Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Ford Motor Company

 

U.S. automotive corporation. Founded in Detroit, Mich., in 1903 by Henry Ford and a group of investors, the company introduced the hugely successful Model T in 1908 and by 1923 was producing more than half of all U.S. automotive vehicles. Through the Lincoln Motor Co. (acquired in 1922), Ford produced luxury Lincolns and Continentals. After years of declining sales, the Model T was succeeded by the Model A in 1927; other companies such as General Motors took the opportunity to make serious inroads into Ford's dominance. The company was reincorporated in 1919, with Ford and his family acquiring full ownership. Henry's son Edsel served as president 1919 – 43, and Henry's grandson Henry Ford II led the company 1945 – 79, reviving its fortunes considerably. Its stock was first publicly traded in 1956. Ford acquired the British automaker Jaguar in 1989 – 90, bought the rental car company Hertz Corp. in 1994, and purchased the automobile division of Volvo in 1999. Later acquisitions included Aston Martin and the Land Rover brand of sport utility vehicles. Ford also owns a significant share of the Mazda Motor Corp. Because of financial struggles at the beginning of the 21st century, the company sold off Aston Martin in 2007 and both Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008. Ford manufactures passenger cars, trucks, and tractors as well as parts and accessories.

For more information on Ford Motor Co., visit Britannica.com.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Hoover's Company Profiles:

Ford Motor Company

Top
(NYSE:F)
Contact Information
Ford Motor Company
1 American Rd.
Dearborn, MI 48126-2798
MI Tel. 313-322-3000
Toll Free 800-392-3673

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.ford.com
Employees: 164,000
Employee growth: (17.2%)

Ford Motor began a manufacturing revolution with mass production assembly lines in the early 20th century, but today, it is one of the world's largest automakers. Brands include Ford and Lincoln; Mercury ceased production in 2010. Among its successes are the redesigned Ford Mustang, the F-Series pickup, the fuel-efficient 2012 Focus, and the 2013 electric C-MAX. Finance unit Ford Motor Credit is one of the US's leading auto finance companies. Ford owns a small stake in Mazda but sold Volvo in 2010 to Zhejiang Geely Holding, parent of Geely Automobile, for about $1.3 billion cash and other monetary consideration. It operates about 75 plants worldwide, but gets about half of its sales from North America.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $128,954.0M
One year growth: 9.0%
Net income: $6,561.0M
Income growth: 141.5%

Officers:
Chairman: William C. (Bill) Ford Jr.
President, CEO, and Director: Alan R. Mulally
EVP and CFO: Lewis W.K. Booth

Competitors:
Chrysler
General Motors
Toyota

Quote, Chart and News:

Forward Industries Inc.

Top
Gale Directory of Company Histories:

Ford Motor Company

Top

Incorporated:1919
NAIC: 336111 Automobile Manufacturing; 336112 Light Truck and Utility Vehicle Manufacturing; 33612 Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturing; 33621 Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing; 532112 Passenger Car Leasing; 524126 Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers

As the second-largest automobile company in the world, Ford Motor Company represents a $164 billion multinational business empire. Known primarily as a manufacturer of automobiles, Ford also operates Ford Credit, which generates more than $3 billion in income, and owns The Hertz Corporation, the largest automobile rental company in the world. The company manufactures vehicles under the names Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover, and Aston Martin. Ford also maintains controlling interest in Mazda Motor Corporation. Ford's financial stability was shaken in early years of the new millennium as a result of slowing sales, quality issues, and a debacle involving Firestone tires.

Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, was born on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan, in 1863. He had a talent for engineering, which he pursued as a hobby from boyhood, but it was not until 1890 that he commenced his engineering career as an employee of the Detroit Edison Company. In his spare time, Ford constructed experimental gasoline engines and in 1892 completed his first gasoline buggy. Dissatisfied with the buggy's weight, he sold it in 1896 to help fund the construction of a new car. Ford's superiors at the electric company felt his hobby distracted him from his regular occupation and, despite his promotion to chief engineer, he was forced to quit in 1899.

Shortly afterwards, with financial backing from private investors, Ford established the Detroit Automobile Company. He later withdrew from the venture after a disagreement with business associates over the numbers and prices of cars to be produced. Ford advocated a business strategy which combined a lower profit margin on each car with greater production volumes. In this way, he hoped to gain a larger market share and maintain profitability.

Independently in a small shed in Detroit, Henry Ford developed two four-cylinder, 80-horsepower race cars, called the 999 and the Arrow. These cars won several races and helped to create a new market for Ford automobiles. With $28,000 of capital raised from friends and neighbors, Henry Ford established a new shop on June 16, 1903. In this facility, a converted wagon factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, the Ford Motor Company began production of a two-cylinder, eight-horsepower design called the Model A. The company produced 1,708 of these models in the first year of operation.

The Ford Motor Company was sued by the Licensed Association of Automobile Manufacturers, an industrial syndicate which held patent rights for road locomotives with internal combustion engines. Ford responded by taking the matter to the courts, arguing that the patent, granted to George B. Selden in 1895, was invalid. During the long process of adjudication, Ford continued to manufacture cars and relocated to a larger plant on Piquette and Beaubien Streets. A Canadian plant was established in Walkerville, Ontario, on August 17, 1904.

Henry Ford and his engineers designed several automobiles, each one designated by a letter of the alphabet; these included the small, four-cylinder Model N (which sold for $500), and the more luxurious six-cylinder Model K (which sold poorly for $2,500). The failure of the Model K, coupled with Henry Ford's persistence in developing inexpensive cars for mass production, caused a dispute between Ford and his associate Alexander Malcolmson. The latter, who helped to establish the company in 1903, resigned and his share of the company was acquired by Henry Ford. Ford's holdings then amounted to 58.5 percent. In a further consolidation of his control, Ford replaced John S. Gray, a Detroit banker, as president of the company in 1906.

In October 1908, despite the continuing litigation with the Selden syndicate, Ford introduced the durable and practical Model T. Demand for this car was so great that Ford was forced to enlarge its production facilities. Over 10,000 Model Ts were produced in 1909. Able to vote down business associates who favored more conventional methods of production, Henry Ford applied his assembly line concept of manufacturing to the Model T.

In developing the assembly line, Ford noted that the average worker performed several tasks in the production of each component, and used a variety of tools in the process. He improved efficiency by having each worker specialize in one task with one tool. The component on which the employee worked was conveyed to him on a moving belt, and after allowing a set time for the task to be performed, the component was moved on to the next operation. Slower workers thus needed to increase their work rate in order to maintain production at the rate determined by the speed of the belts.

Ford's battle with the Selden group led to a decision by the Supreme Court in 1911, eight years after the initial suit. The Court ruled that the Selden patent was invalid. The decision freed many automobile manufacturers from costly licensing obligations; it also enabled others to enter the business.

When the United States became involved in World War I (April 1917), the Ford Motor Company placed its resources at the disposal of the government. For the duration of the war, Ford Motor produced large quantities of automobiles, trucks, and ambulances, as well as Liberty airplane motors, Whippet tanks, Eagle submarine chasers, and munitions. In 1918, Henry Ford officially retired from the company, naming his son Edsel president and ceding to him a controlling interest. But, in fact, Henry continued to direct company strategy and spent much of his time developing a farm tractor called the Fordson. He also published a conservative weekly journal, the Dearborn Independent. Edsel, who was more reserved and pragmatic than his father, concerned himself with routine operations.

At the end of the war Henry and Edsel Ford disagreed with fellow stockholders over the planned expenditure of several million dollars for a large new manufacturing complex at River Rouge, near Detroit. The Fords eventually resolved the conflict by buying out all the other shareholders. Their company was re-registered as a Delaware corporation in July 1919. The River Rouge facility, built shortly afterward, was a large integrated manufacturing and assembly complex which included a steel mill of substantial capacity.

Between January 1 and April 19, 1921, the Ford Motor Company had $58 million in financial obligations due, and only $20 million available to meet them. Convinced that Ford Motor would be forced into bankruptcy, representatives of several large financial houses offered to extend loans to the company, on the condition that the Fords yield financial control. When the offer was refused, the bankers retreated, certain that they would soon be called upon to repossess the company.

With little time available, Henry Ford transferred as many automobiles as possible to his dealerships, who were instructed to pay in cash. Almost immediately, this generated $25 million. Next, Ford purchased the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad, the primary medium of transportation for his company's supplies. By rearranging the railroad's schedules, Ford was able to reduce by one-third the time that automotive components spent in transit. This allowed him to reduce inventories by one-third, thereby releasing $28 million. With additional income from other sources, and reduction in production costs, Ford had $87 million in cash by April 1, $27 million more than he needed to pay off the company debts.

The Ford Motor Company's only relationship with banks after this crisis was as a depositor. Moreover, despite poor financial management, Ford maintained such strong profitability that it offered to lend money on the New York markets, in competition with banks. With large quantities of cash still available, Ford acquired the financially troubled Lincoln Motor Company in 1922.

Edsel Ford was more enthusiastic about the development of the aircraft industry than his father, and in 1925 persuaded his fellow shareholders (all family members) to purchase the Stout Metal Airplane Company. His close friend William Stout, who was retained as vice-president and general manager of the company, developed a popular three-engine passenger aircraft known as the Ford Trimotor. Nearly 200 of these aircraft were built during its production run.

After 18 years producing the Model T, the Ford Motor Company faced its first serious threat from a competitor. In 1926, General Motors Corporation introduced its Chevrolet automobile, a more stylish and powerful car. Sales of the Model T dropped sharply. After months of experimenting with a six-cylinder model, Ford decided to discontinue the Model T in favor of the new Model A. On May 31, 1926, Ford plants across the country were closed for six months while assembly lines were retooled.

That year Ford voluntarily reduced its work week to five days, declaring that workers should also benefit from the success of the company. Ford was also one of the first companies to limit the work day to eight hours, and to establish a minimum wage of $5 per day. At Henry Ford's own admission, these policies were instituted more to improve productivity than to appease dissatisfied (and unrepresented) workers.

The British Ford Company was formed in 1928 and shortly thereafter the German Ford Company was founded. Henry Ford recognized the Soviet Union as a market with great potential, and like a number of other American industrialists, he fostered a relationship with officials in the Soviet government. Later, Ford participated in the construction of an automobile factory at Nishni-Novgogrod.

The economic crisis of October 1929, which led to the Great Depression, forced many companies to close. Ford Motor managed to remain in business, despite losses of as much as $68 million per year. By 1932, economic conditions became so difficult that the Ford minimum wage was reduced to $4 per day. But for its Model A, which sold 4.5 million units between 1927 and 1931, Ford's situation would have been much worse.

The economy of Detroit was heavily dependent on large, locally based industrial manufacturers and when companies less successful than Ford were forced to suspend operations, a banking crisis developed. The Ford Motor Company, and Edsel Ford personally, extended about $12 million in loans to these banks in an effort to maintain their solvency. But these efforts failed and the banks were forced to close in February 1933. Ford lost over $32 million in deposits and several million more in bank securities. The principal Ford bank, Guardian National, was subsequently reorganized by Ford interests as the Manufacturers National Bank of Detroit. Ford's largest business rival, General Motors, having suffered a similar crisis, emerged with control over the National Bank of Detroit.

The implementation of President Roosevelt's New Deal made conditions more favorable to the organization of labor unions. But Henry Ford, who had supported President Hoover in the election, advised his workers to resist union organization, and in 1935 raised the company's minimum wage to $6 per day.

In 1937, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union began a campaign to organize Ford workers by sponsoring the employee occupation of a Ford plant in Kansas City. The conflict was resolved when Ford officials agreed to meet with union representatives. That same year, there was trouble at the River Rouge complex. Several men distributing UAW pamphlets at the gates were severely beaten by unidentified assailants, believed to have been agents of the Ford security office. Following an investigation by the National Labor Relations Board, Ford was cited for numerous unfair labor practices. The finding was contested, but eventually upheld when the Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

In 1940, Henry Ford, who opposed American involvement in World War II, canceled a contract (arranged by Edsel) to build 6,000 Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engines for the British Royal Air Force, and 3,000 more for the U.S. Army. In time, however, public opinion led Ford to change his mind. Plans were made for the construction of a large new government-sponsored facility to manufacture aircraft at Willow Run, west of Dearborn.

Unionization activities climaxed in April 1941 when Ford employees went on strike. The NLRB called an employee election, under the terms of the Wagner Act, to establish a union representation for Ford workers. When the ballots were tabulated in June, the UAW drew 70 percent of the votes. Henry Ford, an avowed opponent of labor unions, suddenly altered his stand. He agreed to a contract with union representatives which met all worker demands.

The company devoted its resources to the construction of the Willow Run Aircraft plant. Eight months later, in December 1941, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor resulted in a declaration of war by the United States against Japan, Germany, and Italy. Willow Run was completed the following May. It was the largest manufacturing facility in the world, occupying 2.5 million square feet of floor space, with an assembly line three miles long. Adjacent to the plant were hangars, covering 1.2 million square feet, and a large airfield. The airplanes produced at this facility were four-engine B-24E Liberator bombers, the Consolidated Aircraft version of the Boeing B-24. Production of aircraft got off to a slow start, but after adjustments the rate of production was raised to one plane per hour, 24 hours a day. During the war, other Ford Motor plants produced a variety of engines, as well as trucks, jeeps,--4 tanks,--10 tank destroyers, and transport gliders. The company also manufactured large quantities of tires, despite the removal of its tire plant to the Soviet Union.

