The next day, newspapers around the world came out with front-page obituaries. Among the thousands of polite, but standard notes and replies, a Detroit tabloid article stood out, very eloquently entitled "The father of the car has died."
Oddly enough, from a certain point of view, this was true. Of course, we know about a man named Karl Benz and his Motorwagen, quite officially recognized as the first car in history. But even though Henry Ford did not invent the car as an engineering device, he did more to popularize it than anyone else. It was thanks to him that the car turned from a toy for the rich into an object of universal passion, into a vehicle accessible to everyone. In short, in their own way, the Detroit journalists were right.
In one article, to talk about Ford is as utopian as it is to try to summarize the contents of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia in a nutshell. But still, we will try to remember the main milestones of fate and character traits of the founder of one of largest corporations world, whose contribution to the development of the automotive industry is absolutely impossible to overestimate.
Dreamer
Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863 in Springfield Township, Michigan to Irish immigrant parents. Having made a fortune in logging, they could afford good house, prosperous economy and considerable land in private ownership. So the eldest son of William and Mary Ligot Ford grew up in satiety and prosperity. From a young age, Henry showed an increased interest in technology. Moreover, this interest was sometimes manic. The younger sisters - there were 8 children in the Ford family - even hid clockwork mechanical toys from Henry, presented for Christmas. He still found them and took them apart to the screw in order to understand how everything works. Then the young Samodelkin became seriously interested in watches, managing complex mechanisms with the dexterity of a cadet taking apart an AK-47. But, in the end, the curious little boy found a more serious hobby. One fine day in July 1876, William Ford, taking his son, went on business to Detroit. On the way, a light double team of father and son met a self-propelled carriage with a steam engine ...
Here is how Henry himself described this meeting: “It was a huge steam boiler mounted on wheels, with a water tank and a coal cart attached to the back. From motor to rear wheels there were belts that set the whole structure in motion ... ".
Much later, in his very numerous memoirs, Ford would argue that this particular episode became a turning point in his life - it was then that he wanted to devote himself to creating Vehicle. Not postponing the matter indefinitely, at the age of 15, Ford left school and went to Detroit, which was already turning into the center of America's nascent industry. The first cavalry attack on the future "City of Motors", however, was not very successful. Short work in a factory tramcars, Henry then took a job as an apprentice in the workshop of James Flowers and Brothers. They paid mere pennies, but it didn’t matter - the main thing was that the young man was free to study hydrants, pumps, steam engines, elevators and other equipment, which turned out to be visibly invisible in the company’s workshops.
All this was great, of course, but Henry was hardly one step closer to realizing his childhood dream. In addition, he got married and for some time, together with the beautiful Clara, even returned to his father's house, but only to finally become disillusioned with the village lifestyle. In short, after a while, Ford found himself back in Detroit, this time taking a job in a branch of the gigantic empire of America's electric king, Thomas Edison. Henry started out as a simple caretaker of the lines, but in a very short time he achieved impressive success. Within two years, he was promoted to chief engineer, and his salary doubled to $90 a week.
I must say that Henry did not feel any particular need for banknotes and, by his own admission, he got a job at Edison's company with one goal - to understand all the intricacies of electricity. For what? To understand how advanced works for the late 19th century ICE systems Otto, fuel mixture in which it was ignited by a spark. Yes, yes, he did not forget about cars.
Henry's inquisitive mind coped with this task. And when, on Christmas Eve, 1893, Ford's primitive 1-cylinder gasoline engine of Ford's own design finally started working, the future automobile magnate knew that he was ready for the next step. Having put together a team of like-minded people, he started building his first car.
Under his careful guidance
The talent of the alpha leader manifested itself in Ford at a fairly young age. Since then, personal magnetism, the ability to infect others with enthusiasm and his own, sometimes even crazy ideas, have become integral features of his character. Imagine, already as a hired employee at the Edison enterprise, Henry was more of a leader than an engineer. One of the workers, who devoted his free time to the car project of yesterday's line superintendent, said so: “Mr. Ford himself did practically nothing. He only gave instructions all the time, advised something ... ".
