N.A. International Auto Show: Bill Ford Jr. Discusses The Future of Cars

• The 2016 North American International Auto Show has arrived to Detroit, and will be around until January 24.
• Benzinga’s partner Robb Report built a studio on the show floor. There, host Katrina Szish had the chance to interview some of the industry’s leaders, who share an insight into the main trends in the auto industry.
• Among the people interviewed was Bill Ford Jr.,Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company F, who discussed the future of its company and the auto industry.

On Monday, Ford revealed the 2017 F-150 Raptor SuperCrew and three new Ford Fusions; the stock gained 1.75 percent that day. After the presentations, Bill Ford Jr.,Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company F, had a talk with Robb Report’s Katrina Szish, and went into these new launches and the company’s transition from an auto manufacturer into a mobility business, among other subjects.

That New Car Smell

When asked about the new models, Ford said “the Raptor is kind of the ultimate in adrenaline, and kind of a big testosterone machine.” The Fusion’s three models kind of cover the rest of the span – including hybrids, he added.

The Evolution Of Ford

Talking about how Ford has changed over the years, the Chairman assured that every year brought plenty of transformation. Now, the company is on the cusp of “a revolution,” he continued. The company is “morphing from just an auto manufacturer into a mobility company – and all the things that that will entail.”

“If you and I were to be talking in 10 years from now, we’d have a very different business model than we have today,” Ford stated. “How we move people around is changing, but will change even more in the next few years,” and this is changing the design of cars, especially on the software side.

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.