Edsel Ford died unexpectedly in May 1943 at the age of 49. At the time of his death, Edsel was recognized as a far better manager than his father. Indeed, Henry Ford was often criticized for repeatedly undermining his son's efforts to improve the company, and the managerial crisis which occurred after Edsel's death is directly attributable to Henry Ford's persistent failure to prepare capable managers for future leadership of the company.

Edsel had been responsible for much of the company's wartime mobilization and his absence was deeply felt by his aging father, who was forced to resume the company presidency. In need of assistance, Henry Ford sought a special discharge from the Navy for Edsel's son Henry II. The navy complied, citing the special needs of Ford management during wartime. Henry Ford vigorously prepared his grandson to succeed him. By the end of the war, when the Willow Run plant was turned over to the government, Ford had produced 8,600 B-24E bombers and over 57,000 aircraft engines.

In September 1945, Henry Ford II, aged 28, was named president of the Ford Motor Company. The inexperienced man could not have started at a worse time. No longer supported by government contracts, the company began to lose money at a rate of $10 million per month. The source of the problem was Henry Ford I's financial management policy, specifically designed to perplex the Internal Revenue Service and discourage audits. The severe economic conditions after the war made Ford's finances an albatross.

Unable to bring the company's finances under control, Henry II hired Ernest R. Breech, a General Motors executive and past chairperson of Bendix, in 1946. Breech was placed in charge of two groups--a managerial group and a financial one. The first one was comprised of several managers hired away from General Motors, and the second group was made up of ten talented financial experts who had served with the Air Force Office of Statistical Control. The Air Force group included Robert S. McNamara, J. Edward Lundy, Arjay Miller, and Charles Tex Thornton; they spent several years reconstructing the company's system of financial management.

Henry Ford I, who had retained the title of chairperson since 1945, died in April 1947 at the age of 83. Henry II and Ernest Breech were then able to implement their own strategies for recovery, and these included the adoption of the proven General Motors management structure, and the decision to establish the Ford Motor Company in foreign markets. In its first year under Breech, the company registered a profit and it continued to gain strength in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Breech's top priority was strict adherence to a financial plan with strong profit margins; unfortunately, this proved to be at the expense of developing automobiles for an increasingly complex market.

Over the previous two decades, the Ford Motor Company had been a notable pioneer and achiever in the industry, and it was the first company to cast a V-8 engine block (1932). Ford had produced its 25 millionth automobile in 1937 and the following year its Lincoln Division introduced the Mercury line, which proved highly successful in the growing market for medium-priced automobiles. Ford's good image had been further enhanced by its contributions to the Allied effort in World War II; even Josef Stalin had kind words for the enterprising American company.

Before he died, Henry Ford I had created two classes of Ford stock. The B Class was reserved for family members and constituted the controlling 40 percent voting interest. The ordinary common shares were to be retained by the company until January 1956, when they were to be offered to the public for the first time.

Two years after Henry I's death, in 1949, the company unveiled a number of new automatic styles. But while the cars were practical, and to a degree fashionable, the company no longer appeared to be a pioneer; indeed it gained a reputation, not wholly justified, as being an imitator of General Motors.

Regaining its initiative, the Ford Motor Company decided to introduce a new model to fill a gap in the market between the Ford and Lincoln-Mercury lines. In 1958, the much heralded 410 horsepower Edsel made its debut. It was a terrible flop. Ford's market researchers had been very wrong; there was no gap in the market for the Edsel to fill. After just two years, production of the ill-fated car ceased--110,847 units had been produced, at a loss of some $250 million.

The 1960s saw many changes at Ford: dissatisfied with his secondary role in the company decision-making, Henry Ford stripped Breech of his power, replacing him with Robert McNamara. But McNamara left the Ford Motor Company in 1961 to serve as Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy administration. Many of McNamara's duties were taken over by Arjay Miller, who succeeded the interim president, John Dykstra, in 1963.

The Ford Motor Company purchased the Philco Corporation in 1961 and established a tractor division in 1962. The following year, Ford introduced its highly successful Mustang; more than 500,000 of these cars were sold in 18 months. The man most responsible for developing the Mustang was a protege of Robert McNamara named Lee Iacocca.

In another move intended to assert his authority over management, Henry Ford II dismissed Arjay Miller in 1968 and named Semon E. Knudsen as president. Knudsen, a former executive vice-president at General Motors known for his aggressive personality, found himself in constant conflict with Henry Ford, and after 19 months he was replaced by Lee Iacocca. Iacocca was a popular figure, highly talented in marketing and sales, but like Knudsen, he frequently disagreed with Henry Ford.

Ford Motor Company subsidiaries in Europe entered a period of strong growth and high profitability in the early 1970s, and these subsidiaries produced components for the Pinto, a sub-compact introduced in the United States in 1971. Pinto models from 1971 to 1976 and similarly configured Bobcats from 1975 to 1976 drew a great deal of attention after several incidents in which the car's gas tank exploded in rear-end collisions. The unfavorable publicity from news reports damaged Ford's public image, as did wrongful death litigation.

In April 1977, Henry Ford II reduced Iacocca's power by creating a new executive triumvirate. Iacocca was a member of this, along with Ford himself and Philip Caldwell. But a year later, Ford added his brother William Clay Ford to the group and relegated Iacocca to a subordinate position; then within a few months, Ford suddenly fired Iacocca and installed Caldwell as president. Henry Ford was battling stockholder allegations of financial misconduct and bribery at the time and his dismissal of Iacocca made him more unpopular than ever. Iacocca went on to head Chrysler Corporation.

Henry Ford made a critical decision and a very misguided one. He cancelled development of a small car which had been proposed by Iacocca and which was intended to succeed the aging Pinto. Thus, as the Japanese compacts became increasingly popular in the United States, Ford found itself quite unable to compete. Adding to its woes, Ford, along with other U.S. car manufacturers, was obligated by Congressional legislation (particularly the Clean Air Act) to develop automobiles which would emit less pollutants. Henry Ford relinquished his position as chief executive officer to Philip Caldwell in October 1979. The following March, Ford retired and gave the chair to Caldwell, while retaining his seat on the board of directors.

Ford Motor Company encountered severe economic losses as a result of a reduction in market share, as well as the high costs incurred by labor contracts and the development of automobiles that met the new federal standards. In 1980, the company lost $1.54 billion, despite strong profits from the truck division and European operations. Ford lost a further $1.06 billion in 1981 and $658 million in 1982 while trying to effect a recovery; its market share fell from 3.6 percent in 1978 to 16.6 percent in 1981.

Company officials studied Japanese methods of industrial management, and worked more closely with Toyo Kogyo, the Japanese manufacturer of Mazda automobiles (Ford gained a 25 percent share of Toyo Kogyo in November 1979, when a Ford subsidiary merged with the company). Ford imported Mazda cars and trucks, and in many ways treated Toyo Kogyo as a small car division until the Escort, its successor to the Pinto, reached the showrooms. This new compact was modeled after the Ford (Europe) Erika; another version of it, the Lynx, was produced by Ford's Lincoln-Mercury division.

Caldwell transferred the talented manager Harold Poling from the European division to the United States in an attempt to apply successful European formulas to the American operation. In the restructuring that followed, several plants were closed and more than 100,000 workers were dismissed. Ford's weakness in the market was a major concern of the unions; consequently, the company inaugurated a policy of employee involvement in plant operations and was able to secure more favorable labor contracts. Productivity improved dramatically.

In 1984, with costs reduced, Ford started to repurchase 30 million shares (about 10 percent of the company's stock). Its production of cars in Mexico was increased, and through its interest in Kia Motors, output was stepped up in South Korea. The following year, Ford introduced the Taurus (another version, the Sable, was produced by its Mercury division), a modern full-size automobile which had taken five years to develop at a cost of $3 billion. The Taurus proved highly successful and won several design and safety awards.

Sales and profits reached record levels in 1984, and in 1986 Ford surpassed General Motors in income for the first time since 1924. In addition, Ford's market share increased to just under 20 percent. Ford Motor purchased several companies in the mid-1980s, including the First Nationwide Financial Corporation and the New Holland tractor division of Sperry, which was later merged with Ford Tractor. Ford also purchased a 30 percent share of Otosan, the automotive subsidiary of the Turkish KoØ Group. The attempted acquisition of the Italian car maker Alfa Romeo in 1986 failed, due to a rival bid from Fiat.

The diversification into financial services that began in the mid-1980s continued in earnest throughout the rest of the decade, as each of the major U.S. car manufacturers sought to insulate themselves against the cyclical nature of their business. Ford spent $5.5 billion acquiring assets for its financial services group during the latter half of the decade, including a $3.4 billion purchase in 1989 of The Associates, a Dallas-based finance company. That acquisition, completed the same year Ford purchased the venerable British car manufacturer Jaguar Cars Ltd. for $2.5 billion, made Ford the country's second largest provider of diversified financial services, ranking only behind Citicorp. With plans to eventually derive 30 percent of the company's profits from financial service-related business, Ford entered the 1990s with $115 billion worth of banking-related assets, a portfolio that provided the company's only bright moments during the otherwise deleterious early 1990s.

An economic recession crippled U.S. car manufacturers during the early 1990s, and Ford bore the brunt of the financial malaise that stretched around the globe. Domestically, car sales faltered abroad, particularly in Great Britain and Australia, Ford's sales plummeted. In 1991, Ford's worldwide automotive operations lost an enormous $3.2 billion after recording a $99 million profit the year before. In the United States, automotive losses reached an equally staggering $2.2 billion on the heels of a $17 million loss in 1990. The losses struck a serious blow to Ford, which as recently as 1989 had generated $3.3 billion in net income; however, the financial results of 1991 would have been worse without the company's strategic diversification into financial services. For the year, Ford's financial services group registered a record $927 million in earnings, up from the previous year's total of $761 million, which left the company with a $2.25 billion loss for the year, an inauspicious record in Ford's nearly 90-year history.

The financial disaster of 1991, however, was just a prelude to more pernicious losses the following year, as the global recession reached its greatest intensity. In 1992, with revenue swelling to slightly more than $100 billion, Ford posted a $7.38 billion loss. Although 1992 represented one of the bleakest years in Ford's history, the worst was over, and as the economic climate improved, the company emerged with renewed vitality. Against the backdrop of successive financial losses, Ford had increased its presence in the truck and minivan market niche, which represented the fastest-growing segment of the broadly defined automotive market. Roughly 200,000 minivans and sports utility vehicles were sold in the United States a decade earlier and now, as consumers once again returned to car dealers' showrooms, more than 2.3 million opted for minivans and light trucks, a trend that bolstered Ford's financial position and predicated its return to a profitable future.

During this time, the gap separating Japanese and American car manufacturers' production standards had narrowed considerably, with the U.S. manufacturers emerging from the early 1990s in a more enviable position--Ford included. As the technological and managerial race between U.S. car manufacturers and their Japanese counterparts tightened, the importance of prudent product development and effective distribution networks increased. Toward this end, Ford reorganized its production and distribution operations in mid-1994 to better respond to the changing economic structure of the numerous countries in which Ford operated facilities. Regional trading areas, rather than nation states, would represent the primary focus of Ford's future efforts, a direction the company moved toward with its worldwide reorganization in 1994.

Ford's notable achievements during the latter half of the 1990s were philosophical in nature, as the company attempted to replace the corporate culture of its past with a new way of thinking for the future. The proponent of Ford's new vision was Lebanese-born, Melbourne, Australia-raised Jacques Nasser, who was named president and chief executive officer in January 1998, concurrent with the appointment of William Clay Ford, Jr., great-grandson of the founder, as chairman. Two years before his historic promotion--at age 51, Nasser became the youngest, non-family chief executive in the company's history--Nasser was named president of Ford's worldwide automotive operations, and he did not like what he saw. The company had the lowest profits from total vehicle sales of any U.S. automaker, an alarming statistic that Nasser began to improve by slashing costs. His cost-cutting efforts earned Nasser the nickname Jac the Knife, but once he was named Ford's chief executive in 1998, the characterization of his influence took on an added dimension. Nasser's aim was to replace the corporate culture of decades past with an entrepreneurial style that placed a much more intense emphasis on the customer. He continued making his trademark cuts in costs, realizing $5 billion in savings between 1997 and 1999, but he also worked toward instilling a new ethos at Ford.

As part of the new movement espoused by Nasser, the company's Lincoln-Mercury division was relocated from Detroit to Irvine, California, an unprecedented move for a major U.S. automaker. Nasser wanted the division to attract younger customers--Lincoln's typical customer was 63 years old, Mercury's was 56 years old--and to be closer to suppliers and to emerging auto trends. Nasser wanted the division to breathe new life into itself away from the scrutiny of company headquarters, to benefit from a more entrepreneurial-driven perspective.

