Strength in Numbers

Two heads are better than one.

It's not a law of nature on par with any of Newton's discoveries. It's more in line with the incontrovertible laws of human nature, such as: What goes around, comes around.

Now, multiply the aforementioned pair of brains by three and you have Ford Motor Co.'s formula for product development success — full of promise and, critics say, unhindered by a guiding light like General Motors Corp.'s Bob Lutz or former Chrysler Corp. guru Lee Iacocca.

If Wolfgang Reitzle, late of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, was the No. 2 auto maker's “car guy,” it can be argued that there exists a leadership void in Dearborn. Because the former BMW executive who now leads Linde AG in Germany gave instant visibility — if not credibility — to Ford's fledgling PAG.

But if the auto maker is wringing its hands with worry in the wake of a dismal 2001, Chairman and CEO Bill Ford Jr. isn't showing any fear.

“We do have the management depth and talent to take us through,” he tells shareholders at their 47^th annual meeting at PAG's Irvine, CA, headquarters.

“One of the things that Ford is always known for is developing strong management, and we have a very experienced operating team. Very experienced in the automobile business. And we've made some changes to that team as you've probably noticed, since November, to put in senior people who know this business and know it cold.”

Who are these senior people on the product front? Consensus among Ford insiders is that they number an even half-dozen. And leading the pack is Richard Parry-Jones, group vice president-global product development and chief technical officer.

He also oversees product development efforts and technical matters at PAG, in addition to filling a “senior executive” role at Mazda Motor Corp. However, his leadership carries no connotation that he is Ford's version of a Lutz or Iacocca — who bring knowledge and celebrity in equal measure.

“It's a style thing,” says a Ford source, warning against misreading Parry-Jones' quiet public persona. Because his ability is well known in the industry.

Robert Dover — no slouch himself as Land Rover's managing director and chief operating officer for Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover — describes Parry-Jones as an “outstanding talent.”

Critics have said Ford, with its success in the truck and SUV segments, has fallen down in passenger cars. Parry-Jones' focus?

“The things that we emphasize in our passenger cars are refinement and reliability,” he tells Ward's. “Those are the things that are probably the biggest single drivers of customer satisfaction. And they're the ones I've spent the last four years of my life — over here in North America — focusing on and improving in models that are in the pipeline.”

Other fraternity members are:

Martin Leach — vice president-Ford Europe product development. Based in Cologne, Germany, he leads the auto maker's largest product development center, having done similar work for Jaguar and Mazda.

Chris Theodore — vice president-North American product development. He leads design, engineering and development of all Ford and Lincoln light vehicles sold in North America.

Philip R. Martens — newly appointed vice president-vehicle programs and processes. He learned from Parry-Jones when the two were at Mazda. (Do all roads run through Mazda?) Martens offers a hint of his passion as Ward's spies him dirtying the knees of an expensive suit to examine the underpinnings of an '03 Mercury Marauder in the lobby of the Ford Conference and Event Center. It's understandable, since Martens was lead engineer on a previous incarnation of the Panther platform, Marauder's foundation.

Hans Gustavsson — Executive director-PAG commonality programs. Former head of R&D at Volvo Car Corp., he is credited with helping develop platforms for the S60, S80, V70 and Cross Country.

J Mays — vice president-design. Another BMW alumnus, he is keeping Ford rooted in the American design tradition.

But where is the star power?

Ford's car guy by committee has an ad hoc member, the source says.

“His name's on the building.”