Photo: Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Hackett spoke recently at a luncheon for Ford engineering retirees, addressing the latest product to join the automaker’s lineup: the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. There, he confirmed that the first 2021 model year production run will be capped around 50,000 units.
Hackett, who made 276 times Ford’s median employee salary in 2018, said that the somewhat limited production volume would make it difficult for some to cop a Mustang Mach-E in its first year on the streets.
“It’s going to be tough to get one in the first model year,” said Hackett. “I think we found the sweet spot. Many are saying they think we nailed it.”
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One person who won’t have trouble getting one: fellow multimillionaire Bill Ford, who Hackett called his “secret weapon” in convincing him to bestow the Mustang badge upon the Mach-E. Ford (the company, not the person) notes that “negative feedback about the vehicle has been minimal,” utterly disregarding that whole Change.org petition thing, a fact that Hackett attributes in part to pulling in the feedback of Mustang clubs and … ugh … Jay Leno.
Photo: Ford Motor Company
Hackett’s speech seemingly won over the crowd. In attendance was Al Kammerer, a retired product development director for Jaguar Land Rover, who said: “It’s the beginning of the new world and electrification is something we’re going to have to accept. If it has the performance and driving attributes that it’s supposed to have, I really want to drive one.”
Imagine if more boomers had the mentality of “change is something we’re going to have to accept.” Oh, to think!
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Fortunately, with total compensation of around $17.7 million in 2018, Hackett would be able to buy around 300 Mustang Mach-E GTs with what he made last year, which might be able to cover everyone in attendance. But something seems to lead me to believe that ain’t happening.
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