"By elevating the leaders of the company's two automotive units, we're further sharpening the focus on our core business," Mr. Ford said in a statement.

Northrop had similarly planned to spin off the automotive unit if it took control of the company.

Motorola's automotive unit had annual sales of $1.6 billion (€1.33 billion) and employed 4,500.

In addition, the chief executive, William Clay Ford Jr., said that he would not accept any compensation until profits from the automotive unit improved.

Norfolk also said yesterday that its third-quarter earnings rose by 10 percent, propelled by double-digit percentage growth in its automotive and chemical units.

The board informally discussed the possibility of selling the company's automotive unit yesterday, the executives said, as a way of reducing debt.

Industry analysts said Rockwell's factory-automation and automotive units were already showing signs of a rebound.

The company's automotive unit posted an 81 percent increase in profits for the year and a 6 percent sales gain.

Ford's financial services operations contributed almost as much to the quarter's bottom line as its automotive units.

At the same time, Ford will have to make more money in its automotive unit if it expects to reach its goals.