The history of this legendary automaker began back in 1903, when Henry Ford ( Henry Ford) founded a small company with eleven companions Ford motor company . The starting capital was $28,000, which was raised thanks to various investors. Ford already had the richest experience in engineering, motor racing and business. True, his first company Detroit Automobile(1899-1900) went bankrupt, having managed, however, before that to release several racing monsters, which simply did not exist on the tracks of those years.
Negative sales experience is fabulous expensive cars was not in vain - Ford has now decided to start producing cars that would be available to the average consumer. The first product was the Ford Model A, a small "gasoline sidecar". And in 1908, the legendary Ford T was born, which was destined to "put all of America behind the wheel." The car was initially quite affordable, and after the introduction in 1913 at factories Ford Motor Company conveyor assembly, has become even cheaper. In Europe, the First World War rumbled with might and main, and in the USA, another Ford T model left the factory gates every ten seconds. The concept of “Ford conveyor” will become a household word, a symbol of monotonous and almost slave labor (especially in the USSR).
Ford T quickly becomes a real legend. The people dubbed him "Tin Lizzy" ("Tin Lizzy"). The car was produced in the most various modifications bodies (their number was not just large, but huge - the car was adapted literally for everything, from a pleasure roadster and a two-door sedan to a tow truck and a cattle carrier). Ford T was as simple as possible and, as a result, very reliable. A joke went around the country, about how a certain owner of this car repaired his junk miracle by buying a variety of junk from a junk dealer. By the way, Ford understood perfectly well how important it was to provide consumers with spare parts and paid a lot of attention to this issue, which once again had a positive effect on the popularity of the "T" model. "Tin Lizzie" was produced until 1927.
In addition to the legendary “T”, other models rolled off the assembly lines, many of which served as role models for other companies. So it was Ford cars that formed the basis of the products that he began to produce. GAS.
The Second World War brought with it military orders. The production of civilian cars was stopped, all production facilities were put into production of military equipment, including tanks and aircraft. Henry Ford was not considered a trustworthy citizen, having managed to earn a lot of unflattering characteristics. He openly expressed his pro-Nazi views, was a staunch anti-Semite and a member of the Ku Klux Klan. However, he was also the owner of the largest factories in the country, so the military turned a blind eye to his past. However, in 1946, Ford will still be awarded prestigious awards for services to industry and the country. It happened just before the death of the founder Ford Motor Company, which overtook him in 1947, after which the management of the company passed into the hands of Henry Ford II - the grandson of Henry Ford.
Ford's death did not affect the development of the company in any way. She continued to develop at an accelerated pace, turning into a truly respected and even legendary. One after another, models appear that in the very first years of production become very popular, real bestsellers, experiencing reincarnations, one after another (a classic example is Mustang). For many Americans (and not only for them) Ford has become synonymous with the concept of "great car".
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| Ford Thunderbird 1964 (image from here) |
Headquarters Ford Motor Company is located near Detroit, in Dearborn, Michigan, USA (Dearborn, Michigan, USA). The company is one of the three largest car manufacturers in the world. The widest range of products is produced - cars of different sizes, purposes and costs. great attention given and various types racing. Representative offices and factories of the company are scattered around the world.
Brands
In 1958 Ford Motor Company produced cars under the brand Edsel. It was an attempt to offer the buyer a prestigious, but enough affordable car. The attempt is extremely unsuccessful - in 1960 production Edsel that enjoyed extremely little demand was curtailed. Ford lost millions of dollars on it, and Edsel became synonymous with failure.
In 1986, an English brand was acquired Aston Martin-Lagonda. The purchase was not very successful and in 2007 they got rid of it by selling it to a consortium of investors, led by the company Prodrive.
Also unsuccessful was the purchase in 1990 Jaguar and in 2000 Land Rover. They went to the Indian Tata Motors in 2008.
Things did not go too well in the case of Volvo Cars , acquired in 1999 and sold in 2010 by the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
From the brand founded in 1939 Mercury, under which cars of the middle price category were produced, it was also decided to refuse. The brand ceased to exist in 2010.
