The History Of Ford
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Ford is the other American giant auto manufacturer, alongside General Motors and Chrysler. Globally, the only manufacturers that are larger than Ford are Toyota, GM and Volkswagen. It was started in 1903 by none other than Henry Ford, a motoring legend and captain of industry who essentially invented the assembly line. Ford’s revolutionary production technique emphasized quick turnaround time and low cost of manufacturing, leading to his quip about the Model T: “You can have it in any colour, as long as it’s black”. Ford owns or controls large stakes in Lincoln and Mercury. The company recently sold or reduced its stakes in Land Rover, Jaguar and Mazda.
In 2008 the company produced about 5.5 million vehicles, employed over 210,000 people and operated some 90 plants worldwide. The company was in dire straits during the auto crisis that looked as though it stood to derail all three American motor manufacturers. They were only saved by bailouts and loans from the U.S. government, and Ford production slumped to about 4.8 million vehicles that year. The main causes of these losses were the costs of healthcare for retirees and an over-reliance on SUVs which became far less popular as oil became more expensive. The companies had built up neither manufacturing capacity nor research for small, fuel-efficient engines, and they paid dearly for this mistake.
Ford Models
Ford is a separate entity from Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), which is administered as a discrete company in its own right. The range of cars sold under Ford includes the Falcon, available as a light commercial (ute) or large passenger car; the excellent Fiesta supermini, whose new version has won accolades in the European press; the Focus, a volume-selling hatchback that competes with the VW Golf; the Mondeo, whose recent model refresh has resulted in a much more visually interesting midsize car; the Ranger, a midsize utility pickup, and lastly the Territory, a crossover SUV built in Australia on the same platform as the Falcon.
If you are in the market for a new Ford, companies such as NAC Insurance will supply Ford insurance, even if you modify the car to increase its performance. If you are looking for a used Ford, you might need Ford parts. Take some time and get a vehicle history report before you purchase.
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