Coal shed next to Ford's house, which Henry converted into a workshop. It was here that his first car, the Quadricycle, was born. By the way, when the car was ready, it turned out that it does not pass through the doors. I had to widen the opening with a pickaxe and a crowbar
One way or another, in the summer of 1896 the first car was ready. Oddly enough, the Quadricycle, as Ford himself later dubbed the car, turned out to be a fully functional specimen. 2-cylinder, four-stroke engine with 4 hp through a belt drive, accelerated the car to 30 km / h. On it, the entire Ford family, including Clara and Edsel's son, went out of town for walks, surprising the neighbors and scaring the horses.
But the Quadricycle made an even greater impression on Ford's immediate supervisor. Cars were still a curiosity at that time, which is why the director of the Detroit branch of the Edison Illuminating Company invited Henry to a status party, where Thomas Alva Edison himself was present. In the midst of a dinner party, America's greatest inventor was introduced to "a young engineer from Detroit who built his own self-propelled carriage."
Edison immediately invited Ford to his table and, with undisguised curiosity, began to question the young man about the design of the Quadricycle. Not at all shy, Henry answered in detail all the questions of the creator of the electric light bulb and even sketched out a schematic diagram of the engine. internal combustion on the back of the menu.
“Young man, you are just brilliant! - looks like Edison was really impressed. - I believe that the future belongs to such gasoline engines. Hold on to your idea. This is your chance!
Henry took the words of the idol of his youth literally. First of all, he quit the Detroit Illuminating Company, refusing a two-fold salary increase and a leadership position, and a few months later Ford settled in the chair of the chief designer of the Detroit Automobile Company, the first automobile company in the city. But, as often happens, the starting pancake came out lumpy.
It so happened that Henry caught a virus, which in modern language is called star disease. Generous praise from Edison himself, the boundless trust of influential investors, multiplied by their own exaggerated ego, played a cruel joke. Ford felt like a technical genius with the manners of a free artist, saying that I do what I want. He quite inopportunely became interested in car racing and plunged headlong into the construction sports models. Meanwhile, only occasionally primitive trucks left the gates of the Detroit Automobile Company, each of which brought only losses to the company. The patience of investors proved to be limited, and after several warnings that had no effect, Henry had to vacate the office. Think! Having quarreled with influential businessmen in smoke, he immediately fooled the new ones, knocking out funds for the development of a racing car. But this happiness did not last long. Soon, Henry will spoil relations with the next business partners - something, but he has never been distinguished by an accommodating character.
Today it is hard to believe, but at the beginning of the 20th century in the business circles of Detroit, there was probably no figure more odious than Ford. Better known for his obnoxious nature than for his engineering genius, Henry, or rather his name alone, scared away investors and former associates. A man who, at the dawn of a new century, would have predicted to Ford the fate of the greatest industrialist of the era, would simply be ridiculed. It seemed that nothing would come of this arrogant upstart.
And in fact, the money for the next project managed to knock out literally by a miracle. With great difficulty, Henry found a common language with the coal magnate Alexander Malcolmson, a good friend from his time at Edison. Malcolmson provided funds for the development of a new model, and on June 16, 1903, a new one was born. automotive firm Ford motor company.
Everyone, and especially Henry himself, understood that there might not be another such chance to declare himself. Fortunately, fortune finally smiled on the stubborn descendant of Irish emigrants.
king of the hill
In fact, the production of the first serial Ford - model A began in early June, that is, even a little earlier than the date of the official registration of the company. A dozen workers in a rented workshop on Mac Avenue were slowly assembling simple 2-seat Runabouts with an 8-horsepower 2-cylinder engine. At first they worked "in a warehouse." The company received its first order only on July 15 - a certain Mr. Pfennig, a dentist from Chicago, chose a model with an optional top for $850. Then the second order came, followed by the third... By the end of the year, the company will sell 215 cars, and shareholders will receive their first dividends in November 1903 - just five months after the official registration of the Ford Motor Company! Further more. By the beginning of 1904, the staff of assembly workers will increase by more than ten times, and the total number of cars produced in the first year and a half of the company's existence will reach 1,700 units.