The brand has existed for several years. Merkur- from 1985 to 1989. It was sold mainly in the US and Canada, although a few models still reached Europe.
Subscribe toBrief information about the company:
Brand name: FORD (Ford Motor Company)
A country: USA (Michigan, Detroit)
Specialization: car manufacturing
Legend has it that for the first time the idea of creating a car, or rather a vehicle that does not require the use of animal power, came up with Henry Ford, the son of an Irish immigrant. It was in 1872 and this event is connected with a fall from a horse and a severe bruise of the future famous automaker. This is where it started Ford history.
The date of birth of the Ford company was June 16, 1903, when G. Ford and eleven of his friends collected a fabulous sum of twenty thousand dollars for those times and applied for the organization of a new auto-industrial enterprise. So, in the American state of Michigan, the very famous automobile company Ford Motor Company appeared in the future. It was originally housed in a small van factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit.
The first vehicle that was created at the Ford factory was equipped with an 8 engine Horse power and was called "petrol carriage". Officially, she received the name "Model A" and was positioned in the automotive market as "the most advanced car that even a 15-year-old child can drive." For the next five years, Henry Ford directed the development of the plant and created the production program. During this period, 19 car models were developed - from Model "A" to Model "S". True, not all developments managed to reach the buyer.
The most important year in the life of Henry Ford and his automobile offspring was 1908. It was then that the famous automaker was able to fulfill his old dream. This event was the release of Model T - "Tin Lizzy" (Tin Lizzy). This innovative car went on to become the most famous car in the history of the auto industry.
The use of the latest production technology has reduced the price of the car to $ 260! This was the reason that in the first year of sales it was possible to sell about 11,000 units. From that moment on, people began to talk about the car as a necessary and affordable means of transportation. The mass production of automobiles began and, in fact, a new era in the automotive industry.
The main reason that made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of a car and dramatically increase labor productivity was the introduction of the conveyor production of cars invented by Ford. Thanks to this innovation, every 10 seconds a FORD new car- Model "T".
But competitors did not sleep and further capacity building and implementation of latest developments in the automotive industry. The Ford company was constantly in search of new ideas and in April 1932 the latest V-shaped 8-cylinder engine was presented to the public, which none of the competitors could boast of.
Cars equipped with this engine for a long time took a leading position in American market. And since 1934, the first Ford trucks appeared on agricultural farms and on the streets of American cities.
But not only technology occupied the mind of Henry Ford. One of the very first among auto manufacturers, he begins to take care of the safety of the driver and passenger. It was Ford's that was first supplied with "safe" glass. Since then, the company has been Full time job to reduce the risk to human life and increase the safety of the driver and passenger. This was elevated to the rank of company policy and is still maintained.
By this time, the Ford brand is becoming world famous and popular. A huge network of factories and shops has been built throughout America. Branches are opened in Europe and Russia. Already sold thousands ford cars and it becomes truly popular.
In 1942 production civil vehicles was stopped and the main efforts of the company are directed to military needs. Ford produces tanks, planes, military vehicles.
On September 24, 1945, Henry Ford passes the management of the company to his grandson, Henry Ford 2. And just two years later, in April 1947, at the age of 83, the founder of the most famous automobile company dies at his Fea Lane estate. The grandson does an excellent job of managing the company and worthily continues the work of his illustrious grandfather. In June 1948, a new model of the Ford car was presented at an exhibition in New York, which had a number of innovative solutions - independent front suspension, smooth side panels and opening rear side windows. The integration of the body and wings has become the most progressive solution and has set a new standard. automotive design.
In 1949 Ford sells more cars than ever since 1929. Sales volume is about one million cars. Huge profits of the company allowed it to actively develop production. New production and assembly plants, engineering and research laboratories, testing grounds are being built. New types of activities are being developed. And in January 1956, the Ford Motor Company goes public. joint stock company. To date, the company has about 700,000 shareholders.