The changes at Lincoln-Mercury typified the profound currents of change sweeping through Ford at the century's end. Much remained to be done to achieve Nasser's vision of a fundamentally revamped Ford, but by the end of the 1990s there were impressive signs of progress. The company ended the decade as the most profitable automaker in the world. Its stock price increased 130 percent between 1996 and 1999, outpacing the increases recorded by its rivals. Analysts predicted great things for Ford, thanks in large part to the company's increased ownership stake in Mazda Motor Corporation (from 25 percent to 33.4 percent in 1996) and its $6.45 billion acquisition of Swedish auto maker Volvo in 1999.

However, Ford faced major challenges in the early years of the new millennium. While it continued to lay the groundwork for future growth by spinning off its Visteon unit, acquiring BMW's Land Rover SUV business, and purchasing the remaining shares of Hertz that it did not already own, it was dealt a significant blow when Bridgestone recalled over 6.5 million Firestone brand tires--tires used as original equipment on Ford's popular Explorer model, the Mercury Mountaineer, the Ranger, and some of its F-150 pickups. In the largest recall in automotive history, Ford was forced to call back over 300,000 vehicles and replace over 13 million Firestone tires at a cost of $3 billion in 2001 alone. To make matters worse, several deaths had been linked to faulty tires on the Ford Explorer, and some alleged that Ford had known about the problem all along and had failed to act.

As a result of the tire debacle and several other product recalls, Ford was ranked last in the industry in terms of quality according to J.D. Power & Associates. In 2001, the company posted a loss of $5.45 billion. Nasser was ousted in late that year, leaving William Clay Ford, Jr., at the helm. The task set before him was monumental; he faced faltering employee morale, major quality issues, sluggish sales, and intense price wars.

In early 2002, Ford launched a major restructuring effort that included the closure of five plants, the elimination of 35,000 jobs, over $9 billion in cost cutting measures, and the shuttering of several car lines including the Mercury Cougar and the Lincoln Continental. Included in the plan were efforts to boost the morale of employees. In a speech quoted in a November 2002 Fortune article, CEO Ford reminded his work force "We've come back from adversity many times in our history. We're going to do it again. On the eve of our 100th anniversary, the stage is set for a dramatic return to greatness. We started the job; now let's finish it."

The company forged ahead in 2002 cutting its losses to $559 million. Market share continued to fall, however, hovering at 21 percent versus the 25 percent it held in 1998. In response, Ford sold some non-core assets and ramped up new product development, launching the Ford Focus C-MAX in Europe, the Jaguar XJ, the Volvo S40, a new Ford F-150, the Ford Freestar, and the Mercury Monterey in 2003. Ford anticipated launching 40 new products in 2004 including the new Mustang and the Escape Hybrid, the first gasoline/electric SUV. Overall, the company planned to have 150 new products in the marketplace by mid-decade.

While a turnaround at the Ford Credit subsidiary bolstered the company's income, automotive operations, especially the international arm, continued to struggle. James J. Padilla, elected chief operating officer in 2004, and William Clay Ford, Jr., indeed faced a long road ahead. Restoring Ford's image and getting the company back on a successful financial path would no doubt be their focus in the years to come.

Principal Subsidiaries

Ford Brasil Ltda.; Ford Capital B.V. (Netherlands); Ford Motor Company (Belgium) N.V.; Ford Espana S.A.; Ford European Holdings, Inc.; Ford Holdings LLC; Volvo Car Holding Germany GmbH; Ford Motor Land Development Corporation; The Hertz Corporation; Ford Global Technologies, LLC; Ford International Capital Corporation; Jaguar Ltd.; Ford Italia S.p.A.; Ford Mexico Holdings, Inc.; Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.; Land Rover Holdings; Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd.; Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd.; Ford Deutschland Holding, GmbH; Ford Motor Credit Company; Ford Credit Canada Ltd.; Ford Motor Service Company; Ford Motor Vehicle Assurance Company; Ford Trading Company, LLC; Groupe FMC France SAS; Volvo Cars of North America, LLC.

Principal Competitors

DaimlerChrysler AG; General Motors Corporation; Toyota Motor Corporation.

Further Reading

Beynon, Huw, Working for Ford, London: Penguin, 1984.

"Carload of Trouble," Business Week, March 27, 2000, p. 56.

Connelly, Mary, "Ford's Biggest Job: Lift Lincoln," Automotive News, July 31, 2000, p. 23.

"A Crisis of Confidence," Business Week, September 18, 2000, p. 40.

Dubashi, Jagannath, "Ford: Looking Beyond the Shadows," FW, February 6, 1990, p. 23.

"Ford: Will Slow and Steady Win the Race?," Business Week, May 10, 2004, p. 43.

Gelderman, Barbara, Henry Ford: The Wayward Capitalist, New York: Dial Press, 1981.

Gross, Ken, "Ford: Big, Bigger, Biggest," Automotive Industries, July 2000, p. 64.

Keatley, Robert, "Ford Reorganizes to Stay Competitive and Reach New Markets in the World," Wall Street Journal, July 22, 1994, p. A4.

Kerwin, Kathleen, "One of Ford's Engines is Humming," Business Week, July 21, 2003, p. 26.

Kerwin, Kathleen, and Joann Muller, "Bill Takes the Wheel," Business Week, November 12, 2001, p. 50.

Lewis, David L., The Public Image of Henry Ford: An American Folk Hero and His Company, Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1976.

Meyer, Stephen, The Five Dollar Day: Labor Management and Social Control in the Ford Motor Company 1908-1921, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1981.

Moreau, Dan, "Instant Prosperity: Behind Ford's Fast Turnaround," Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, July 1993, p. 28.

Morris, Betsy, "Can Ford Save Ford?," Fortune, November 18, 2002, p. 52.

"Nasser: Ford Be Nimble," Business Week, September 27, 1999, p. 42.

Nye, David E., Henry Ford: Ignorant Idealist, Port Washington: Kennikat Press, 1979.

Reiff, Rick, "Slowing Traffic Ahead," Forbes, April 30, 1990, p. 82.

"Remaking Ford," Business Week, October 11, 1999, p. 132.

Sorge, Marjorie, "1999 Executive of the Year," Automotive Industries, February 1999, p. 54.

Taylor III, Alex, "Getting Ford in Gear," Fortune, May 12, 2003, p. 102.

------, "The Fiasco at Ford," Fortune, February 4, 2002, p. 111.

------, "Why Ford's Chairman Has Kept Mostly Mum," Fortune, October 2, 2000, p. 43.

Thomas, Charles M., "Ford Loses a Record $2.3 Billion," Automotive News, February 17, 1992, p. 4.

Zesiger, Sue, "Ford's Hip Transplant," Fortune, May 10, 1999, p. 82.

------, "Mr. Ford and Mr. Nasser Learn to Share: The Lords of Ford," Fortune, October 12, 1998, p. 34.

— Updates: Jeffrey L. Covell and Christina M. Stansell


Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design:

Ford Motor Company

Top

(established 1903)

This large multinational motor manufacturing corporation was established in Michigan in the USA in 1903. Created through the energy of Henry Ford, by the 21st century the Ford Motor Company embraced a number of famous brands including Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo. The most important early automobile produced by Ford was the Model T, introduced in 1908 and priced at $950 and remaining in production until 1927, by which time sales had reached 15 million. Essentially a utilitarian workhorse, one of its major attractions was its price, an attraction that lost its appeal with the introduction of the annual model change and greater range of body styles and colours by other manufacturers, such as General Motors, in the 1920s. An important innovation at Ford was the introduction of the moving assembly line, introduced in 1913 at Ford's Highland Park factory in Michigan, which had been designed by architect Albert Kahn. With its subdivision of labour and coordination of tasks, the moving assembly line led to considerable increases in efficiency, thereby giving the company a competitive edge and lowering the price for consumers. Ford also paid his workers almost double the wages paid by his rivals and reduced the working day. A change of emphasis became apparent in 1925 when the Ford Motor Company took over the Lincoln Motor Company and began to produce luxury cars, followed by a move into the middle-price range with the creation of the Mercury division in the 1930s. By 1927 the Ford Motor Company had developed its massive Baton Rouge factory in Michigan to such an extent that all aspects of automobile manufacturing, from raw materials to assembly, took place within a single complex. In the same year the Ford Model A was introduced, with a choice of colours and body styles, signalling a pronounced shift from the original Ford philosophy of ‘any colour so long as it's black’ to one that accepted styling as an essential aspect of consumer life in the USA. The next important innovation was the V-8 engine, introduced in 1932. The company's Styling Department had been established in 1931 in which Eugene T. Gregorie played an important role (1935 to 1938) and where, after the Second World War, George Walker was also a strong influence (1949 to 1961). Well-known Walker-led models included the '49, the celebrated Ford Thunderbird (1955), and Mustang (1964), all of which were taken up in the late 20th century and early 21st century in Ford's Living Legends Studio, which designed and put into production new variants of these models, seen as ‘powerbrands’. Another noted designer who worked for Ford in the post-war years was Gordon Buehrig, whose designs included the 1951 Hardtop, the 1952 Ranchero, and the Lincoln Continental Mark II. After Ford became a public company in 1956 it developed a programme of global expansion in the 1960s symbolized by the formation of Ford Europe in 1967 from its British and German offshoots, which had themselves first been established, respectively, in 1911 and 1931. Well-known Ford models manufactured in Europe included the Escort (1968), the Capri (1969), derived from the American Ford Mustang, the Sierra (1982), designed by Uwe Bahnsen, the Ka (1996), developed under designer Claude Lobo, and the Focus (1999).

Gale Encyclopedia of US History:

Ford Motor Company

Top

Founded in 1903 by Henry Ford, and based in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, the Ford Motor Company quickly revolutionized the market for cars. After several years of making a range of autos, in 1908 Ford decided to concentrate on producing only one car, the Model T. His goal was to compete on the basis of price not product variety. Crucial to this strategy was his adroit use of the moving assembly line, where workers specialized in one minor part of the car-assembly process. As prices fell, sales of the Model T rose from 10,607 in 1909 to 472,350 in 1916. By 1921 Ford accounted for 62 percent of all car sales. As the 1920s wore on, however, many consumers demanded greater product variety in addition to low prices. As sales of the Model T fell, Ford Motor replaced it with the Model A, which sold 4.5 million units from 1927 to 1931.

During World War II, Ford Motor Company played an active role in the war effort. It produced a wide range of military hardware, including tanks, trucks, jeeps, engines, and airplanes. Edsel Ford, who had assumed the presidency of the company from his father in 1918, died in 1943. Henry Ford reassumed formal control of the company after his son's death, and helped position his grandson Henry Ford II to become president in 1945. Henry Ford died in 1947.

Ford Motor Company regained its place as America's number two car producer in 1950, overtaking Chrysler, which had supplanted it in the early 1930s. In 1963 Ford unveiled one of its most popular cars, the Mustang, which registered more than 500,000 sales in its first eighteen months. In 1971 Ford introduced another model, the Pinto, which was designed to compete in the sub-compact market. Despite the Pinto's potential, it generated a good deal of negative publicity for the company after the gas tanks in several cars exploded in rear-end collisions.

In 1979 Philip Caldwell replaced Henry Ford II as CEO, and within five years had helped Ford register record sales and profits. Donald Petersen succeeded Caldwell as CEO in 1985, and under his direction Ford acquired the British luxury car producer Jaguar and introduced the Taurus, a model that proved very popular with consumers. As the twentieth century drew to a close, Ford was comfortably positioned as America's second largest car producer, trailing only General Motors.

Bibliography

McGraw, Thomas. American Business, 1920–2000: How It Worked. Wheeling, Ill.: Harlan Davidson, 2000.

Nevins, Allan. Ford. New York: Scribners, 1954.

Scherer, F. M. Industry Structure, Strategy, and Public Policy. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.

—Martin H. Stack

Word Tutor:

ford

Top
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: To cross a river or stream.

pronunciation The pioneers chose the safest and shallowest place to ford the river.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Ford Motor Company

Top
Ford Motor Company
Type Public company
Traded as NYSEF
S&P 500 Component
Industry Automotive
Founded June 16, 1903
Founder(s) Henry Ford
Headquarters Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.
Area served Worldwide
Key people William C. Ford, Jr.
(Executive Chairman)
Alan R. Mulally
(President & CEO)
Products Automobiles
Automotive parts
Services Automotive finance
Vehicle leasing
Vehicle service
Revenue increase US$128.954 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income increase US$7.149 billion (2010)[1]
Net income increase US$6.561 billion (2010)[1]
Total assets decrease US$165.693 billion (2010)[1]
Total equity increase US$-642 million (2010)[1]
Employees 164,000 (2010)[1]
Divisions Ford
Lincoln
Subsidiaries Automotive Components Holdings
Ford Credit
Troller
Ford of Europe
Ford do Brasil
Website Ford.com

Ford Motor Company (NYSEF) is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK. Ford's former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover were sold to Tata Motors of India in March 2008. In 2010 Ford sold Volvo to Geely Automobile.[2] Ford discontinued the Mercury brand after the 2011 model year.

Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Ford's methods came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914.

Ford is the second largest automaker in the U.S. and the fifth-largest in the world based on annual vehicle sales in 2010.[3] At the end of 2010, Ford was the fifth largest automaker in Europe.[4] Ford is the eighth-ranked overall American-based company in the 2010 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2009 of $118.3 billion.[5] In 2008, Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles[6] and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide. During the automotive crisis, Ford's worldwide unit volume dropped to 4.817 million in 2009. In 2010, Ford earned a net profit of $6.6 billion and reduced its debt from $33.6 billion to $14.5 billion lowering interest payments by $1 billion following its 2009 net profit of $2.7 billion.[7][8] Starting in 2007, Ford received more initial quality survey awards from J. D. Power and Associates than any other automaker. Five of Ford's vehicles ranked at the top of their categories[9] and fourteen vehicles ranked in the top three.[10]

Contents

History

Henry Ford (ca. 1919)
1896 Ford Quadricycle

20th century

Henry's first attempt at a car company under his own name was the Henry Ford Company on November 3, 1901, which became the Cadillac Motor Company on August 22, 1902 after Ford left with the rights to his name. The Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably John and Horace Dodge (who would later found their own car company). During its early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at its factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Groups of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order by other companies. Later Ford realized it would be better if he manufactured all of his company's automotive parts himself instead of using parts from aftermarket sources which lead to the production of the assembly line.

Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the world's largest and most profitable companies, as well as being one to survive the Great Depression. As one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years.

During the mid to late 1990s, Ford sold large numbers of vehicles, in a booming American economy with soaring stock market and low fuel prices. With the dawn of the new century, legacy healthcare costs, higher fuel prices, and a faltering economy led to falling market shares, declining sales, and sliding profit margins. Most of the corporate profits came from financing consumer automobile loans through Ford Motor Credit Company.[11]

21st century

By 2005, corporate bond rating agencies had downgraded the bonds of both Ford and GM to junk status,[12] citing high U.S. health care costs for an aging workforce, soaring gasoline prices, eroding market share, and dependence on declining SUV sales for revenues. Profit margins decreased on large vehicles due to increased "incentives" (in the form of rebates or low interest financing) to offset declining demand.[13]

In the face of demand for higher fuel efficiency and falling sales of minivans, Ford moved to introduce a range of new vehicles, including "Crossover SUVs" built on unibody car platforms, rather than more body-on-frame chassis. In developing the hybrid electric powertrain technologies for the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, Ford licensed similar Toyota hybrid technologies[14] to avoid patent infringements.[15] Ford announced that it will team up with electricity supply company Southern California Edison (SCE) to examine the future of plug-in hybrids in terms of how home and vehicle energy systems will work with the electrical grid. Under the multi-million-dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utility's electrical grid. Some of the vehicles will be evaluated "in typical customer settings", according to Ford.[16][17]

In December 2006, the company raised its borrowing capacity to about $25 billion, placing substantially all corporate assets as collateral to secure the line of credit.[18] Chairman Bill Ford has stated that "bankruptcy is not an option".[19] In order to control its skyrocketing labor costs (the most expensive in the world), the company and the United Auto Workers, representing approximately 46,000 hourly workers in North America, agreed to a historic contract settlement in November 2007 giving the company a substantial break in terms of its ongoing retiree health care costs and other economic issues. The agreement includes the establishment of a company-funded, independently run Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trust to shift the burden of retiree health care from the company's books, thereby improving its balance sheet. This arrangement took effect on January 1, 2010. As a sign of its currently strong cash position, Ford contributed its entire current liability (estimated at approximately US$5.5 Billion as of December 31, 2009) to the VEBA in cash, and also pre-paid US$500 Million of its future liabilities to the fund. The agreement also gives hourly workers the job security they were seeking by having the company commit to substantial investments in most of its factories.

The automaker reported the largest annual loss in company history in 2006 of $12.7 billion,[20] and estimated that it would not return to profitability until 2009.[21] However, Ford surprised Wall Street in the second quarter of 2007 by posting a $750 million profit. Despite the gains, the company finished the year with a $2.7 billion loss, largely attributed to finance restructuring at Volvo.[22]

On June 2, 2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors for $2.3 billion.[23][24]

In January 2008, Ford launched a website listing the ten Built Ford Tough rules as well as a series of webisodes that parodied the TV show COPS.

During November 2008, Ford, together with Chrysler and General Motors, sought financial aid at Congressional hearings in Washington, D.C. in the face of worsening conditions caused by the automotive industry crisis. The three companies presented action plans for the sustainability of the industry.[25] The Detroit based automakers were unsuccessful at obtaining assistance through Congressional legislation. GM and Chrysler later received assistance through the Executive Branch from the T.A.R.P. funding provisions.[26] On December 19, the cost of credit default swaps to insure the debt of Ford was 68 percent the sum insured for five years in addition to annual payments of 5 percent. That means it costs $6.8 million paid upfront to insure $10 million in debt, in addition to payments of $500,000 per year.[27] In January 2009, Ford announced a $14.6 billion loss in the preceding year, making 2008 its worst year in history. Still, the company claimed to have sufficient liquidity to fund its business plans and thus, did not ask for government aid. Through April 2009, Ford's strategy of debt for equity exchanges, erased $9.9 B in liabilities (28% of its total), in order to leverage its cash position.[28] These actions yielded Ford a $2.7 billion profit in fiscal year 2009, the company's first full-year profit in four years.[29]

"The Way Forward"

In the latter half of 2005, Chairman Bill Ford asked newly appointed Ford Americas Division President Mark Fields to develop a plan to return the company to profitability. Fields previewed the Plan, dubbed The Way Forward, at the December 7, 2005 board meeting of the company; and it was unveiled to the public on January 23, 2006. "The Way Forward" includes resizing the company to match current market realities, dropping some unprofitable and inefficient models, consolidating production lines, and shutting fourteen factories and cutting 30,000 jobs.[30] These cutbacks are consistent with Ford's roughly 25% decline in U.S. automotive market share since the mid-late 1990s.

In 2010, Ford earned a net profit of $6.6 billion and reduced its debt from $33.6 billion to $14.5 billion lowering interest payments by $1 billion following its 2009 net profit of $2.7 billion.[7][8] In the U.S., the F-Series is the best selling vehicle for 2010. Ford sold 528,349 F-Series trucks during the year, a 27.7% increase over 2009, out of a total sales of 1.9 million vehicles, or every one out of four vehicles Ford sold. Trucks sales accounts for a big slice of Ford's profits, according to USA Today.[31] Ford's realignment also includes the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Hertz Rent-a-Car to a private equity group for $15 billion in cash and debt acquisition. The sale was completed on December 22, 2005. A 50–50 joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra Limited of India, called Mahindra Ford India, Limited (MIFL), ended with Ford buying out Mahindra's remaining stake in the company in 2005.[32] Ford had previously upped its stake to 72% in 1998.[33]

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ford also became President of the company in April 2006, with the retirement of Jim Padilla. Five months later, in September, he stepped down as President and CEO, and naming Alan Mulally as his successor. Bill Ford continues as Executive Chairman, along with an executive operating committee made up of Mulally, Mark Schulz, Lewis Booth, Don Leclair, and Mark Fields.

The domain ford.com attracted at least 11 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com survey.

Corporate governance

Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, known as the Glass House.

Members of the board as of early 2011 are: Richard A. Gephardt, Stephen Butler, Ellen Marram, Kimberly Casiano, Alan Mulally (President and CEO), Edsel Ford II, Homer Neal, William Clay Ford Jr. (Executive Chairman), Jorma Ollila, Irvine Hockaday Jr., John L. Thornton, and William Clay Ford, Sr. (Director Emeritus).[34]

The main corporate officers are: Lewis Booth (Executive Vice President, Chairman (PAG) and Ford of Europe), Mark Fields (Executive Vice President, President of The Americas), Donat Leclair (Executive Vice President and CFO), Mark A. Schulz (Executive Vice President, President of International Operations), and Michael E. Bannister (Group Vice President; Chairman & CEO Ford Motor Credit).[34] Paul Mascarenas (Vice President of Engineering, The Americas Product Development)

Brands

Ford Motor Company manufactures automobiles under its own name and as Lincoln in the United States. In 1958, Ford introduced a new brand, the Edsel, but poor sales led to its discontinuation in 1960. In 1985, the Merkur brand was introduced to market Fords from Europe in the United States; it met a similar fate in 1989. The Mercury brand was also introduced by Ford in 1939 but poor sales also led to its discontinuation in 2011.[35]

Ford has major manufacturing operations in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, the People's Republic of China, and several other countries, including South Africa where, following divestment during apartheid, it once again has a wholly owned subsidiary. Ford also has a cooperative agreement with Russian automaker GAZ.

Ford acquired British sports car maker Aston Martin in 1989, but sold it on March 12, 2007,[36] retaining a small minority stake,[37] and bought Volvo Cars of Sweden in 1999,[38] selling it to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2010. In November 2008 it reduced its 33.4% controlling interest in Mazda of Japan, to a 13.4% non-controlling interest.[39][40] On November 18, 2010, Ford reduced their stake further to just 3%, citing the reduction of ownership would allow greater flexibility to pursue growth in emerging markets. Ford and Mazda remain strategic partners through joint ventures and exchanges of technological information.[41] It shares an American joint venture plant in Flat Rock, Michigan called Auto Alliance with Mazda. It has spun off its parts division under the name Visteon.

Ford sold the United Kingdom-based Jaguar and Land Rover companies and brands to Tata Motors of India in March 2008.

Ford's FoMoCo parts division sells aftermarket parts under the Motorcraft brand name.

Ford's non-manufacturing operations include organizations such as automotive finance operation Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford also sponsors numerous events and sports facilities around the US, most notably Ford Center (now Chesapeake Energy Arena) in downtown Oklahoma City and Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

Overall the Ford Motor Company controls the Ford and Lincoln car brands.

Brands Years Used Markets
United States Ford 1903–present Global
United States Lincoln 1922–present North America, Middle East
United States Mercury 1939–2011 North America

Global markets

Initially, Ford Motor Company models sold outside the U.S. were essentially versions of those sold on the home market, but later on, models specific to Europe were developed and sold. Attempts to globalize the model line have often failed, with Europe's Ford Mondeo selling poorly in the United States as the Ford Contour, while U.S. models such as the Ford Taurus have fared poorly in Japan and Australia, even when produced in right hand drive. The small European model Ka, a hit in its home market, did not catch on in Japan, as it was not available as an automatic. The Mondeo was dropped by Ford Australia, because the segment of the market in which it competes had been in steady decline, with buyers preferring the larger local model, the Falcon. One recent exception is the European model of the Focus, which has sold strongly on both sides of the Atlantic.

North America

Calendar Year American sales
1999 4,163,369[42]
2000 4,202,820
2001 3,971,364
2002 3,623,709[43]
2003 3,483,719
2004 3,331,676[44]
2005 3,153,875
2006 2,901,090[45]
2007 2,507,366
2008 1,988,376[46]
2009 1,620,888[47]
2010 1,935,462[48]
2011 2,143,101[49]

In the first five months of 2010, auto sales in the U.S. rose to 4.6 million cars and light trucks, an increase of 17% from a year earlier. The rise was mainly caused by the return of commercial customers that had all but stopped buying in 2009 during the recession. Sales to individual customers at dealerships have increased 13%, while fleet sales have jumped 32%.[50] Ford reported that 37% of its sales in May came from fleet sales when it announced its sales for the month increased 23%.[51] In the first seven months of 2010, vehicle sales of Ford increased 24%, including retail and fleet sales. Fleet sales of Ford for the same period rose 35% to 386,000 units while retail sales increase 19%. Fleet sales account for 39 percent of Chrysler's sales and 31 percent for GM's.[52]

Europe

A British Ford dealership in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.

At first, Ford in Germany and Ford in Britain built different models from one another until the late 1960s, with the Ford Escort and then the Ford Capri being common to both companies. Later on, the Ford Taunus and Ford Cortina became identical, produced in left hand drive and right hand drive respectively. Rationalisation of model ranges meant that production of many models in the UK switched to elsewhere in Europe, including Belgium and Spain as well as Germany. The Ford Sierra replaced the Taunus and Cortina in 1982, drawing criticism for its radical aerodynamic styling, which was soon given nicknames such as "Jellymould" and "The Salesman's Spaceship."

Increasingly, the Ford Motor Company has looked to Ford of Europe for its "world cars", such as the Mondeo, Focus, and Fiesta, although sales of European-sourced Fords in the U.S. have been disappointing. The Focus has been one exception to this, which has become America's best selling compact car since its launch in 2000.[citation needed]

In February 2002, Ford ended car production in the UK. It was the first time in 90 years that Ford cars had not been made in Britain, although production of the Transit van continues at the company's Southampton facility, engines at Bridgend and Dagenham, and transmissions at Halewood. Development of European Ford is broadly split between Dunton in Essex (powertrain, Fiesta/Ka, and commercial vehicles) and Cologne (body, chassis, electrical, Focus, Mondeo) in Germany. Ford also produced the Thames range of commercial vehicles, although the use of this brand name was discontinued circa 1965. Elsewhere in continental Europe, Ford assembles the Mondeo range in Genk (Belgium), Fiesta in Valencia (Spain) and Cologne (Germany), Ka in Valencia, and Focus in Valencia, Saarlouis (Germany) and Vsevolozhsk (Russia). Transit production is in Kocaeli (Turkey), Southampton (UK), and Transit Connect in Kocaeli.

