where is Coletti?

[bitzman]

I found some sort of dealer guide to the '05 Fords and it has a nice color picture of O. John Coletti as they introduce the Ford GT. I was surprised when he retired from Ford just after the Ford GT's recall was announced. I was wondering if he was forcibly retired but a Ford PR man said he had put in over 30 years and it was just time to go. I know the SVT offerings seemed to be shrinking (cancelling the Adrenalin, etc.) and the GT was not sold under the SVT umbrella.

So what I would lke to know, if anyone knows, is
-what is he doing now?
-did he at least leave with his own GT and is it modified?
-did he retire when he wanted to retire, and it was just coincidence that
he retired when the GT ran into trouble?
-does anyone have his e-mail (JColetti@fordcom doesn't work anymore)

I got a kick out of meeting him--he was a type A personality, full speed ahead damn-the-torpedoes type which is what Ford needed to get a car like the Ford GT built.

 

[dbk]

He's running some endeavor of his own. I'm not sure what exactly they do. He does not have a GT, and I'm pretty sure he simply chose to retire.

 

[SteveA]

I was told by someone very well conected that more than a few heads rolled after the recalls but he didn't mention anyone specific.
Saddly there always has to be someone to take the hit and to offten it's the wrong person.

 

[bitzman]

He who gets paid the big dollars...

Not having any executive job (in fact as a free lancer some would say I am "unemployed") I can't show much sympathy when someone gets a lot of publicity for being the leader of the project, gets paid heavy bread while doing it, and then is pushed toward the door when trouble comes up on his watch. John Wyer, in his book That Certain Sound says that,as a commander, he lost battles in the GT wars,and understands why he was replaced as a result. Still, Coletti could have retired coincidentally at the same time the recalls were announced and maybe they had nothing to do with his retirement. If he is ever willing to give his side, we're all ears.

 

[jasper]

jasper

car+driver mag did an article in june 2005, go to their web site, search under ford gt. about a dozen stories all up