Ford drives on sustainability

Dubai: Sue Cischke is Group Vice President for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering at the Ford Motor Company, responsible for establishing Ford's long range sustainability strategy and environmental policy.

She helps develop the respective products and serves as Ford's chief liaison with global organisations seeking solutions to the challenges of sustainability, environmental stewardship and energy independence. Gulf News talked to Cischke when she was in Dubai last week to attend the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Summit.

Gulf News: The Middle East, especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia, is maybe the last resort for big gas-guzzling full size-limousines such as the Crown Victoria or Mercury Grand Marquis, to name some of your company's models. How does this match with sustainability and environmental targets of Ford?

SUE CISCHKE: We are consequently following our sustainability programme and continue to improve our product line. The models you mentioned will eventually be replaced by more fuel-efficient cars.

But still, at the Dubai Motor Show next month, Ford is expected to present its new, huge F-150 Raptor four-wheel-drive with a 6.2l V8 engine. How does this match with the environmental targets ford has set to achieve?

We have to have a portfolio of different cars, a combination of vehicles for the market. Such cars like the F-150 Raptor are not our main product line, but they are part of the portfolio. Most car companies are doing it that way. But, of course, for larger vehicles hybrid engines are making much more sense, this is why we will be offering our new fuel efficient and environmentally friendly EcoBoost engine series soon.

What can the customer expect from this engine? What is the status of Ford's EcoBoost technology and how can it help reduce environmental harm?

EcoBoost will be introduced next year. By 2012, around 90 per cent of Ford cars will be equipped with this engine. It is designed to improve fuel efficiency by 20 per cent in average and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 per cent. Together with that, a range of new transmissions will be offered that will provided good driveability for the cars.

Are there fuel efficient Ford diesel engines in the pipeline?

EcoBoost will be based on gasoline, and there are plenty of possibilities to save fuel and reduce emissions, for example by improving the fuel injection system.

Do you think the Middle East is a target market for environmentally friendly cars, to speak of hybrid or electric cars?

I think the Middle East definitely will be a market for environmentally friendly cars.

The UAE has one of the worst records of road safety in the region and even internationally. Does Ford address this problem, for example by adapting the regional safety specification of the cars exported to the country?

We have done a lot a research on safety features and the result is an adjustment of all our vehicles in terms of safety features for passive as well as for active safety. There are a number of special accident avoidance features, better seat belt safety, speed monitoring or features especially for young drivers, which certainly meet the needs of the region.

On a broader scale: What are Ford's most important competitors after the shakeup of the global car market?

It's still Toyota, Volkswagen, Korean brands and, sooner or later, competition from Chinese cars will be growing. Also, competition with General Motors continues.

Would you say that the worst of the US auto industry crisis is over?

The markets didn't comeback to the point they should have, but we are witnessing a steady progress. It is going to take a little time until the markets have recovered in full. But Ford was strong in this period and has picked up market share during the downturn in the US, from 14 per cent to 15 per cent.

Despite your sustainability and environmental efforts, will Ford continue to produce retro cars like the Ford Mustang, which brings back the spirit of the muscle car era?

We are very proud of the Mustang heritage, and it is a great car. This does not exclude making the Mustang a fuel efficient vehicle and market it from an environmental standpoint.

You were in Dubai to take part at the World Economic Forum. What was your impression of the city?

I am now the second time in the UAE, and I am always impressed how modern Dubai is presenting itself. It is the beauty of the city which I am most impressed of. We see good growth opportunities here, and many potential customers for our cars.

New models to be unveiled

At the 10th Dubai Motor Show to be held from December 16 - 20, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Ford will present three new models, the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus, the mighty off-roader Ford F-150 SVT Raptor and the full-size crossover Lincoln MKT. These models already have made an appearance in the recent Saudi International Motorshow in Jeddah and have received "tremendous feedback", according to Hussain Murad, Ford Middle East's director of sales and marketing.