Ford also owns a joint-venture production plant in Turkey. Ford-Otosan, established in the 1970s, manufactures the Transit Connect compact panel van as well as the "Jumbo" and long-wheelbase versions of the full-size Transit. This new production facility was set up near Kocaeli in 2002, and its opening marked the end of Transit assembly in Genk.

Another joint venture plant near Setúbal in Portugal, set up in collaboration with Volkswagen, formerly assembled the Galaxy people-carrier as well as its sister ships, the VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra. With the introduction of the third generation of the Galaxy, Ford has moved the production of the people-carrier to the Genk plant, with Volkswagen taking over sole ownership of the Setúbal facility.

In 2008, Ford acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova, Romania. Starting 2009, Ford Transit Connect will be Ford's first model produced in Craiova, followed, in 2010, by low-capacity car engines and a new small class car.[53]

Ford Europe has broken new ground with a number of relatively futuristic car launches over the last 50 years.

Its 1959 Anglia two-door saloon was one of the most quirky-looking small family cars in Europe at the time of its launch, but buyers soon became accustomed to its looks and it was hugely popular with British buyers in particular. It was still selling well when replaced by the more practical Escort in 1967.

The third incarnation of the Ford Escort was launched in 1980 and marked the company's move from rear-wheel drive saloons to front-wheel drive hatchbacks in the small family car sector.

The fourth generation Escort was produced from 1990 until 2000, although its successor – the Focus – had been on sale since 1998. On its launch, the Focus was arguably the most dramatic-looking and fine-handling small family cars on sale, and sold in huge volumes right up to the launch of the next generation Focus at the end of 2004.

The 1982 Ford Sierra – replacement for the long-running and massively popular Cortina and Taunus models – was a style-setter at the time of its launch. Its ultramodern aerodynamic design was a world away from a boxy, sharp-edged Cortina, and it was massively popular just about everywhere it was sold. A series of updates kept it looking relatively fresh until it was replaced by the front-wheel drive Mondeo at the start of 1993.

The rise in popularity of small cars during the 1970s saw Ford enter the mini-car market in 1976 with its Fiesta hatchback. Most of its production was concentrated at Valencia in Spain, and the Fiesta sold in huge figures from the very start. An update in 1983 and the launch of an all-new model in 1989 strengthened its position in the small car market.

Asia Pacific

Ford dealership in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (August 2005)

In Australia and New Zealand, the popular Ford Falcon has long been considered the average family car and is considerably larger than the Mondeo, Ford's largest car sold in Europe. Between 1960 and 1972, the Falcon was based on a U.S. model of the same name, but since then has been entirely designed and manufactured in Australia, occasionlly being manufactured in New Zealand. Like its General Motors rival, the Holden Commodore, the Falcon uses a rear wheel drive layout. High performance variants of the Falcon running locally built engines produce up to 362 hp (270 kW). A ute (short for "utility", known in the US as pickup truck) version is also available with the same range of drivetrains. In addition, Ford Australia sells highly tuned limited-production Falcon sedans and utes through its performance car division, Ford Performance Vehicles.

In Australia, the Commodore and Falcon have traditionally outsold all other cars and comprise over 20% of the new car market. In New Zealand, Ford was second in market share in the first eight months of 2006 with 14.4 per cent.[54] More recently Ford has axed its Falcon-based LWB variant of its lineup – the Fairlane and LTD ranges, and announced that their Geelong engine manufacturing plant may be shut down from 2013. They have also announced local manufacturing of the Focus small car starting from 2011.

However, with the acquisition of a stake in Japanese manufacturer Mazda in 1979, Ford began selling Mazda's Familia and Capella (also known as the 323 and 626) as the Ford Laser and Telstar, replacing the European-sourced Escort and Cortina.

In Australia, the Laser was one of Ford Australia's most successful models, and was manufactured in Ford's Homebush plant from 1981 until the plant's closure in September 1994. It outsold the Mazda 323, despite being almost identical to it, due to the fact the Laser was manufactured in Australia and Ford was perceived as a local brand.

In New Zealand, the Ford Laser and Telstar were assembled alongside the Mazda 323 and 626 until 1997, at the Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ) plant in Wiri, Auckland. The Sierra wagon was also assembled in New Zealand, owing to the popularity of station wagons in that market.

Through its relationship with Mazda, Ford also acquired a stake in South Korean manufacturer Kia, which built the (Mazda-based) Ford Festiva from 1988–1993, and the Ford Aspire from 1994–1997 for export to the United States, but later sold their interest to Hyundai (which also manufactured the Ford Cortina until the 1980s). Kia continued to market the Aspire as the Kia Avella, later replaced by the Rio and once again sold in the US.

Ford's presence in Asia has traditionally been much smaller, confined to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan, where Ford has had a joint venture with Lio Ho since the 1970s. Ford began assembly of cars in Thailand in 1960, but withdrew from the country in 1976, and did not return until 1995, when it formed a joint venture with Mazda called Auto Alliance.[55]

Ford India began production in 1998 with its Ford Escort model, which was later replaced by locally produced Ford Ikon in 2001. It has since added Fusion, Fiesta, Mondeo and Endeavour to its product line.

On March 9, 2010, Ford Motor Co. launched its first made-for-India compact car. Starting at 349,900 ($7,690), the Figo is Ford's first car designed and priced for the mass Indian market.[56]

On July 28, 2011 Ford India signs MoU with the State of Gujarat to build assembly and engine plant in Sanand and will invest approximately US$1 billion on a 460-acre site.[57]

South America

In South America, Ford has had to face protectionist government measures in each country, with the result that it built different models in different countries, without particular regard to rationalization or economy of scale inherent to producing and sharing similar vehicles between the nations. In many cases, new vehicles in a country were based on those of the other manufacturers it had entered into production agreements with, or whose factories it had acquired. For example, the Corcel and Del Rey in Brazil were originally based on Renault vehicles.

In 1987, Ford of Brasil and Ford of Argentina merged its operations with those of Volkswagen to form a company called Autolatina, with which it shared models. Sales figures and profitability were disappointing, and Autolatina was dissolved in 1995. With the advent of Mercosur, the regional common market, Ford was finally able to rationalize its product line-ups in those countries. Consequently, the Ford Fiesta and Ford EcoSport are only built in Brazil, and the Ford Focus only built in Argentina, with each plant exporting in large volumes to the neighboring countries. Models like the Ford Mondeo from Europe could now be imported completely built up. Ford of Brazil produces a pick-up truck version of the Fiesta, the Courier, which is also produced in South Africa as the Ford Bantam in right hand drive versions.

Africa and Middle East

In Africa, Ford's market presence has traditionally been strongest in South Africa and neighbouring countries, with only trucks being sold elsewhere on the continent. Ford in South Africa began by importing kits from Canada to be assembled at its Port Elizabeth facility. Later Ford sourced its models from the UK and Australia, with local versions of the Ford Cortina including the XR6, with a 3.0 V6 engine, and a Cortina-based 'bakkie' or pick-up, which was exported to the UK. In the mid-1980s Ford merged with a rival company, owned by Anglo American, to form the South African Motor Corporation (Samcor).

Following international condemnation of apartheid, Ford divested from South Africa in 1988, and sold its stake in Samcor, although it licensed the use of its brand name to the company. Samcor began to assemble Mazdas as well, which affected its product line-up, and saw the European Fords like the Escort and Sierra replaced by the Mazda-based Laser and Telstar. Ford bought a 45 per cent stake in Samcor following the demise of apartheid in 1994, and this later became, once again, a wholly owned subsidiary, the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. Ford now sells a local sedan version of the Fiesta (also built in India and Mexico), and the Focus. The Falcon model from Australia was also sold in South Africa, but was dropped in 2003, while the Mondeo, after briefly being assembled locally, was dropped in 2005.

Ford's market presence in the Middle East has traditionally been even smaller, partly due to previous Arab boycotts of companies dealing with Israel. Ford and Lincoln vehicles are currently marketed in ten countries in the region.[58] Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE are the biggest markets. Ford also established itself in Egypt in 1926, but faced an uphill battle during the 1950s due to the hostile nationalist business environment.[59] Ford's distributor in Saudi Arabia announced in February 2003 that it had sold 100,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles since commencing sales in November 1986. Half of the Ford/Lincoln vehicles sold in that country were Ford Crown Victorias.[60] In 2004, Ford sold 30,000 units in the region, falling far short of General Motors' 88,852 units and Nissan Motors' 75,000 units.

Environmental initiatives

Ford Research Center in Aachen.
The Ford Focus Flexifuel was the first E85 flexible fuel vehicle commercially available in the European market.
Brazilian Ford Fiesta Flex 1.6L.
Ford Escape Hybrid (top) and U.S. flex fuel version (below).
All Ford's alternative fuel and hybrid models are identified by Ford's leaf road logo badge.
Mulally (second from left) with then-President George W. Bush at the Kansas City Assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri on March 20, 2007, touting Ford's new hybrid cars.

Ford announced in late 2008 July that it will bring six of its more fuel-efficient European models to the U.S.[61]

Compressed natural gas

The alternative fossil fuel vehicles, such as some versions of the Crown Victoria especially in fleet and taxi service, operate on compressed natural gas—or CNG. Some CNG vehicles have dual fuel tanks – one for gasoline, the other for CNG – the same engine can operate on either fuel via a selector switch.

Flexible fuel vehicles

Flexible fuel vehicles are designed to operate smoothly using a wide range of available ethanol fuel mixtures—from pure gasoline, to bioethanol-gasoline blends such as E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) or E100 (neat hydrous ethanol) in Brazil. Part of the challenge of successful marketing alternative and flexible fuel vehicles in the U.S., is the general lack of establishment of sufficient fueling stations, which would be essential for these vehicles to be attractive to a wide range of consumers. Significant efforts to ramp up production and distribution of E85 fuels are underway and expanding.[62]

Ford is also planning to produce 250,000 E85-capable vehicles a year in the US, adding to some 1.6 million already sold in the last 10 years.[63]

Current Ford E85 Flexible Fuel Vehicles sold in North America and Europe are:[64]

Current Ford E100 Flex sold in the Brazilian market are:

Electric vehicles

Ford Motor Co. expects electric vehicles will represent a "major portion" of its lineup a decade from now as the automaker breaks away from a recent reliance on pickup trucks and SUVs. The stakes are high because Ford's stepped-up investment is coming at a time when the U.S. government is demanding steep increases in fuel economy and has put money forward to help automakers adopt new fuel-saving technologies.[65]

Ford Motor Co. will partner with Coulomb Technologies to provide nearly 5,000 free in-home charging stations for some of the automaker's first electric vehicle customers, under the Ford Blue Oval ChargePoint Program.[66]

Hybrid electric vehicles

In 2004 both Ford and Toyota agreed on a patent sharing accord which granted Ford access to certain hybrid technology patented by Toyota, in exchange Ford licensed Toyota some of their own patents.[67][68][69]

Ford did improve fuel efficiency during 2005, with the introduction of the Hybrid-Electric Escape. With this vehicle, Ford was third to the automotive market with a hybrid electric vehicle and the first hybrid electric SUV to market. This was also the first hybrid electric vehicle with a flexible fuel capability to run on E85.[70] The Escape's platform mate Mercury Mariner was also available with the hybrid-electric system in the 2006 model year—a full year ahead of schedule. The similar Mazda Tribute will also receive a hybrid-electric powertrain option, along with many other vehicles in the Ford vehicle line.

In 2005 Ford announced its goal to make 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010, but by mid-2006 announced that it would not meet that goal, due to excessively high costs and the lack of sufficient supplies of the hybrid-electric batteries and drivetrain system components.[71] Instead, Ford has committed to accelerating development of next-generation hybrid-electric power plants in Britain, in collaboration with Volvo. This engineering study is expected to yield more than 100 new hybrid-electric vehicle models and derivatives. There are also plans for hybrid versions of the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.

Ford announced on 2007-07-09 that it will team up with Southern California Edison (SCE) to examine the future of plug-in hybrids in terms of how home and vehicle energy systems will work with the electrical grid. Under the multi-million-dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utility's electrical grid. Some of the vehicles will be evaluated "in typical customer settings", according to Ford.[16][17]

On June 12, 2008 USDOE expanded its own fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles with the addition of a Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid Flex-Fuel Vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a 10-kilowatt (13 hp) lithium-ion battery supplied by Johnson Controls-Saft that stores enough electric energy to drive up to 30 miles (48 km) at speeds of up to 40 mph (64 km/h).[72]

In March 2009 Ford launched to the U.S. market the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Mercury Milan Hybrid, both as 2010 models.[73]

Ford is going to introduce a plug-in hybrid to challenge the Chevy Volt by 2012[65][74] and more charge-maintaining hybrids (traditional gas-electric hybrids), beginning with one in 2011.

