SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles sell nearly twice as fast as those without, and a Ford survey of SYNC customers showed nearly 80 percent of respondents "definitely would" recommend it to a friend.

ENGADGET: Sync adds turn-by-turn, traffic reports for some 2010 Fords

The strategy has been to expand globally without diluting the Tom Ford magic by opening too many "doors, " as boutiques are called in retail-speak.

WSJ: The House That Gucci Built

Without a broader economic rebound, Ford might be looking at a far bigger problem in Europe than it originally anticipated.

FORBES: Ford's Unhappy $2 Billion European Surprise