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Ford confirmed on Tuesday that the company is working on a new RWD platform for its Ford and Lincoln brands, company leaders confirmed Tuesday. "It’s important going forward,” CEO Alan Mulally said at a dinner with journalists in suburban Detroit.

"Yes, we’re working on a rear-wheel-drive plan for the enterprise," Derrick Kuzak said. "It’s in the plan." Two key RWD Concepts have been already shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show: the Lincoln MKR and the Ford Interceptor.

But until now, company leaders stopped short of saying vehicles are in the product plans. Executives acknowledge they can build the vehicles using a new global RWD platform being developed in Ford’s Australian operations.

But that doesn’t mean production of RWD vehicles for global markets would be consolidated in Australia. "There are good reasons not to: currency, freight," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford group vice president of global manufacturing, on Tuesday.