Current and planned Ford hybrid electric vehicles:

All-electric vehicles

Ford ended the Think City experiment and ordered all the cars repossessed and destroyed, even as many of the people leasing them begged to be able to buy the cars from Ford. After outcry from the lessees and activists in the US and Norway, Ford returned the cars to Norway for sale.

Bill Ford was one of the first top industry executives to make regular use of an battery electric vehicle, a Ford Ranger EV, while the company contracted with the United States Postal Service to deliver electric postal vans based on the Ranger EV platform..Ford discontinued a line of electric Ranger pickup trucks and ordered them destroyed, though it reversed in January 2005, after environmentalist protest.[75]

The North American Focus EV is based on next generation Focus fuel vehicle, converted to an electric propulsion system as a Production EV by Magna International, and is planned to be launched in late 2011. Ford plans to have 10,000 Focus EVs on the road beginning in late 2011 in partnership with Magna International and it will be a global vehicle that will be sold in the three key markets of North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Focus EV has a maximum range of about 160 kilometers or 100 miles, and a top speed of about 120+ kilometers or 75+ miles per hour.[76][77]

Current and planned Ford electric vehicles:[65][74]

Ford battery electric vehicle (BEV) demonstrators are included in a British project that is part of the UK government's zero carbon vehicle fleet of Focus BEVs. The BEV demonstrator fleet is being developed partly with public funding from the government's Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which promotes innovative industry-led projects that reduce CO2 while benefiting the UK's transport system.[78]

Hydrogen

Ford also continues to study Fuel Cell-powered electric powertrains, and has demonstrated hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine technologies, as well as developing the next-generation hybrid-electric systems. Compared with conventional vehicles, hybrid vehicles and/or fuel cell vehicles decrease air pollution emissions as well as sound levels, with favorable impacts upon respiratory health and decrease of noise health effects.

Ford has launched the production of hydrogen-powered shuttle buses, using hydrogen instead of gasoline in a standard internal combustion engine, for use at airports and convention centers.[79] At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford showcased a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Explorer SUV. The Fuel cell Explorer has a combined output of 174 hp (130 kW). It has a large hydrogen storage tank which is situated in the center of the car taking the original place of the conventional model's automatic transmission. The centered position of the tank assists the vehicle reach a notable range of 350 miles (563 km), the farthest for a fuel cell vehicle so far. The fuel cell Explorer the first in a series of prototypes partly funded by the United States Department of Energy to expand efforts to determine the feasibility of hydrogen- powered vehicles. The fuel cell Explorer is one of several vehicles with green technology being featured at the L.A. show, including the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, PZEV emissions compliant Fusion and Focus models and a 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty outfitted with Ford's clean diesel technology.

Increased fuel efficiency

All Ford's models with EcoBoost engines are identified by Ford's leaf road logo badge.

Ford Motor Company announced it will accelerate its plans to produce more fuel-efficient cars, changing both its North American manufacturing plans and its lineup of vehicles available in the United States. In terms of North American manufacturing, the company will convert three existing truck and sport utility vehicle (SUV) plants for small car production, with the first conversion starting in December at its Michigan Truck Plant. In addition, Ford's assembly plants near Mexico City, Mexico, and in Louisville, Kentucky, will convert from pickups and SUVs to small cars, including the Ford Fiesta, by 2011. Ford will also introduce to North America six of its European small vehicles, including two versions of the Ford Fiesta, by the end of 2012. And last but not least, Ford is stepping up its production of fuel-efficient "EcoBoost" V-6 and four-cylinder engines, while increasing its production of hybrid vehicles. See the Ford press release.

Ford of Europe developed the ECOnetic programme to address the market and legislative need for higher fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. As opposed to the hybrid engine technology used in competitor products such as the Toyota Prius, ECOnetic improves existing technology. Using lower consuming Duratorq TDCi diesel engines, and based on a combination of improved aerodynamics, lower resistance and improved efficiency, the Ford Fiesta is currently the lowest emitting mass-produced car in Europe,[80] while the 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic will have better fuel consumption that the Prius or the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion.[81] ECOnetic is not presently planned to be sold in North Americam due to current perceived lower consumer demand.[82]

Ford has challenged University teams to create a vehicle that is simple, durable, lightweight and come equipped with a base target price of only $7,000 The students from Aachen University created the "2015 Ford Model T".[83][84]

In 2000, under the leadership of the current Ford chairman, William Clay Ford, the Company announced[85] a planned 25 percent improvement in the average mileage of its light truck fleet – including its popular SUVs – to be completed by the 2005 calendar year. In 2003, Ford announced that competitive market conditions and technological and cost challenges would prevent the company from achieving this goal.[86]

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have, however, listed Ford as the seventh-worst corporate producer of air pollution, primarily because of the manganese compounds, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and glycol ethers released from its casting, truck, and assembly plants.[87] The United States Environmental Protection Agency has linked Ford to 54 Superfund toxic waste sites, twelve of which have been cleaned up and deleted from the list.[88]

For the 2007 model year, Ford had thirteen U.S. models that achieve 30 miles per gallon or better (based on the highway fuel economy estimates of the EPA and several of Ford's vehicles were recognized in the EPA and Department of Energy Fuel Economy Guide for best-in-class fuel economy. Ford claimed to have eliminated nearly three million pounds of smog-forming emissions from their U.S. cars and light trucks over the 2004 to 2006 model years.[89]

PC power management

On March 2010, Ford announced its PC power management system which it developed with NightWatchman software from 1E. The company is expected to save $1.2m on power cost and reduce carbon footprint by an estimated 16,000 to 25,000 metric tons annually when the system is fully implemented.

PC power management is being rolled out to all Ford computer users in US this month and it will be used in Ford operations around the world later in the year. Computers with this power profile enabled will monitor its usage patterns and decides when it can be turned off. PC user will be alerted of the approaching power down time and given the opportunity to delay it.

According to company reduction in carbon footprint and power cost will be achieved by developing 'Power Profiles' for every PC in the company.[90]

Auto racing

Stock car racing

NASCAR Ford Fusion race car

Ford is one of four manufacturers in NASCAR's three major series: Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series. Major teams include Roush Fenway Racing and Yates Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports. Ford is represented by the mid-size Fusion in the Sprint Cup, the Mustang in the Nationwide Series, and by the F-150 in the Camping World Truck Series. Some of the most successful NASCAR Fords were the aerodynamic fastback Ford Torino, Ford Torino Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, and Mercury Montegos, and the aero-era Ford Thunderbirds. The Ford nameplate has won eight manufacturer's championships in Sprint Cup, while Mercury has won one. The Ford Fusion is also used in the ARCA Remax Series.

Benny Parsons' 1969 Ford Torino Talladega ARCA Championship Race Car owned by Barry Miller of Portland Indiana

Formula One

Rubens Barrichello driving for the Stewart Grand Prix team in 1997

Ford was heavily involved in Formula One for many years, and supplied engines to a large number of teams from 1967 until 2004. These engines were designed and manufactured by Cosworth, the racing division that was owned by Ford from 1998 to 2004. Ford-badged engines won 176 Grands Prix between 1967 and 2003 for teams such as Team Lotus and McLaren. Ford entered Formula One as a constructor in 2000 under the Jaguar Racing name, after buying the Stewart Grand Prix team which had been its primary 'works' team in the series since 1997. Jaguar achieved little success in Formula One, and after a turbulent five seasons, Ford withdrew from the category after the 2004 season, selling both Jaguar Racing (which became Red Bull Racing) and Cosworth (to Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven).[91]

Rally

Ford has a long history in rallying and has been active in the World Rally Championship since the beginning of the world championship, the 1973 season. Ford took the 1979 manufacturers' title with Hannu Mikkola, Björn Waldegård and Ari Vatanen driving the Ford Escort RS1800. In the Group B era, Ford achieved success with Ford RS200. Since the 1999 season, Ford has used various versions of the Ford Focus WRC to much success. In the 2006 season, BP-Ford World Rally Team secured Ford its second manufacturers' title, with the Focus RS WRC 06 built by M-Sport and driven by Flying Finns Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen.[92] Continuing with Grönholm and Hirvonen, Ford successfully defended the manufacturers' world championship in the 2007 season. Ford is the only manufacturer to score in the points for 92 consecutive races; since the 2002 season opener Monte Carlo Rally.[93]

Sports cars

Ford sports cars have been visible in the world of sports car racing since 1964. Most notably the GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in the 1960s and is the only American car to ever win overall at this prestigious event. Ford also won the 1968 International Championship for Makes with the GT40, which still stands today as one of the all-time greatest racing cars. Swiss team Matech GT Racing, in collaboration with Ford Racing, opened a new chapter with the Ford GT, winning the Teams title in the 2008 FIA GT3 European Championship.

Ford Mustang GT (racing GT car)

The Ford Mustang has arguably been Ford's most successful sports car. Jerry Titus won the 1965 SCCA Pro B National Championship with a Mustang and the model went on to earn Ford the SCCA Trans-Am Championship title in both 1966 and 1967. Ford won the Trans-Am Championship again in 1970 with Parnelli Jones and George Folmer driving Boss 302 Mustangs for Bud Moore Engineering. Ford took the 1985 and 1986 IMSA GTO Championship with Mustangs driven by John Jones and Scott Pruett before returning to Trans-Am glory with a championship in 1989 with Dorsey Schroeder. Ford dominated Trans-Am in the 1990s with Tommy Kendal winning championships in 1993, 1995, 1996, and 1997 with Paul Gentilozi adding yet another title in 1999. In 2005 the Ford Mustang FR500C took the championship in the Rolex Koni Challenge Series in its first year on the circuit. In 2007 Ford added a victory in the GT4 European Championship. 2008 was the first year of the Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup, a series which pits a full field of identical factory built Ford Mustang race cars against each other. Also in 2008, Ford won the manufacturers championship in the Koni Challenge Series and HyperSport drivers Joe Foster and Steve Maxwell won the drivers title in a Mustang GT.

Touring cars

Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon V8 Supercar at Eastern Creek in Australia in 2008.

Ford has campaigned touring cars such as the Focus, Falcon, and Contour/Mondeo and the Sierra Cosworth in many different series throughout the years. Notably, Mondeo drivers finished 1,2,3 in the 2000 British Touring Car Championship and Falcon drivers placed 1,2,3 in the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Other

In the Indianapolis 500, Ford powered IndyCars won 17 times between 1965 and 1996[citation needed]. Ford has also branched out into drifting with the introduction of the new model Mustang. Most noticeable is the Turquoise and Blue Falken Tires Mustang driven by Vaughn Gittin Jr, A.K.A. "JR". with 750 RWHP (Rear Wheel Horsepower). In drag racing, John Force Racing drivers John Force, Tony Pedregon, and Robert Hight have piloted Ford Mustang Funny Cars to several NHRA titles in recent seasons. Teammates Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca III also drive Mustangs in Funny Car. Formula Ford, a formula for single-seater cars without wings and originally on road tires were conceived in 1966 in the UK as an entry-level formula for racing drivers. Many of today's racing drivers started their car racing careers in this category.

Ford trucks

1961 Ford H-Series trucks
1939 Ford pick-up truck
A Ford truck like those used by both armies to resupply their troops in the Chaco War.

Ford has produced trucks since 1908. Countries where Ford commercial vehicles are or were made include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada (badged Mercury too), France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Philippines, Spain (badged Ebro too), Turkey, UK (badged also Fordson and Thames) and USA.

From the 1940s to late 1970s Ford's Ford F-Series were used as the base for light trucks for the North American market.

Most of these ventures are now extinct. The European one that lasted longest was the lorries arm of Ford of Britain, which was eventually sold to Iveco group in 1986, and whose last significant models were the Transcontinental and the Cargo.

In the United States, Ford's heavy trucks division (Classes 7 and 8) was sold in 1997 to Freightliner Trucks, which rebranded the lineup as Sterling.[94] Freightliner is in the process of discontinuing this line.

Line of heavy trucks made by Ford for the North American market:

Ford continues to manufacture medium duty trucks under the F-650 and F-750 badges. In 2001, the company entered into a joint venture with Navistar International to produce medium duty commercial trucks.[95] The first new model from the new corporation, known as Blue Diamond Truck Company LLC,[95] was the 2006 model year LCF,[96] the first Ford branded cab-over-engine design in the United States since Freightliner's acquisition of the Cargo in the mid-1990s.[citation needed]. The LCF was discontinued in 2009[97] and Ford's 2011 medium-duty commercial offerings are limited to the two F-Series.[98]

In 1999 the end of the F800 meant Ford was not producing in any F-series heavy truck chassis.