It was an absolute success. Ford finally realized his childhood dream - he produced cars, proving to skeptics that he could not only scandal and quarrel. However, until now, his career has been no different from that of hundreds of other relatively successful automobile manufacturers of the early 20th century. But the fact of the matter is that Henry looked much further than his colleagues in the shop. First, he did not really believe in the popular theory that the production of expensive cars brings more profit. On the contrary, Henry had no doubt: the shortest path to success is mass production. inexpensive models.
Contrary to popular belief, the first mass-produced Ford was by no means the legendary T, but the N model, which debuted two years earlier. In fact, it was an experimental car. The most simplified, if not Spartan, car with a 15-horsepower engine cost only $500. Result? All 8,500 copies produced in 1906 sold out instantly, making Ford Motor the largest automaker in the United States.
Convinced that the concept of the cheapest possible car worked, Henry and his engineering team rushed to work on a model that, without any exaggeration, was destined to change the lives of millions of people.
Known popularity Ford N brought only extremely low price. The car itself, to be honest, turned out to be unimportant: with a low-power engine, only a 2-seater saloon, a weak frame that lacked rigidity and endurance, which, among other things, affected the disgusting smoothness of the ride. However, for a more than modest price tag, the Enke forgave a bunch of shortcomings. As they say, it is better to go badly than to go well.
And Henry was right. If people willingly buy not too good, but cheap car, then what happens if you offer the market a car as affordable as the N model, but devoid of all its disadvantages?
So the Ford T was born. Sometimes this legendary car They call it unremarkable in technical terms, but this is not entirely true. Of course, the "teshka" did not impress with its design, heavy-duty motor or a scattering of revolutionary engineering solutions. But its design was thought out down to the smallest detail - from reinforced frame from vanadium alloy to a motor that digested both gasoline and kerosene, and even alcohol. In short, it was the world's first well-made budget car - consider it the great-great-grandfather of today's Logan.
« Teshka" was cheap in price, but not in performance. To the design thought out to the smallest detail, Henry added another important ingredient - a high, or rather the highest, maximum possible level of quality at that time. And this concerned not only the assembly process itself - at his enterprise, this was implied by itself. Another thing is that representatives of component supplier companies who worked with Ford were hysterical from super-strict quality requirements for parts, assemblies and mechanisms intended for the T model. Tolerances for some positions reached 4 mm - and this, I recall, at the beginning of 20 century! On the other hand, the suppliers who worked for Ford were given exactly as much time to develop and complete the order as they required, and they were paid for their services at the highest level.
In the first incomplete year, about 10,000 "tesheks" were shipped to buyers. In 1911, almost 70 thousand people became the owners of the car, and a year later this figure doubled! Such popularity even Ford could not dream of in the most rosy dreams. The “teshka” itself is very quickly out of simple good car has become a social phenomenon.
The art of releasing
In its debut in 1908, the Ford T was rightfully considered the most advanced budget car in the world, but time passed, and the design of the model remained almost unchanged. In fact, for 19 (!) years on the assembly line, all the innovations that have touched the "Tin Lizzy" can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In 1915, electric headlights appeared on the car, in January 1919, an electric starter, and with it the dashboard, which consisted of only one ammeter, and six years later, pneumatic tires were finally installed on the Teshka. Everything else is completely trifles.
But why? After all, Ford, with all the desire, cannot be called a tyrant or an opponent of technological progress. Of course no. It's just that Henry's real passion has always been production efficiency - he worshiped this deity all his life, he readily brought everything to his altar, up to friendship.