In the 60s, Ford chose young people as the target group of buyers. In this regard, it was necessary to reorient production to the production of inexpensive sports cars. Following new trends and being a direct pattern of the company's new policy in 1964, the well-known (subsequently) Mustang car first appeared. A distinctive feature of the newcomer was the use of a fundamentally new engine, which combined two units: a drive axle and a transmission. In addition, the fashionably and stylishly designed interior of the model literally fell in love with buyers in this car. The success spoke for itself - in just 100 days, 100,000 Mustangs were sold. The company's profit has reached incredible, few people predicted heights.
On this wave of success, the company continues to develop and introduce new original designs for other models. At the same time, without forgetting about the safety of the driver and passengers. Thanks to this, Ford became the first company to install disc front brakes on its production cars in 1970.
Until now, the company adheres to a long-chosen policy aimed at improving cars, their efficiency and safety. Few people now do not recognize the logo of this company. The popularity of these cars in the world is great. And this success is natural, since the company first of all cares about those who use its cars.
In 1872, the son of an Irish immigrant fell off his horse while working on his father's farm near Dearborn, Michigan, USA. It was on this day that he decided to create a vehicle that would not cause suffering and would be more reliable than vehicles using animal power. That bad rider was Henry Ford.
Subsequently, Henry and his eleven enthusiastic friends raised a hefty sum of $28,000 and on June 16, 1903, filed an application to organize an industrial enterprise in the state of Michigan.
Ford Motor Company began its production activities, and as a result, a "gasoline sidecar" driven by an 8 hp engine was created, called "Model A".
Ten years after that, Ford was known around the world as a genius who gave Ford world T is a car available to everyone. Ford Motor Company was the first to introduce the conveyor. Thanks to this technical innovation, Henry Ford was able to reduce the cost of the Tin Lizzy from $850 to $290.
What is the secret of Ford Motor Company's hundred years of success? When creating the company, Henry Ford dreamed of a car whose cost would not exceed the annual salary of those ordinary workers who assembled cars at a factory in Detroit.
Ford has gone through many changes in its 100 years of history. However, the belief that people should have accessible, reliable and modern cars, remained unchanged.
Henry Ford was born in Springfield, Michigan on July 30, 1863. He was the eldest of six children of William and Mary Ford (William; Mary Ford), who owned a prosperous farm. Henry spent his childhood on his parents' farm, where he helped his family and attended a regular rural school.
At the age of 12, Henry equipped a small workshop, where he enthusiastically spent all his free time. It was there that a few years later he designed his first steam engine.
In 1879, Henry Ford moved to Detroit, where he got a job as an assistant machinist. Three years later, Ford moved to Dearborn and for five years was engaged in the design and repair of steam engines, moonlighting from time to time at a factory in Detroit. In 1888 he married Clara Jane Bryant and soon took over as manager of a sawmill.
In 1891, Ford became an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company, and two years later was appointed the company's chief engineer. A decent salary and a sufficient amount of free time allowed Ford to devote more time to engine development. internal combustion.
Ford assembled the first internal combustion engine in the kitchen of his home. Soon he decided to put the engine on a frame with four bicycle wheels. So in 1896, the ATV appeared - a vehicle that became the first Ford car.
After retiring in 1899 from the Edison Illuminating company, Henry Ford founded his own company, Detroit Automobile. Despite the fact that the company went bankrupt a year later, Ford managed to assemble several racing cars. Ford himself took part in motor racing and in October 1901 managed to defeat the American champion Alexander Winton (Alexander Winton).
The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903. Its founders were twelve businessmen from Michigan, led by Henry Ford, who held a 25.5% stake in the company and served as vice president and chief engineer of the company.
Under car factory converted a former van factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. Brigades, consisting of two or three workers, under the direct supervision of Ford, assembled cars from spare parts that were made to order by other enterprises.
The company's first car was sold on July 23, 1903. Ford's first creation was a "gasoline sidecar" powered by an 8 hp engine, called the Model A. The car was described as "the most advanced car on the market, which even a 15-year-old boy can drive." In 1906, Henry Ford became the company's president and principal owner.
