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Ford, VW Looking to Make Global Music
Ford and Volkswagen are entering into a type of partnership to more efficiently produce vehicles in markets that will save (and make) them money. Can a joint venture pickup truck be far behind?
According to Automotive News, the two large automakers have entered into a "memorandum of understanding" to allow discussions to continue about potential product sharing for future retail and commercial buyers.
In a statement released by Ford, Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets, noted that it will always be interested in improving its business efficiency and effectiveness with potential allies in order to improve its global and national portfolio. As you might have guessed, some are speculating that Ford (a world leader in pickup and SUV products) could be offering VW some much needed help in figuring out a profitable U.S. marketplace product, possibly similar to the concept Atlas Tanoak unibody mid-size pickup.
Interestingly, the name Atlas has been recently shared in different ways with both Ford and VW in the form of the original all-aluminum F-150 concept vehicle showed more than five years ago, called the Atlas, as well as VW's current full-size SUV, which was the platform used for the pickup concept shown at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
Whether Ford is looking for a way to exit the quirky European markets or VW is looking to find a stronger, better way to break into the U.S. commercial market, this type of alliance could prove interesting. However, the last memorandum of understanding Ford was part of (with Toyota regarding hybrid technology, specifically for full-size pickups) did not bear any fruit as far as a shared product. Since that Ford/Toyota connection was dissolved, Ford has since decided to come to market with its own 2020 hybrid F-150, and Toyota is rumored to be offering its own hybrid system with the next-generation Tundra, likely due out in 2020.
Whether or not a new pickup or SUV from either Ford or VW comes out of this new alliance, the automotive world seems to be getting smaller yet providing customers with more choices. And we're all for that, as long as the quality of the products follows, too.
