`Car Guy' Trotman To Replace Poling As Chairman Of Ford

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. yesterday turned to a British-born "car guy" as its next chairman - a move that represents the industry's turn toward nuts-and-bolts leaders and the automaker's own thirst for stability.

Alexander Trotman, a 60-year-old former fighter pilot and president of Ford's worldwide automotive group, will replace 67-year-old Harold "Red" Poling as chief of the world's second-largest automaker.

By choosing Trotman over Vice Chairman Allan Gilmour, Ford's board and the Ford family put a premium on product skills rather than financial numbers-crunching.

"The experience Alex had around the world - the operating experience and the product experience - made him a good candidate," Poling explained.