In Europe, Ford manufactures the Ford Transit jumbo van which is classed as a Large Goods Vehicle and has a payload of up to 2,265 kg, there are options of a panel van, pickup or chassis cab. The Ford Transit is also available as a light van called the Ford Transit Connect and the Ford Ranger pickup is available.[99]

Bus products

Ford manufactured complete buses in the company's early history, but today the role of the company has changed to that of a second stage manufacturer. In North America, the E-Series is still used as a chassis for small school buses and the F-650 is used in commercial bus markets. In the 1980s and 1990s, the medium-duty B700 was a popular chassis used by school bus body manufacturers (Thomas Built, Ward, Blue Bird, etc...), but Ford lost its market share due to industry contraction and agreements between body manufacturers. Older bus models included:

Prior to 1939, For buses were based on truck bodies:

  • Model B – 1930s
  • Model T – 1920s
  • F-105 school bus

During World War II Ford manufactured Ford Transit bus, a series of small transit buses with bodies built by second party:[100]

  • 09-B/19-B City transit bus – 1939–1941
  • 19-B/29-B City transit bus – 1941–1942
  • 49-B/79-B City transit bus – 1944–1947
  • 69-B City transit bus – 1946–1947
  • 29-B City transit bus – 1946–1947
  • 72-T transit bus – 1944–1945

After 1946 the Transit City bus was sold as Universal Bus with the roof changed from fabric/wood to all metal:

  • 79-B Universal transit bus – 1946–1947

Succeeding the Ford Transit bus was the Ford 8M buses:

  • 8MB transit bus – with Wayne Works 1948–?

Following World War II and from 1950s onwards Ford lost out to General Motors.[100] This led to the end of transit buses for Ford in North America.

  • B500 or B-series – 1950-1990s based on Ford F-series truck chassis used by school bus body manufacturers

In Europe, Ford manufactures the Ford Transit Minibus which is classed in Europe as a Passenger Carrying Vehicle and there are options of 12, 15 or 17 seaters.[101] In the past European models included:

  • EM
  • N-138
  • D series buses (Australia)

Ford tractors

Ford tractor

The "Henry Ford and Son Company" began making Fordson tractors in Henry's hometown of Springwells (later part of Dearborn, Michigan from 1907 to 1928, from 1919 to 1932, at Cork, Ireland and 1933–1964 at Dagenham, England, later transferred to Basildon. They were also produced in Leningrad beginning in 1924.

In 1986, Ford expanded its tractor business when it purchased the Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implement company from Sperry Corporation and formed Ford-New Holland which bought out Versatile tractors in 1988. This company was bought by Fiat in 1993 and the name changed from Ford New Holland to New Holland. New Holland is now part of CNH Global.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f "2010 Form 10K, Ford Motor Company". United States Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/37996/000115752311001210/a6622311.htm. 
  2. ^ "Ford Motor Company Completes Sale of Volvo to Geely". Ford Motor Co.. August 2, 2010. http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-motor-company-completes-sale-33059. Retrieved August 2, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Hyundai 4th Largest Automaker, Overtakes Ford". The Truth about Cars. 2011. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/01/hyundai-4th-largest-automaker-overtakes-ford/. Retrieved January 28, 2011. 
  4. ^ ACEA. "NEW PASSENGER CAR REGISTRATIONS BY MANUFACTURER EUROPEAN UNIUM (EU)". ACEA. http://www.acea.be/images/uploads/files/20110114_PRPC-FINAL-1012.xls. Retrieved January 28, 2011. 
  5. ^ "Fortune 500". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/full_list/. Retrieved November 27, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Ford Motor Company / 2008 Annual Report" (PDF). p. 1. http://www.ford.com/doc/2008_annual_report.pdf. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  7. ^ a b Durbin, Dee Ann and Tom Kirshner (January 28, 2011).Ford 2010 profit highest in a decade as sales rise.Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Ford Motor Company / 2009 Annual Report" (PDF). http://www.ford.com/doc/2009_annual_report.pdf. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  9. ^ Money.CNN.com – Ford gets 5 top quality awards – June 7, 2007
  10. ^ Edmunds AutoObserver.com – J.D Power: Ford Is a Winner – June 7, 2007
  11. ^ Leggett, Theo (March 6, 2005). "Ford fighting to keep its shine". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4297305.stm. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  12. ^ Post Store (May 6, 2005). "GM, Ford Bond Ratings Cut to Junk Status". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41573-2005May6.html. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  13. ^ Rebate wars[dead link]
  14. ^ Zaun, Todd; Hakim, Danny (March 10, 2004). "Ford to License Toyota's Hybrid Technology". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E6DE153EF933A25750C0A9629C8B63. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  15. ^ Nussbaum, Bruce (November 1, 2005). "Is Ford Innovative? Part Two". Business Week. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2005/11/is_ford_innovat_1.html. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  16. ^ a b "EERE News: EERE Network News". Eere.energy.gov. September 15, 2010. http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/enn.cfm#id_11093. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  17. ^ a b Ford Motor Company – Press Release – Ford Motor Company And Southern California Edison Join Forces To Advance A New Transportation And Energy Vision[dead link]
  18. ^ "Ford Bets The House". The Detroit News. November 28, 2006. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/AUTO01/611280378. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  19. ^ Levine, Greg (April 5, 2006). "Ford CEO: 'Honesty' Best Weapon Against Bankruptcy". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2006/04/05/ford-bankruptcy-cuts-cx_gl_0405autofacescan15.html. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  20. ^ Isidore, Chris (January 25, 2007). "Ford: Biggest loss ever". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/25/news/companies/ford_2006_loss/index.htm. Retrieved May 2, 2010. 
  21. ^ "Ford hit by record $12.7bn loss". BBC News. January 25, 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6298463.stm. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  22. ^ "Ford takes $2.4bn writedown for Volvo". FinancialTimes. January 24, 2008. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ec11f244-cacc-11dc-a960-000077b07658.html. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  23. ^ "Tata Motors completes acquisition of Jag, Land Rover". Thomson Reuters. June 2, 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSBMA00084220080602. Retrieved June 2, 2008. 
  24. ^ "On U.S. tour, Mr. Tata gives Jaguar and Rover dealers a hug: AutoWeek Magazine". Autoweek.com. http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080630/FREE/940478590/1528/newsletter01. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  25. ^ Detroit Chiefs Plead for Aid. New York Times on November 18, 2008.. Retrieved November 21, 2008.
  26. ^ "GM and Chrysler to Receive Up to $17.4 Billion in Loans". CNBC.com. December 19, 2008. http://www.cnbc.com/id/28312112. Retrieved September 19, 2010. [dead link]
  27. ^ GM, Ford default swaps fall on Bush bailout plan, Karen Brettell, Reuters, December 19, 2008
  28. ^ Dolan, Matthew D., and John D. Stoll (April 7, 2009).Ford Trims Debt 28%. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on July 23, 2009.
  29. ^ Bunkley, Nick (January 28, 2010). "Ford Profit Comes as Toyota Hits a Bump". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/business/29ford.html. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
  30. ^ "Ford to Cut Up to 30,000 Jobs and 14 Plants in Next 6 Years". The New York Times. January 23, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/automobiles/23cnd-ford.html?ei=5090&en=cf46b8ec2384929d&ex=1295672400&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1163187340-bR8cdDJ67iqlJbzzYR/lig. 
  31. ^ Matt Krantz (March 30, 2011). "As gas prices rise, is Ford stock still a good bet?". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/krantz/2011-03-30-ford-stock-rising-gas-prices.htm. 
  32. ^ "Ford Commits $75 Million For India Operations". Expansionmanagement.com. http://www.expansionmanagement.com/cmd/articledetail/articleid/17483/default.asp. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  33. ^ "Ford India Private Ltd, Ford Cars India, Ford Motors India, Ford Fiesta India, Ford in India". Business.mapsofindia.com. http://business.mapsofindia.com/automobile/car-manufacturers/ford-india.html. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  34. ^ a b "Board of Directors". Ford Motor Company. http://corporate.ford.com/about-ford/governance/board-of-directors/board-of-directors-801p. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  35. ^ "FORD TO EXPAND LINCOLN LINEUP AND BRAND EMPHASIS; MERCURY PRODUCTION ENDS IN FOURTH QUARTER OF 2010" (Press release). Ford Motor Company. June 2, 2010. http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/news/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-to-expand-lincoln-lineup-and-32749. 
  36. ^ "FORD ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO SELL ASTON MARTIN" (Press release). Ford Motor Company. March 12, 2007. http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=25635. [dead link]
  37. ^ Ford Sells Major Stake in Aston Martin. March 12, 2007.
  38. ^ "AB Volvo – press release". Cision Wire. http://www.cisionwire.com/volvo/volvo-enters-into-agreement-with-ford-to-sell-volvo-cars-for-sek-50-billion. Retrieved January 28, 1999. 
  39. ^ "Ford to Sell 20% of stake in Mazda " Stuff going on in the world". Miscstuff.wordpress.com. November 18, 2008. http://miscstuff.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/ford-to-dump-mazda-sell-20-stake/. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  40. ^ [1][dead link]
  41. ^ "Ford to Change Stake in Mazda". Ford Motor Company. November 18, 2010. http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/news/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-to-change-stake-in-mazda-both-33588. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  42. ^ "Ford Motor Company Sets New Full Year U.S. Sales Record". Theautochannel.com. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/20010103/press033466.html. Retrieved April 28, 2009. 
  43. ^ "Ford's F-Series Truck Caps 22nd Year in a Row as America's Best-Selling Vehicle With a December Sales Record". Theautochannel.com. November 17, 2004. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2004/01/05/175829.html. Retrieved April 28, 2009. 
  44. ^ "Ford Achieves First Car Sales Increase Since 1999". Theautochannel.com. November 17, 2004. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/04/204860.html. Retrieved April 28, 2009. 
  45. ^ "Ford Motor Company 2007 sales". January 3, 2008. http://media.ford.com/article_download.cfm?article_id=27379. 
  46. ^ "F-Series drives ford to higher market share for third consecutive month" (PDF). Ford Motor Company. January 5, 2009. http://media.ford.com/images/10031/dec08sales.pdf. Retrieved May 14, 2009. 
  47. ^ "FORD CAPS 2009 WITH 33 PERCENT SALES INCREASE, FIRST FULL-YEAR MARKET SHARE GAIN SINCE 1995, Ford Motor Company Newsroom". Media.ford.com. January 5, 2010. http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=31604. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  48. ^ "FORD’S 2010 SALES UP 19 PERCENT – LARGEST INCREASE OF ANY FULL-LINE AUTOMAKER; FOUNDATION SET FOR GROWTH IN 2011 | Ford Motor Company Newsroom". Media.ford.com. 2011-01-04. http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=33704. Retrieved 2012-01-27. 
  49. ^ "Auto Sales - Markets Data Center - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html. Retrieved 2012-01-27. 
  50. ^ Neal E. Boudette and Sharon Terlep (June 14, 2010). "Auto-Sales Optimism Fades". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704067504575304951455734906.html. 
  51. ^ Chris Isidore (June 2, 2010). "GM, Ford sales gains outpace Toyota". CNNMoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/02/news/companies/auto_sales/index.htm. 
  52. ^ Jesse Snyder (August 9, 2010). "Fleets fuel surge at GM, Chrysler". Automotive News. http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100809/RETAIL01/308099960/1401. 
  53. ^ "Ford to build low capacity car engines at hotnews.ro". English.hotnews.ro. http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-business-5496775-ford-build-low-capacity-car-engines-craiova-south-romania-starting-late-2010.htm. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  54. ^ "Kia soars ahead of the others". The New Zealand Herald. September 20, 2006. http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=0008D79C-84BE-150F-80B783027AF100AD. [dead link]
  55. ^ "About Ford Thailand". Ford.co.th. http://www.ford.co.th/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1178851736434&pagename=FTHEN%2FDFYPage%2FFord-Default&c=DFYPage. Retrieved September 19, 2010. 
  56. ^ "Ford launches Figo compact, hopes for cool entry into India's hot auto market". Chicago Tribune. March 9, 2010. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-as-india-ford-figo,0,4503838.story. Retrieved March 9, 2010. 
  57. ^ "Ford Announces Manufacturing and Engine Plant in Gujarat, India". July 28, 2011. http://www.india.ford.com/servlet/Satellite?c=DFYArticle&cid=1248918257189&pageid=1178851252772&pagename=wrapper&site=FIPL&sub_c=DFYPage&sub_id=1178851252772&t=controller. 
  58. ^ "Ford Motor Company: Global Websites". http://www.ford.com/en/company/about/countrySites/default.htm. 
  59. ^ Tignor, Robert, L. (Summer 1990). "In The Grip Of Politics: The Ford Motor Company Of Egypt, 1945–1960". Middle East Journal 44 (3): 383–198. 
  60. ^ "Al Jazirah Vehicles Hits 100,000 Mark with Ford and Lincoln in Saudi Arabia". http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=14319. 
  61. ^ "Car Brands Americans Love". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2008/08/18/cars-americans-love-forbeslife-cx_jm_0819cars.html?partner=autos_newsletter. Retrieved June 18, 2009. [dead link]
  62. ^ "Alternative Power: Michigan sets sights on ethanol to become an energy hotbed". http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006603290456. [dead link]
  63. ^ "Leading the Way with Ethanol-Capable Vehicles". http://www.ford.com/en/innovation/technology/ethanolCapableVehicles/default.htm. [dead link]
  64. ^ "Ford Motor Company". http://www.e85fuel.com/information/ford.php. 
  65. ^ a b c "Ford CEO Mullaly expects "major portion" of Fords will be electric within a decade". autoblog.com. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/05/ford-ceo-mullaly-expects-major-portion-of-fords-will-be-electr/. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  66. ^ "Ford, Coulomb to Provide EV Charging Stations – News". Automotive Fleet. June 2, 2010. http://www.automotive-fleet.com/News/Story/2010/06/Ford-Coulomb-to-Provide-EV-Charging-Stations.aspx. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  67. ^ Zaun, Todd (March 10, 2004). "Ford to Use Toyota's Hybrid Technology – The New York Times". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/ford-to-use-toyota-s-hybrid-technology.html. Retrieved August 1, 2009. 
  68. ^ Takahashi, Yoshio (March 9, 2004). "Toyota to License Hybrid Patents For Use by Ford". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB107880303676250060.html. Retrieved August 1, 2009. 
  69. ^ Eldridge, Earle (March 9, 2004). "Ford borrows from Toyota's blueprints for new hybrid Escape". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-03-09-hybrid_x.htm. Retrieved August 1, 2009. 
  70. ^ "Ford Develops World's First Ethanol-Fueled Hybrid Marrying Two Gasoline-Saving Technologies". http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=22474. 
  71. ^ Vanzieleghem, Bruno (June 29, 2006). "Bill Ford eats his words: No 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010". autoblog.com. http://green.autoblog.com/2006/06/29/bill-ford-eats-his-words-no-250-000-hybrids-a-year-by-2010/. Retrieved August 27, 2009. 
  72. ^ "EERE News: DOE to Award $30 Million for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Demonstrations". Apps1.eere.energy.gov. June 12, 2008. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11816. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  73. ^ "US Hybrid Sales in March 2009 Down 44% Year-on-Year; Monthly New Vehicle Market Share of 2.5%". Green Car Congress. April 3, 2009. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/04/us-hybrid-sales-in-march-2009-down-44-yearonyear-monthly-new-vehicle-market-share-of-25.html#more. Retrieved June 6, 2009. 
  74. ^ a b "EERE News: Chrysler, Ford, and Other Automakers Pursue Electric Vehicles". Apps1.eere.energy.gov. January 14, 2009. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12178. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  75. ^ Lydersen, Kari. "Activists Deride Ford over Fuel Inefficiency, ?Greenwashing? – The NewStandard". Newstandardnews.net. http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/2534. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  76. ^ "This page is available to GlobePlus subscribers". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090112.RAUTOMAGNA12/TPStory/TPBusiness/?page=rss&id=GAM.20090112.RAUTOMAGNA12. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  77. ^ "More details emerge on Ford's upcoming electric compact – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots". MotorAuthority. http://www.motorauthority.com/report-magna-international-may-build-fords-electric-car.html. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  78. ^ "UK: Ford vehicles set for London EV trial: Automotive News & Comment". Just-auto.com. June 24, 2009. http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=99963&lk=dm. Retrieved August 1, 2009. 
  79. ^ Hoffman, Bryce G (July 18, 2006). "Ford to produce 'green' buses". The Detroit News. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060718/AUTO01/607180312. 
  80. ^ "Ford Fiesta ECOnetic – UK's greenest car". AutoTrader.co.uk. July 23, 2008. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/news/FORD/Ford_Fiesta_ECOnetic_UKs_greenest_car.html. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
  81. ^ "Ford Focus ECOnetic: 80mpg". AutoTrader.co.uk. April 7, 2011. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articles/2011/04/cars/ford/focus/ford-focus-econetic-80mpg. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
  82. ^ Kiley, David (September 4, 2008). "The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can't Have". BusinessWeek. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  83. ^ "INSPIRING INNOVATION: 100 YEARS LATER, GLOBAL STUDENTS CREATE 21ST CENTURY MODEL T CONCEPTS, Ford Motor Company Newsroom". Media.ford.com. October 1, 2008. http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=29155. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  84. ^ "Details Revealed on Postmodern 2015 Ford Model T and Model T2". Edmunds.com. October 1, 2008. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=132692. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  85. ^ "Ford Commits to Major SUV Fuel Economy Gains". Prnewswire.com. July 27, 2000. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/07-27-2000/0001276963. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  86. ^ Koenig, Bill (April 9, 2008). ""Ford to Cut New-Car Greenhouse Emissions 30% by 2020" April 9, 2008 Bloomberg.com May 1, 2008". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aMlQX0p5EMyI&refer=us. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  87. ^ Political Economy Research Institute[dead link]
  88. ^ "Center for Public Integrity". Publicintegrity.org. http://www.publicintegrity.org/superfund/Company.aspx?act=6695. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  89. ^ Ford Motor Company, May 1, 2008[dead link]
  90. ^ "Ford Motor rolls out PC power management". NewStatesman. March 24, 2010. http://www.newstatesman.com/healthcare-and-pharmaceuticals/2010/03/power-ford-software-computers. Retrieved March 24, 2010. 
  91. ^ Moffitt, Alastair (November 15, 2004). "Red Bull give Jaguar F1 wings". London: Red Bull give Jaguar F1 wings. http://sport.independent.co.uk/motor_racing/article20376.ece. 
  92. ^ Graham, Neale (November 20, 2006). "Rallying: Gronholm victory delivers manufacturers' title to Ford". The Independent (London). http://sport.independent.co.uk/motor_racing/article1998877.ece. Retrieved May 2, 2010. 
  93. ^ "Statistics – Longest make points finish streaks". juwra.com. http://www.juwra.com/stats_make_points_finish_streaks.html. Retrieved September 30, 2010. 
  94. ^ "Daimler Trucks North America Plans Decisive Response to Changed Economic Environment". http://www.daimler.com/dccom/0-5-7153-1-1137391-1-0-0-0-0-0-8-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-1.html. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 
  95. ^ a b "FORD, NAVISTAR JOIN FORCES TO CREATE BLUE DIAMOND TRUCK COMPANY" (PDF) (Press release). Ford Motor Company. August 7, 2001. http://media.ford.com/article_pdf.cfm?article_id=9165. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
  96. ^ Rick Weber (November 2004). "Ford enters LCF commercial market". Trailer Body Builders.com. Penton Media, Inc.. http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/mag/trucks_ford_enters_lcf/. Retrieved February 4, 2011. 
  97. ^ Rick Weber. "LCF Update 2009". Fordtrucksonline. HDG/Battlefield Ford. http://www.fordtrucksonline.com/new-ford-low-cab-forward-specs.htm. Retrieved February 4, 2011. 
  98. ^ "Medium Duty". Ford Commercial Truck. Ford Motor Company. http://www.commtruck.ford.com/vehicles/medium_duty/. Retrieved February 4, 2011. 
  99. ^ Ford UK Commercial Vehicles. ford.co.uk. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  100. ^ a b HBCraig,II (1945-09-09). "Bus Photos 1940's - Pg.1". Detroit Transit History.Info. http://www.detroittransithistory.info/PhotoGalley/Photos1940sA.html. Retrieved 2012-01-27. 
  101. ^ Ford UK Minibus. ford.co.uk. Retrieved June 9, 2010.