After all, what is production efficiency? In a nutshell - the largest number of products produced per unit of labor. Now, Henry was never happy with that ratio. What would any other successful manufacturer concerned with the problem of expanding production do? Most likely, he would have built another plant, and then another one ... Henry hated this approach - he sincerely believed that it was possible to find another way to produce more, even when production capacity seemed to be exhausted. And, as usual, he was right.
What Ford's inquisitive mind did not invent. For example, the workers at the assembly site were divided into teams, each of which performed a certain sequence of operations, but not on one, but on several machines at once. Thus, the manufacturing process was slightly accelerated. Then they guessed that time could be saved by delivering the necessary components from the warehouse ahead of time. So they carved out a few more minutes, and gradually, step by step, the pace of production increased.
In addition, Ford introduced an atmosphere of constant creative competition at the plant, when each employee could and even had to come up with his own idea for optimizing the production process. What is characteristic - they listened to every little thing. Workers whose ideas caught on were generously rewarded. As a matter of fact, the conveyor assembly was a direct consequence of such rationalization proposals.
There is an opinion that the idea of the automobile assembly line came to Henry's assistants during a visit to the Chicago slaughterhouses of Swift and Co. In the workshops of the meat-packing plant, managers of the Ford Motor Company were shocked by an ominous and bewitching picture at the same time. The carcasses hung on chains moved from post to post, where butchers with cleavers at the ready chopped off pieces, wasting no time in moving from one workplace to another and practically without lowering their knives. The efficiency of the mechanized butchering of pigs amazed automotive engineers.
They decided to conduct a similar experiment in the workshops of the new Ford plant in Highland Park. The assembly of the magneto, a popular ignition system at the time, was split into two stages using a conveyor belt. Happened! The assembly time of the finished part from 20 minutes (in man-hours) was reduced by a third. Gradually, other operations began to be transferred to the conveyor, at first simpler, later more complicated. The turn has come to the engine, and to the gearbox, and to the suspension. Finally, in August 1913, the most complex operation was also automated - the so-called "wedding" of the chassis and body. Perhaps this day can be considered the date of birth of the automobile assembly line.
The effectiveness of the new working methods was unparalleled. Chassis assembly time reduced from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes! But, of course, new technologies were not introduced for the sake of records. Most importantly, since 1913, the productivity of the plant has doubled every year, and the price of the Ford T has steadily declined, eventually falling to $260! At current prices, it's only $3,200.
The automobile assembly line is not the only thing Henry gave to the civilized world. Among other brilliant ideas of the giant of thought and the father of the automotive industry, for example, are record-breaking salaries for their own workers on the market, which not only increased staff loyalty, and at the same time labor efficiency, but also spurred sales. After all, the wealthy hard workers became buyers of cars that they themselves produced.
Ford not only applied the principles of car production that are relevant to this day, he also came up with very effective sales tools. Say, in 1914, in order to spur demand, Henry publicly promised every customer a $50 discount. More than generous, considering that at that time base price car was only $500. What is the genius of the action? So the money was returned to buyers only on the condition that Ford sells at least 300 thousand cars at the end of the calendar year. Sales that year were 308,213 cars, and Henry was happy to keep his promise. In any case, he earned more than he spent. “Every time I lower my price by $1, I get a thousand new customers!” Ford said with a laugh.
As early as the beginning of the century, Henry realized that one of the indispensable conditions for effective mass production is the production of its own auto components. And by 1920, the company, for example, produced not only wooden frames for bodies, but also planted forest plantations for future harvesting! Ford realized before others that the key to worldwide popularity was the production of cars in different countries and continents. The first foreign subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company opened in Canada in 1904. By the time the production of the Model T began, representative offices of the company appeared in Paris and London, and in 1911 a plant in Manchester was launched - the first Blue Oval assembly plant in Europe.
