Ford Motor Company is preparing to roll out a redesigned dealership experience centered on hospitality and flexibility, marking a notable shift in how the automaker wants customers to interact with its brand. The first of these new spaces is planned for Ohio, where Ford will debut a hotel-influenced environment intended to make vehicle shopping and service feel more approachable.
The concept stems from the company’s new Ford Signature 2.0 design standard, a global initiative shaped with input from dealers and anchored in human-centered design. Ford developed the approach to simplify the customer journey, allowing shoppers to move comfortably between online browsing and in-person visits without friction.
According to the company, the new format rests on four guiding principles: Hospitality First, Sales & Service Anywhere, Operations Excellence and Discover Ford. Together, they support a retail environment built around open spaces, intuitive navigation and areas meant for conversation rather than traditional sales counters. Dealers adopting the format will also receive expanded guest-experience training for their staff to reinforce the brand’s service expectations.
Ford says the revised layout removes the traditional reception desk in favor of a central “hub” offering food, beverages and branded merchandise. The goal is to create an inviting first point of contact rather than a formal check-in area. The layout is meant to encourage self-guided exploration, giving customers room to move through vehicles, accessories and displays at their own pace.
The broader initiative is available for all Ford nameplates in the United States and 15 European markets. Customers can build, price and complete purchases online or in person, reflecting Ford’s effort to provide consistent experiences regardless of where a sale begins.
Transforming dealerships to meet the new standard will require substantial investment. While Ford has not disclosed exact costs, company leaders acknowledge that the redesign represents a significant ask of its retail network. Roughly 100 dealers have expressed early interest after previewing the concept in Las Vegas, and two locations are scheduled to be among the first openings in 2026: Skalnek Ford in Lake Orion, Michigan, and Baumann Ford Oregon near Toledo, Ohio.
More than 20 dealerships across ten countries will incorporate elements of the new Signature 2.0 experience by the end of this year. Ford plans to expand the model to 110 stores worldwide by late 2026 as part of its strategy to modernize the brand’s retail presence.