The first oval Ford logo appeared in 1907 thanks to the first British representatives of the company Perry (Perry), Thornton (Thornton) and Schreiber (Schreiber). As part of an advertising campaign, it was presented as a "stamp of the highest standard", designed to symbolize reliability and economy.
For the next five years, Henry Ford directed the overall development and production program. During this time, 19 letters of the alphabet were used - from Model A to Model S. Some of these models remained at the experimental level, not reaching the end user.
In 1908, Henry Ford made his dream come true with the Model T. The Tin Lizzy, as the Americans affectionately called it, became the most famous car in the history of the auto industry.
Its base price was $ 260, and within just one year, about 11 thousand of these machines were sold. It was the appearance of the Model T that marked the onset new era in the development of personal transport.
Ford's car was easy to drive, it did not require complex Maintenance and could even drive on rural roads.
From that moment on, the car became the subject of mass production, the demand for which is constantly growing.
At the same time, on the basis of the Model T, cars are being created for various services: pickups, cars for delivering small loads, ambulances, vans and small buses.
To meet the growing needs of customers, as well as increase labor productivity, Ford is introducing assembly line production in its factories for the first time, in which each worker performs one operation while remaining in one place. As a result of the innovation, another Model T rolled off the assembly line every 10 seconds, and the moving conveyor became a new, significant stage in the industrial revolution.
In 1919, Henry Ford and his son Edsel (Adsel Ford) bought the company's shares from other shareholders for $105,568,858 and became the sole owners of the company. In the same year, Edsel inherited from his father the presidency of the company, which he held until his death in 1943. After the sudden death of his son Henry Ford again had to stand at the helm of the company.
The Model A, released in 1927, was the first Ford car to feature an oval emblem on the grille. Until the very end of the 50s, most Ford cars were produced with the well-known dark blue badge these days. Although the oval badge was approved as the official emblem of Ford, it was not put on cars until the mid-70s.
The rapid pace of life constantly required increasing capacities and introducing unique technologies. Developing with the rhythm of the times, Ford Motor Company was ready to show off its latest achievements.
On April 1, 1932, the company introduced the V-shaped 8-cylinder engine to the public. Ford was the first company to produce a monolithic 8-cylinder block. Cars with such an engine became the favorites of practical Americans for a long time.
Already in 1934, Ford trucks equipped with a completely modified engine appeared on rural farms and on the streets of large cities.
At this time, the problem of car safety is becoming more and more urgent. Henry Ford does not ignore this topic. For the first time, safety glasses are being used at its factories, constant work is underway to reduce the risk to human life - caring for a person has always been and remains the most important aspect general company policy. Car enthusiasts and ordinary citizens pay generously for such care with their commitment and love for Ford.
The famous brand is gaining popularity not only in America, but throughout the world. During this period, Ford has a huge network of factories and stores throughout America, opens branches in Europe and Russia. Thousands of cars find their owners all over the world. The brand becomes truly popular.
In September 1945, Henry Ford transferred powers to his eldest grandson, Henry Ford II. In May 1946, Henry Ford Sr. was awarded an honorary award for services to the auto industry, and at the end of that year, the American Petroleum Institute (American Petroleum Institute) presented him gold medal for services to society.
Henry Ford died at the age of 83 at his home in Dearborn on April 7, 1947. Thus, an entire era in the history of the Ford Motor Company ended, which, despite the death of its founder, continued to develop actively.
But the grandson continues the work of his grandfather with dignity. On June 8, 1948, the new 1949 Ford model was unveiled at the New York Show. Its main features are smooth side panels, independent front suspension and opening rear side windows.
The integration of the body and fenders was a novelty that set the standard for automotive design. In 1949, Ford sold about a million of these cars, reaching the highest sales since 1929.
The company's profits are also growing at a tremendous rate. This led to an increase in production facilities: new production and assembly plants, testing grounds, engineering and research laboratories.
New types of activities are being developed: financial business- Ford Motor Company, insurance - American Road Insurance Company, automatic replacement spare parts - Ford Parts and Service Division, electronics, computers, space technology and much more.
