WHAT'S FIRESTONE'S FUTURE WITH FORD?

What is Firestore's future with Ford Motor Company? Customers will have to answer that one, says Ford President Jac Nasser.

"We're going to give our customers a choice. They will decide what they really want," he says in an interview with Ward's.

With a vehicle as popular as the Explorer, it would be imprudent to offer one tire brand for the entire line-up, he says. Meanwhile, he confirms Ford is considering offering warranties on tires.

Tire producers traditionally provide their own product warranties. But in 1996 GM began warranting tires through its dealerships as well.

Mr. Nasser says tire warranty data Firestone shared with Ford centered on minor damage - not the disastrous tread separations that led to all those Ford Explorer rollover accidents.