Ford warms up new era of car-guy leaders

A minor temblor shook Dearborn, Mich., today with the announcement that Mark Fields, president of the Americas, climbed the golden corporate ladder to grab the chief operating officer ring, setting him up to succeed Alan Mulally in a couple of years. The move did not come as a shock-it only confirmed the whispers of auto industry Royal Watchers.

The biggest news for those who care about cars, however, is two-fold: Jim Farley, Ford's global marketing boss, also takes the helm of Lincoln. He's not giving up his day job in any way, shape or form. Instead, Jim now works nine days a week instead of the usual eight.

The second nugget is the return on Joe Hinrichs, a guy who has been flung around the world in a cross between Dora the Ford Explorer and Indiana Jones, unearthing global treasure to help the company. Hinrichs comes back to take on Fields' old responsibility and title.

But let's talk about Farley. Folks, Jim is One of Us. Farley is a purebred car guy through and through. His passion for the brand is multi-generational; his love of speed is unequivocal. During his business life, Farley, 50, has marketed steel at the top-Lexus-and for young adopters at Scion. What he's done for Ford in his tenure has been nothing short of phenomenal, helping reshape its products and its voice as the global leader. Jim races a vintage Cobra and smiles broadly during bench-racing conversations. His love is for his family and the Blue Oval, and the opportunity for him to bring Lincoln back to a position of prominence is something he will relish.

Ford has been committed to making Lincoln work, first with the investment of a reported $5 billion in new products and then with the appointment of C.J. O'Donnell, a man who himself understands luxury. O'Donnell-a feisty competitor, racing enthusiast and a helluva marketer-has been given the charge to market Ford's electric vehicles. He should do well.

Now back to Hinrichs. He's a young 46 and has seen the world. His formal training is in manufacturing; he's seen the disjointed ills brought on by disparate automotive platforms and architecture, and helped transmogrify the company to the good. One Ford, indeed, starts with a unity of manufacturing and singular discipline. This has been Joe's world.

No, Ford's announcement did not shake the world. It did show those who care that the bench is wide and deep for when Mulally does leave.

By Dutch Mandel