And finally, in January 1956, Ford Motor Company became a public company. The company currently has about 700,000 shareholders.
The focus of attention in the 60s is the youth. In keeping with public sentiment, Ford is rapidly reorienting its production to building low-cost sports cars aimed at a younger consumer.
It was then, in 1964, that the Mustang was presented to the public for the first time. The most important feature of the novelty was the use of a new engine, which combined two units - a transmission and a drive axle. Favorably distinguished her and appearance- an original combination of all modern design trends of the 50s and 60s.
Such a keen interest, which this car caused, was not observed since the Model A. In the first hundred days, one hundred thousand four-seater Mustangs were sold. The company's profits exceeded all expected results.
Encouraged by the success, Ford continues to develop original designs, while using the most innovative trends and developments in the automotive industry. Their work was embodied in models like the Corina and the Transit van.
But not only profit worried the employees and management of the Ford Motor Company. The fight for safety continues.
So, in 1970, Ford becomes the first serial manufacturer to introduce front disc brakes.
Since 1976, the legendary oval Ford emblem with a blue background and silver letters has been placed on absolutely all cars of the company, so that Ford products can be easily recognized anywhere in the world.
The conditions of fierce competition, especially aggravated during this period, encourage Ford specialists to introduce new technologies in other areas - special attention is paid to fuel economy. The goal of the designers is to create a world-class leader in the middle and executive segments of the market. The result was the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sebale.
It should be noted that Taurus was created as a car, every detail of which is brought to perfection. Efforts paid off - Taurus was recognized as the car of 1986, and a year later became a bestseller in America.
Ford's next innovations were the Mondeo, as well as a modified Mustang. 1994 premieres also included the Ford Espire and the Windstar minibus.
Then North America saw the improved Ford Taurus and Mercury Tracer showcasing the first Big changes in the design of cars that hit the market in the late 80s. In Europe, a modified F-series pickup was also introduced, new Fiesta and Galaxy minivans.
The main goal of the company is the constant improvement of its products while reducing production costs. The results were world cars.
Currently, over 70 different models of cars are sold worldwide, produced under the brands Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Aston Martin. Ford also has a stake in Mazda companies Motor Corporation and Kia Motors Corporation.
July 9, 2002 in the city of Vsevolzhsk, Leningrad Region, a new Ford plant Motor Company of a full production cycle.
general information
Ford Motor Company is an American automobile company specializing in the production of Ford, Mercury, Lincoln passenger cars, trucks, various agricultural machinery. Ford owns Jaguar.
The headquarters is located in Dearborn (Michigan), near which was once the farm of Henry Ford's parents.
Corporation History
The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and, according to the idea of its creator, was immediately intended for the production of a mass cheap car. Initially, this was the "A" model, in 1908 - the "T" model, dubbed "tin Lizzie" by cartoonists. The success of the new model was so great that the ever-expanding Ford factories could not cope with orders. In the first year of production of this model, 10,660 cars were sold, which broke all records in automotive industry that time.
In Ford Motor in 1913, for the first time in the world, a method of standardizing interchangeable parts of products and a conveyor technology for assembling cars were introduced in production, which made it possible to increase labor productivity by 40-60% in just one year.
By the middle of 1914, 500,000 Model Ts had been produced; by 1923, every second car in America was made at the Ford Motor factories.
In 1922, the Ford Motor Company acquired the Lincoln Company, the management of which was entrusted to Edsel Ford. The older Ford's authoritarian management style becomes a favorite target of the leftist press, and Ford's refusal to tolerate unions in his factories sparks a campaign of real harassment. However, by the end of the 1920s, Americans were tired of the monotonous “T” model. Competitors from General Motors are breaking ahead, Ford Motor responds with the Ford A model, the popularity of which still lags behind Chevrolet and Buicks.
The Great Depression of 1929 drastically reduced car sales. Wages are cut in half.
In 1932, the beginning of mass production of V-shaped 8-cylinder engines. Ford Motor Company becomes the first company to produce a monolithic 8-cylinder block. Ford car and its reliable engine became a favorite of practical Americans.
