforms with Japanese affiliate Mazda Motor Corp., intends to go it alone for future models.

"For a lot of designing and engineering, we're going to be focused on Ford," Mark Fields, Ford's president for the Americas, said on the sidelines of the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday. "Our efforts will be focused on the Ford system, as opposed to relying on others such as Mazda."

Fields, Mazda's chief executive from 1999 to 2002, spoke after Ford unveiled the Fiesta small car, which is based on the mechanical foundation of the Mazda2 subcompact. Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda's chief executive officer, said continued cooperation between the two companies remains possible.

Ford has cut its stake in Hiroshima, Japan-based Mazda to 11 percent from 33 percent since last year as the Dearborn, Michigan-based carmaker sold shares to raise cash amid a credit crunch. Mazda, which said in October it would raise as much as 93.6 billion yen ($1.1 billion) for product development by selling shares, may struggle to introduce new cars without Ford, said auto analyst Aaron Bragman of IHS Global Insight.

"The reality is Mazda is too small to do it on their own," Bragman said in an interview. "Ford may have other options. They've got a European organization that is very good at developing small cars."

'One Ford'

Mazda has about 500 billion yen of funds including more than $1 billion from its share sale, cash on hand and a credit line, Yamanouchi said in an interview in Los Angeles yesterday. The company and Ford are sharing future product information and "studying" whether they will continue to share vehicle platforms, he said through an interpreter.

"Right now, it seems both companies are going their separate ways, but in the future there is the possibility of both coming together again," Yamanouchi said. "We're sure there will come a time when we will need each other's technology."

Ford, the only major U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy, has been gaining market share in the U.S. and posted a surprise $997 million profit in the third quarter. Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally's "One Ford" turnaround strategy aims to leverage the automaker's global product development resources by designing cars for worldwide sales.