Ford is the First Automotive Manufacturer to Create A New Venture to Deliver its Consumer e-Business Initiatives 

Ford Motor Company and Trilogy Software today announced their intention to create an Internet joint venture. The new company will serve as Ford Motor Company's full-service e-business partner and is intended to develop and operate all of Ford's customer-facing Web sites. It will also offer similar services to Ford's dealers around the world.

The new company's mission is to accelerate the evolution of Ford Motor Company and its dealers' Web sites into the automotive industry's premier Web destinations for Ford consumers. The new company will be based in Austin, TX, with offices in Dearborn, MI, Irvine, CA and Europe.

"Our customer-focused e-business strategy reflects the future of Ford Motor Company, and Trilogy was the clear choice as the Internet partner to ensure that our Internet strategy-and the strategy of our dealer partners-is a global success," said Jac Nasser, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company. "Trilogy's extraordinary Internet experience, technology and company culture complement Ford's e-business drive and the strategic initiatives we already have underway with other strong partners."

"The joint venture we plan to form with Trilogy fits well with Ford's overall Internet strategy," said Brian Kelley, president of Ford ConsumerConnect and vice president of Ford Motor Company. "Our top priority is to have the world's finest Web sites for our Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar and Mazda brands. This venture will work closely with our dealers to make our sites the most powerful in the industry."

"Ford demonstrates the vision to become the premier online force in today's trillion dollar automotive industry," said Joe Liemandt, president and CEO of Trilogy Software. "The new venture will be armed with the best people, technology and resources and will help Ford move at Internet speed in deploying global customer-facing e-business initiatives. The end result will be a synergy between Ford.com and Ford's thousands of worldwide dealers to offer consumers the best buying experience on and off the Web," Liemandt added.

"The planned joint venture with Trilogy builds upon Trilogy's multichannel e-commerce platform that provides vehicle configuration and ordering for Ford," said Jim Yost, Ford CIO and VP. "We are utilizing Trilogy's technologies to forge unique customer relationships and improve customer satisfaction."

While Ford will retain a majority stake in the initiative, both Ford and Trilogy are making a significant financial investment in the new company, as well as additional investments in the form of employees and technology. An initial group of Ford and Trilogy employees will form the new company's core team that will include product and e-commerce experts.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is the world's largest producer of trucks and the second-largest producer of cars and trucks combined, marketing and selling approximately 7 million vehicles globally through its seven brands last year. Ford Motor Company employs approximately 345,000 people in plants, offices and laboratories to serve consumers in more than 200 countries and territories. Ford also is one of the largest providers of financial services worldwide through 2,400 branches in 33 countries.

About Trilogy Software

Trilogy Software, Inc. is the leading provider of e-business solutions for the Global 2000. Trilogy leverages its multichannel software applications and over a decade of Global 2000 implementation expertise to deploy sell-side and buy-side e-business solutions, create and manage online marketplaces such as pcOrder.com (NASDAQ: PCOR), and build internet joint ventures with Global 2000 organizations. Ford Motor Company, Fidelity Insurance, Nokia, and IBM are examples of the forward-looking companies that are partnering with Trilogy to execute global e-commerce strategies and drive industry transformation. 
 - Autoworld.com

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