The line of Mercury cars, launched in 1938, was successful. The company is nominally run by Edsel Ford, but his authority cannot be compared to that of his father. Business begins to stagnate, which lasted until the outbreak of World War II, when military orders improved things.
From 1942 to 47, the production of civilian vehicles stopped abruptly, as the company directed all its efforts to military needs.
After the brief reign of old Ford (Edsel died in 1943), power passed to Henry Ford II in 1945, who breathed new life into the company.
Ford Jr. reorganizes the recruitment system, uses brainstorming methods known to him from the war to develop the firm's strategy, inviting a group of system analysts.
In 1949 Ford Motor Company sells approximately 807,000 vehicles, almost doubling its sales. Henry Ford II's reorganization program quickly restored the health of the company. The result was the construction of 44 manufacturing plants, 18 assembly plants, 32 parts depots, two huge test sites and 13 engineering and research laboratories in the USA.
The launch of the Thunderbird series in 1955 and the now classic Mustang strengthened the financial position Ford Motor. The attractive 1965 4-seat Mustang became America's darling. In the first 100 days, 100,000 of these machines were sold.
In 1968, the first 1.6-litre Escort Twin Cam launched its racing career, successfully opening the season and winning circuits in Ireland, the Danish Tulip, the Austrian Alps, the Acropolis and the Scottish Rally for eight weeks. By the end of its first season, the Escort had won the famous 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, helping Ford secure a strong position in the World New Car Rally Championship.
The Western European model Ford Taunus / Cortina was very common in the 1970s and 1980s. The production of the station wagon (Kombi) Ford Taunus / Cortina family began in 1970.
Since 1976, with the start of production of Ford Econoline bonneted passenger-and-freight models E-series new generations began to use chassis elements, engines and transmissions similar to SUVs and pickups of the F series. In 1992, they brought to the market new scale comfortable 7-, 8-, 12- and 15-seater all-metal minibuses and four-door vans with a body.
The Fiesta family has been around for over 20 years - the first generation appeared back in 1976. The life path of models current generation, which began on Geneva Motor Show-89, approaching sunset. For 11 years, the Fiesta family has undergone a serious restyling twice (in 1995 and 1999), thanks to which it remains quite modern to this day.
Crown Victoria is one of the most popular models in the USA (in the police, taxi, rental, in the secondary market).
The 1980 Bgonco full-size station wagon was an all-wheel drive pickup truck with a shortened base. The cross-country ability turned out to be quite high, so the model remained popular for a long time (in particular, in Alaska), even after the appearance of more modern models.
Ford Escort produced in the US and Europe, as well as in Argentina in three body styles. And the production of the American Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx continued until the summer of 1990. They were replaced by models developed on the platform Japanese Mazda 323.
In September 1982, models of the rear-wheel drive Sierra family with five-door hatchback and station wagon bodies (Kombi) appeared on sale, and the start of production of a three-door all-wheel drive model(XR4x4).
In November 1986, the launch of the 4x4 version Ford Scorpio. At the very end of 1991, the presentation of the roomy station wagon Scorpio Turnir took place. In the summer of 1998, the production of Scorpio was stopped, and the European branch of Ford decided to make the Mondeo model the flagship of the company.
Since the mid-1980s, Taurus has been produced. This model was named Car of the Year 1986, and in 1987 it became a bestseller in America. The streamlined, futuristic-looking cars, beautifully named Taurus and Sable, were a milestone in Ford's transition to a new generation of 1980s vehicles that were fuel-efficient, high-tech, and aesthetically perfect.
In the same year, the purchase of 75% of the company's shares took place. Aston Martin Lagonda.
The purchase of Jaguar in 1990 further increases the range of Ford models, which in terms of comfort do not resemble the “tin Lizzie”, and a year later, a joint venture with the German Volkswagen corporation was created to produce the Ford Galaxy multi-purpose car.
The company is open to innovation and change; it is interesting that Ford Motor, the pioneer in the introduction of the assembly line, was the first among large corporations to abandon it, since modern workers are more productive in doing work in which there is an element of independent creativity.
