Ford Motor Company chairman William Clay Ford jnr has said the company might be operated differently if Jac Nasser retired.

Mr Ford told Wall Street Journal online he was "happy" with his chief executive but would take a more active role in managing the company.

Denying reports he was unhappy with limited access to senior executives, Mr Ford said he had no interest in taking Mr Nasser's job.

Asked whether the company structure might be different if Mr Nasser retired, Mr Ford said: "Maybe." He said he would help rebuild the company's battered reputation following the Firestone tyre recall and deaths of people in crashed Ford Explorers.

Mr Ford's comments suggest tensions at the top of the company. Mr Nasser's aggressive executive style seems to have provoked him into a determination to become more involved in operational issues.

Mr Nasser's purchase of Land Rover and Volvo must have been with the agreement of Mr Ford who appears to be unsure of Mr Nasser's ability to operate the enlarged group.