Ford Threatens Suppliers Over Leaked Future Truck Images

Ford is pissed about images of the Bronco and Maverick leaking, and suppliers are being blamed.

According to the crew at Jalopnik, Automotive News has acquired an internal Ford Motor Company memo in which the automaker seemingly blames Tier 1 suppliers for recently leaked images of the future products. This document goes so far as to threaten suppliers with “business repercussions and even recovery actions for damages”.

In other words, if Ford figured out which supplier-based employees are snapping these pictures, the automaker could stop doing business with the supplier. The Motor Company may file charges against the supplier in extreme cases. This could turn out to be a huge issue for more than one company that provides components to the automaker.

Threatening Ford Memo

The memo doesn’t go into any detail on which suppliers or which leaked images led to this thread, as referencing future models like the Maverick would confirm production plans. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to guess what brought Ford to this point. Over the past year, we have seen leaked images of the new Bronco, the new Bronco Sport, and, most recently, the rumored Maverick small pickup. While we can all understand how leaked images spoil a grand debut, it seems that the bigger concern is competition getting an early look at new products or new features.

The following content was shared by Automotive News via Jalopnik, providing some of the wording of the memo. This comes from Jonathan Jennings, Ford’s vice president for global commodity purchasing and supplier technical assistance.

“Because the damage to our organizations can be significant, Ford will treat confirmed supplier security breaches with heightened scrutiny. Suppliers could face business repercussions and even recovery actions for damages tied to leaks caused or enabled by suppliers.

Given the significant interest and excitement in new Ford and Lincoln vehicles and technologies coming to market, we are reinforcing to suppliers and partners, as we have to our own employees, the importance of following strict policies and protocols to protect confidential information.”

In the long run, the Ford memo states that suppliers have a “responsibility to have a robust leak prevention plan.”

Strange Time for Threats

Ford Motor Company, like every automaker, is currently facing supplier shortages. These shortages are leading to production delays. For example, production of the long-awaited and heavily-hyped Bronco has now been delayed to the summer due to supply shortages. With that in mind, it is odd that FoMoCo would pick this point in time to threaten the companies that provide key components. The supply chain for all sorts of products has been heavily altered by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This seems like a time when an automaker would want to work with suppliers in a positive way. Instead, Ford is opting for the legal threat route, which isn’t likely to improve relations between the various companies.

For those who are unsure, a Tier 1 supplier provides components directly to the automaker. An example of a Tier 1 supplier across the entire auto industry would be any of the companies that provide tires for vehicles. Just to be clear, we are not saying that a tire company is involved. That is one of the best examples of a Tier 1 automotive supplier. The companies being threatened with” business repercussions and recovery actions” likely provide major components to Ford Motor Company. Without the products provided by the companies in question, the automaker would have another supply chain issue.

Frankly, with all of the problems facing Ford and every other automaker, it seems odd that they would pick this fight at all. The time spent planning this action would have surely been better spent working to meet production schedules. Instead, the company is orchestrating a witch hunt for the person who posted a couple of pictures of a soon-to-be-released vehicle.

Hopefully, the various Tier 1 suppliers will take this thread seriously. It should be made clear to employees that they cannot be sharing pictures of new, unreleased products or components. At the same time, images leak from all sorts of individuals within the automakers as well. It will be interesting to see how Ford addresses these issues with supply companies.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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