References and further reading

Ford Motor Company

  • Bak, Richard. Henry and Edsel: The Creation of the Ford Empire (2003)
  • Bardou; Jean-Pierre, Jean-Jacques Chanaron, Patrick Fridenson, and James M. Laux. The Automobile Revolution: The Impact of an Industry University of North Carolina Press, 1982
  • Batchelor, Ray. Henry Ford: Mass Production, Modernism and Design Manchester U. Press, 1994
  • Bonin, Huber et al. Ford, 1902–2003: The European History 2 vol Paris 2003. ISBN 2-914369-06-9 scholarly essays in English on Ford operations in Europe; reviewed in Len Holden, Len. "Fording the Atlantic: Ford and Fordism in Europe" in Business History Volume 47, #January 1, 2005 pp 122–127
  • Bowman, Timothy J. Spirituality at Work: An Exploratory Sociological Investigation of the Ford Motor Company. London School of Economics and Political Science, 2004
  • Brinkley, Douglas G. Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress (2003)
  • Brinkley, Douglas. "Prime Mover". American Heritage 2003 54(3): 44–53. on Model T
  • Bryan, Ford R. Henry's Lieutenants, 1993; ISBN 0-8143-2428-2
  • Bucci, Federico. Albert Kahn: Architect of Ford Princeton Architectural Press, 1993
  • Cabadas, Joseph P. River Rouge: Ford's Industrial Colossus (2004), heavily illustrated
  • Dempsey, Mary A. "Fordlandia' Michigan History 1994 78(4): 24–33. Ford's rubber plantation in Brazil
  • Flink, James. America Adopts the Automobile, 1895–1910 MIT Press, 1970
  • Foster, Mark S. "The Model T, The Hard Sell, and Los Angeles Urban Growth: The Decentralization of Los Angeles During the 1920s." Pacific Historical Review 44.4 (November 1975): 459–84
  • David Halberstam, The Reckoning (1986) detailed reporting on the crises of 1973-mid 1980s
  • Iacocca, Lee and William Novak. Iacocca: An Autobiography (1984)
  • Jacobson, D. S. "The Political Economy of Industrial Location: the Ford Motor Company at Cork 1912–26." Irish Economic and Social History [Ireland] 1977 4: 36–55. Ford and Irish politics
  • Lacey, Robert "Ford: The Men and the Machine" (Heinnemann, London) 0 414 401027 (1986)
  • Levinson, William A. Henry Ford's Lean Vision: Enduring Principles from the First Ford Motor Plant, 2002; ISBN 1-56327-260-1
  • Kuhn, Arthur J. GM Passes Ford, 1918–1938: Designing the General Motors Performance-Control System. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1986
  • Magee, David. Ford Tough: Bill Ford and the Battle to Rebuild America's Automaker (2004)
  • Maxton, Graeme P. and John Wormald, Time for a Model Change: Re-engineering the Global Automotive Industry (2004)
  • May, George S. A Most Unique Machine: The Michigan Origins of the American Automobile Industry Eerdman's, 1975
  • Maynard, Micheline. The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market (2003)
  • McIntyre, Stephen L. "The Failure of Fordism: Reform of the Automobile Repair Industry, 1913–1940: Technology and Culture 2000 41(2): 269–299. repair shops rejected flat rates
  • Nevins, Allan; Frank Ernest Hill (1954). Ford: The Times, The Man, The Company. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons. 
  • Nevins, Allan; Frank Ernest Hill (1957). Ford: Expansion and Challenge, 1915–1933. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons. 
  • Nevins, Allan; Frank Ernest Hill (1962). Ford: Decline and Rebirth, 1933–1962. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons. 
  • Rubenstein; James M. The Changing U.S. Auto Industry: A Geographical Analysis Routledge, 1992
  • Shiomi, Haruhito and Kazuo Wada. Fordism Transformed: The Development of Production Methods in the Automobile Industry Oxford University Press, 1995
  • Sorensen, Charles E.; with Williamson, Samuel T. (1956), My Forty Years with Ford, New York, New York, USA: Norton, LCCN 56-010854 . Various republications, including ISBN 9780814332795.
  • Studer-Noguez; Isabel. Ford and the Global Strategies of Multinationals: The North American Auto Industry Routledge, 2002
  • Tedlow, Richard S. "The Struggle for Dominance in the Automobile Market: the Early Years of Ford and General Motors" Business and Economic History 1988 17: 49–62. Ford stressed low price based on efficient factories but GM did better in oligopolistic competition by including investment in manufacturing, marketing, and management
  • Thomas, Robert Paul. "The Automobile Industry and its Tycoon" Explorations in Entrepreneurial History 1969 6(2): 139–157. argues Ford did NOT have much influence on US industry
  • Watts, Steven. The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century (2005)
  • Wik, Reynold M. Henry Ford and Grass-Roots America. University of Michigan Press, 1972. impact on farmers
  • Wilkins, Mira and Frank Ernest Hill, American Business Abroad: Ford on Six Continents Wayne State University Press, 1964
  • Williams, Karel, Colin Haslam and John Williams, "Ford versus 'Fordism': The Beginning of Mass Production?" Work, Employment & Society, Vol. 6, No. 4, 517–555 (1992), stress on Ford's flexibility and commitment to continuous improvements.

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Hoover's Company Profiles. © 2012 Hoover's, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Quote, Chart and News. Copyright © QuoteMedia. Data delayed 15 minutes unless otherwise indicated (View delay times for all exchanges). RT Realtime, DL+ Realtime BATS, EOD End Of Day, PD Previous Day. Halted. Market Data powered by QuoteMedia, fundamentals by Morningstar. Terms of use Read more
$copyright.smallImage.alttext Gale Directory of Company Histories. International Directory of Company Histories. Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design. A Dictionary of Modern Design. Copyright © 2004, 2005 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
$copyright.smallImage.alttext Gale Encyclopedia of US History. Encyclopedia of American History Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Ford Motor Company Read more

Follow us
Facebook Twitter
YouTube

Mentioned in

» More» More

Related topics