In 1993, the Ford Mondeo model was released, which immediately set new safety standards in its class. The very next year, this car was recognized as the Car of the Year in Europe and became a favorite among buyers.
In the same year, the purchase of the remaining shares of Aston Martin-Lagonda took place.
The Ford Windstar was first shown in January 1994. In 1998, the model was restyled. Produced in Canada.
The first show of the Ford EUROPE Galaxy took place in February 1995 in Geneva. At the Geneva Motor Show 2000, a modernized model with an updated design was presented.
In 1996, the 250 millionth car rolled off the assembly line of the company. The implementation of the Ka model has begun.
The Ford EUROPE Puma, a small sports coupe based on the Ford Fiesta, was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1997.
Ford Focus, which by a long tradition bears the name Turnier. The European premiere of the hatchback took place in early 1998 in Geneva.
In 1998, Ford Motor Company becomes the world's second largest manufacturer of passenger cars and trucks in terms of total.
In 2000, an international jury of 126 automotive journalists, summing up the results of the unprecedented Car of the Century competition (“Car of the Century”), chose the legendary Ford T. which was established on the assembly line on a massive scale. It was the conveyor assembly that made the car a means of transportation accessible to everyone. And the first in a row really production cars was a Ford model.
compact SUV Ford Escape was first introduced as a prototype in January 2000 in Detroit. The development was carried out jointly with Mazda. Car production is carried out at a plant in Kansas City.
Ford EUROPE Maverick, compact all-wheel drive SUV, the European equivalent of the Ford Escape. Since 2000, it has been produced jointly with Mazda on the basis of the Mazda Tribute. The new Ford Maverick combines the hallmarks of an SUV and a road car.
2001 - the company introduces fundamentally new model Ford Mondeo. Its appearance can be considered a revolutionary event. This car, developed by the European division of Ford Motor Company, was created on the basis of fundamentally new design technologies. The essence of this technical revolution is in a powerful software product called SZR, which is a complex of computer design systems, computer-aided design and an extensive information database. One of latest models presented by the company - Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet.
Today Ford Motor Company has its own production, assembly and shopping centers in 30 countries of the world. The company annually produces millions of cars, trucks and tractors and is a leader automotive sales outside North America. Ford Motor Company sells more than 70 different models of cars worldwide, produced under the brands Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar and Aston Martin. The company also has a stake in Mazda Motor Corporation and Kia Motors n.Corporatio
In the "big three" of the American automobile business, Ford Motor occupies an honorable second place in terms of sales.
Ford in Ukraine
The official distributor of Ford cars in Ukraine is Winner Imports Ukraine (Winner Imports Ukraine), which was one of the first to work on the Ukrainian automotive market as an official distributor.
In 1991 one of Ford executives offered Ivan Ginyansky, the owner of Winner dealerships in Delaware and Pennsylvania (USA), to open another one in Ukraine. The prospect of helping Ford create a dealer network in Ukraine interested Ginyansky.
In late 1992, Winner was appointed as the official distributor of Ford Motor Co. in Ukraine. Dealerships were opened and service centers throughout the territory of Ukraine.
About thirty years ago, the famous American manager Lee Iacocca said that by the beginning of the 21st century, only a few players would remain in the global automotive market. Ex-president of Chrysler and Ford saw through the trends further development auto industry, so it is not at all surprising that his predictions are confirmed.
The world's largest automakers and alliances
At first glance, it may seem that there are many independent automakers in the world, but in fact, most auto companies are part of various groups and alliances.
Thus, Lee Iacocca looked into the water, and today there are actually only a few automakers left in the world who have divided the entire global car market among themselves.
What brands are owned by Ford
Interestingly, the companies he headed - Chrysler and Ford - the leaders of the American auto industry, suffered the most serious losses during the economic crisis. And they had never been in such serious troubles before. Chrysler and General Motors became bankrupt, and only a miracle saved Ford. But for this miracle, the company had to pay too dear a price, because as a result, Ford lost its premium division Premiere Automotive Group, which included Land Rover, Volvo and Jaguar. Moreover, Ford lost Aston Martin, a British supercar manufacturer, a controlling stake in Mazda and liquidated brand Mercury. And today, only two brands remain from the huge empire - Lincoln and Ford itself.
