Send to a friendLincon February 19th, 2007 9:25 PM Link
Nice One………..
Source: Ford’s SVT Boss Will Run Brazil Operations, Salenbauch To Be Promoted
Written By: Reilly
Ford Motor Company is expected to announce tomorrow that Hau Thai-Tang, Director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team, will leave the company’s North American operations to run Ford of Brazil (Ford do Brazil), according to WINDING ROAD’s sources within the company. While this is undoubtedly a promotion for the Vietnamese executive, one can’t help but wonder how Ford’s Mustang and SVT products will be developed in the future without his stewardship. Our feature story on the SVT boss, which was published in this month’s issue of WINDING ROAD, gave Thai-Tang the lion’s share of the credit for the success of Ford’s go-fast products. Carroll Shelby tends to agree with us, too.
“There have been some shitty Mustangs,” said Shelby. “But someone always comes back with a vision of how the Mustang should be–and that’s Hau Thai-Tang. Hau brought the Mustang back.”
Who will look after the Mustang / SVT now? One hopes that Ford gives Thai-Tang the opportunity to pick his successor. One source indicates the job will go to Hermann Salenbauch, a former chief engineer at BMW’s Land Rover division and a Ford man for the past six years (working for Thai-Tang at SVT). If that’s true, it’s likely that Thai-Tang did, in fact, pick his successor. In any event, we hope Ford has a plan for him to return to North America within a short time frame. It’s no secret that Thai-Tang is one of the company’s best leaders.
Ford’s Brazilian operations represent a significant piece of the company’s finances. Ford do Brazil has been the most profitable unit of the company’s global operations for some time.
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6 Comments
Jesda February 19th, 2007 11:22 PM Link
I like that guy.
Automotive Articles Magazine » Just another WordPress weblog » Blog Archive » REPORT: Ford SVT’s Hau Thai-Tang headed to Brazil February 20th, 2007 9:03 AM Link
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Bloggingit.info - Automotive » REPORT: Ford SVT’s Hau Thai-Tang headed to Brazil February 27th, 2007 5:36 AM Link
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Andy March 15th, 2007 10:36 AM Link
This guy did a fine job on the basic Mustang, but had no business running a high performance outfit. Rather than building a bullet proof car for enthusiasts as John Coletti did with the 2003 Cobra, HTT has provided us with a ‘halo’ car that doesn’t stop, go, or turn any better than the previous generation Cobra. What’s worse is it is getting a reputation with the automotive media as being an underperformer, and a reputation with the Mustang enthusiasts as being brittle when modified. What I’m saying is, Coletti made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear (Cobra & Lightning are both examples) while HTT started with a far superior product (to his credit) yet underachieved.
Ford’s decision to call the new car a Shelby GT500 created a fury of media attention, but the higher sticker price and dealer markups are keeping this car out of many Mustang Cobra enthusiast’s hands. Ford now offers the Shelby GT, which strips away the performance, but maintains the Shelby name & dealer markups. Here’s a suggestion, offer us a car without the hyped name & markups, but with the performance, substance, and value that SVT used to stand for!
Here’s another suggestion, bring back the Lightning. With the increased competition in pickups, Ford needs the halo truck.
Ford has lost a lot of customers over the past decade. I realize it must work to regain some of those who are not loyal Ford enthusiasts. Just don’t forget those of us in the trenches who bleed for blue. We have been there supporting you, buying from you, and fighting for you through thick and thin.
REPORT: Ford SVT’s Hau Thai-Tang headed to Brazil-- Ride Care Depot May 4th, 2007 1:05 AM Link
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