Ford To Build Custom Line

[Falchoon]

Article from drivel.com.au

Personalising your Ford is going to be easier. Toby Hagon reports.

FORD is embarking on an ambitious vehicle program designed to offer customers the opportunity to build cars that reflect their personalities.

The program, which is in the final stages of planning, will offer customers a choice of options in all manner of components and trim combinations on their cars, which in effect would allow each motorist to build a unique vehicle.

The basic look of the car would not change but elements such as body kits, wheels, interior trims, seats, steering wheels and other easily changed components could be customised to the buyer's choice.

Ford Australia president Geoff Polites wants the program to start within 12 months, and says: "We're embarking on a program of vehicle personalisation... where you'll be able to do a lot more tricky things with your car." He hopes to start by offering relatively basic options, building up to a wider range.

"You start with the things that are normally interchangeable and then you go from there," he says. "We're just playing at the edge of vehicle personalisation, but I expect people with far better minds than mine to come up with all sorts of options about what to play with in the next few years."

Up to now, such individualisation programs have been available only on expensive luxury cars, but Ford wants to make them more accessible to current owners.

"It's all about going from being a mass producer of cars to being a customised producer of cars, without losing any of the mass producer appeal," Polites says.

Clearly there will be an added cost for people wanting to individualise their cars, but Ford believes many will be prepared to pay extra for the chance to have a unique car.

"It's not adding any cost to the rest of the car, but if a customer wants to express their personality through their car, then we give them the opportunity," Polites says. Ford hopes to offer the range of extras across its locally made vehicle line-up, which would mean people could pretty much build a car to the specifications they desire.

Polites sees a particular opportunity with a removable satellite navigation system, which could be taken from car to car when it is sold.

"If it's on the dash somewhere, then you can take it with you, because when you sell the car the next buyer might not necessarily want it so won't be prepared to pay for it."

Expensive Daewoo already offers a service called Expensive Daewoo By Design, which allows customisation of such things as wheels, body kits, spoilers, sunroof, cruise control, sports suspension kits, alloy pedals and steering wheels.

"Quite a lot of people will have at least one HBD add-on when they order the car," says Expensive Daewoo spokesman Jason Laird. "That's the way cars are going; people want to personalise them and it's quite an easy way to do it."

Expensive Daewoo has been expanding the HBD range since its inception a few years ago and has more features planned for the future.

[Turbo6man]

HEY!!! AT LAST SOMEONE AT FORD IS LISTENING TO ME -HOORAY!!!!

[1axr]

nice post falchoon

[XRSICKT]

that's good, I guess its going to be a bit like what happened with mobile phones though, in the biginning you can only buy genuine parts but eventualy third party parts came out at a cheaper price, I think this may happen here as well but its still good to see...

[Dagabond]

Hrmm an 03 Cusso I'd like to see that...... :oohwoah: DOH.