What brands belong to the auto concern General Motors
General Motors suffered no less serious losses. The American company lost Saturn, Hummer, SAAB, but its bankruptcy did not prevent us from defending Opel brands and Daewoo. Today General Motors includes such brands as Vauxhall, Holden, GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick. In addition, the Americans own the Russian joint venture GM-AvtoVAZ, which produces the Chevrolet Niva.
Automaker Fiat and Chrysler
And the American concern Chrysler now acts as a strategic partner of Fiat, which has brought together such brands as Ram, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Lancia, Maserati, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo under its wing.
In Europe, things are somewhat different than in the US. Here the crisis has also made its own adjustments, but the position of the monsters of the European automobile industry has not been shaken by this.
What brands belong to the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen is still accumulating brands. After buying Porsche in 2009, as part of Volkswagen Group there are nine brands - Seat, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, Porsche, Audi, manufacturer Scania trucks and VW itself. There is evidence that soon this list will include Suzuki, 20 percent of whose shares are already owned by the Volkswagen Group.
Brands owned by Daimler AG and BMW Group
As for the other two "Germans" - BMW and Daimler AG, they cannot boast of such an abundance of brands. Under the wing of Daimler AG are the brands Smart, Maybach and Mercedes, and BMW history has Mini and Rolls Royce.
Renault and Nissan Automobile Alliance
Among the world's largest automakers, one cannot fail to mention the Renault-Nissan alliance, which owns such brands as Samsung, Infiniti, Nissan, Dacia and Renault. In addition, Renault owns 25 percent of AvtoVAZ shares, so Lada is also not an independent brand from the French-Japanese alliance.
Another major French automaker - PSA concern- owned by Peugeot and Citroen.
Japanese automaker Toyota
And among Japanese automakers, only Toyota, which owns Subaru, Daihatsu, Scion and Lexus, can boast of a “collection” of brands. Also included in Toyota Motor truck manufacturer Hino is listed.
Who owns Honda
Honda's achievements are more modest. In addition to the motorcycle department and premium brand Acura the Japanese have nothing else.
Successful Auto Alliance Hyundai-Kia
During recent years The Hyundai-Kia alliance successfully breaks into the list of leaders in the global automotive industry. Today, it produces cars only under the brands Kia and Hyundai, but the Koreans are already seriously engaged in creating a premium brand that could be called Genesis.
Among the acquisitions and mergers of recent years, we should mention the transition under the wing of the Chinese Geely brand Volvo, as well as the acquisition of the British premium brands Land Rover and Jaguar Indian company Tata. And the most curious case is the purchase of a famous Swedish brand SAAB is the tiny Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker.
The once powerful British auto industry is dead. All the famous British car manufacturers have long since lost their independence. Their example was followed by small English firms that passed to foreign owners. In particular, the legendary Lotus today belongs to Proton (Malaysia), and the Chinese SAIC bought MG. By the way, the same SAIC before that sold korean ssangyong Motor Indian Mahindra&Mahindra.
All these strategic partnerships, alliances, mergers and acquisitions once again proved the rightness of Lee Iacocca. Single firms in modern world no longer able to survive. Yes, there are exceptions, like the Japanese Mitsuoka, the English Morgan or the Malaysian Proton. But these companies are independent only in the sense that absolutely nothing depends on them.
And in order to have annual sales amounting to hundreds of thousands of cars, not to mention millions, one cannot do without a strong “rear”. IN Renault-Nissan Alliance partners provide each other with support, and in the Volkswagen Group, mutual assistance is ensured by the number of brands.
As for such companies as Mitsubishi and Mazda, in the future they will face more and more difficulties. While Mitsubishi can get the help of partners from PSA, Mazda will have to survive alone, which in the modern world is becoming more and more difficult every day ...
