New global RWD platform

[RATT]

Interesting article:

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. is developing new rear-wheel-drive cars for its Ford and Lincoln brands, company leaders confirmed Tuesday.

"It's important going forward," CEO Alan Mulally said at a dinner with journalists in suburban Detroit.

Ford global product chief Derrick Kuzak said the automaker can't yet share specific details of its plans for new rwd cars. But Tuesday's comments were the first confirmation that Ford intends to go ahead with modern rwd cars.

" Yes, we're working on a rear-wheel-drive plan for the enterprise," Kuzak said. " It's in the plan."

Ford executives have long said they were exploring the possibilities. The company showed two key rwd concepts at the 2007 Detroit auto show: the Lincoln MKR and the Ford Interceptor.

But until now, company leaders stopped short of saying vehicles are in the product plans. Executives acknowledge they can build the vehicles using a new global rwd platform being developed in Ford's Australian operations.

But that doesn't mean production of rwd vehicles for global markets would be consolidated in Australia. " There are good reasons not to: currency, freight," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford group vice president of global manufacturing, on Tuesday.

from autonews.com