His quirks
Wealth was never the goal of Ford, in the end he was born into a wealthy family, but it turned out that the money itself was chasing Henry. Even before the release of the Model T, he was considered a more than successful businessman, but "Tin Lizzy" overnight made him a millionaire. Or rather, a multimillionaire. At the same time, having all the opportunities, he did not lead a riotous luxurious lifestyle, which distinguishes people who quickly made capital. Of course, Ford was not known as a hermit and, by and large, did not deny himself anything, but he preferred to spend money on anything but entertainment.
It is difficult to say how much Henry cost the lawsuit with a certain George Selden, an inventor and lawyer, best known for his patent for ... a car. Back in the late 19th century, this American filed a patent application for a self-propelled vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Moreover, experienced in matters of law, Selden turned the case in such a way that everyone who later intended to produce cars in the United States had to pay him patent royalties. And everyone paid until Ford said, "Enough!"
Henry, like no one else, could afford transfers for the "Selden patent", but his very nature was sickened by the idea that some scoundrel was profiting from an inherently false patent. No one believed that the tenacious and stubborn Selden could be overcome, but Ford turned out to be even more tenacious and stubborn. On January 10, 1911, after lengthy and bitter litigation, the controversial patent lost its validity.
Even more expensive was Henry and his most unsuccessful venture. At the height of the First World War, Ford, who had been known as a staunch pacifist all his life, paid for the freight of a huge ocean liner. On board, he, with a group of diplomats and cultural figures, went to Europe in order to try to convince the warring parties to lay down their arms. Needless to say, the expedition failed, and after that, only the lazy did not laugh at Henry's naivety ?! But no matter how primitive his act seemed, Ford's thoughts were pure and noble.
Again, with the best of intentions, he went down in history as one of the most implacable fighters against trade unions. And this position of Henry is quite easy to understand and share. He literally created a system from scratch in which workers and managers had the opportunity to earn good money if they were completely devoted to their work. Ford was convinced that a good worker, as well as a smart manager, does not need an advocate from the labor organization at all. Not surprisingly, Henry was at the forefront of the anti-union movement of the 1930s.
With a new misfortune, the automotive giant fought with very specific methods. As chief of homeland security, Henry hired Navy sailor and boxer Harry Bennett. The two-meter tall man whom Ford had once saved from prison was pathologically loyal to the boss and did not hesitate to carry out all his orders, including orders of a very dubious nature. It is not surprising that there were no problems with labor discipline at the Blue Oval factories, and those that arose were suppressed in the most decisive way. As the saying goes, a fist and a kind word convinces better than just a kind word. Moreover, attempts by union leaders to force Ford to sign a collective labor agreement, which by the mid-30s was approved by all other automakers in America, including General Motors and Chrysler, also did not lead to anything.
In the end, what should have happened did happen. However, it was not reason, the advice of colleagues, or, God forbid, public opinion that forced Ford to sign the ill-fated document. No no and one more time no! Henry, who did not doubt the correctness of his own decisions, was ready to break the company into small branches and start the sale of assets rather than go along with people whose ideals he despised all his life. But his wife intervened. Clara threatened her husband with a divorce if he did not preserve the integrity of the company and did everything to ensure that the Ford Motor Company forever remained the Ford family estate. Only then did Henry, reluctantly, sign an agreement with the hated trade unions...
And what are his very dubious (and this is putting it mildly) anti-Semitic views worth?! Not to mention the fact that it was Ford who turned out to be the only American that Hitler mentions, and mentions in enthusiastic tones in Mein Kampf!
But who are we to judge the greatest automaker of the 20th century? The righteous in the world big business in any case, it simply does not exist, besides, Ford already got hard from fate. He survived his only son - Edsel died of cancer back in 1943, and by that time he had no friends left for a long time. Who knows, perhaps this is the price that the brilliant auto manufacturer had to pay for fabulous wealth and worldwide fame?
Danila Mikhailov
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 a wealth of experience in engineering, 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 had no equal on the tracks of those years.
The negative experience of selling fabulously 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 ford model A is 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 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 different sizes, appointments and cost. Much attention is paid to various types of 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 fairly 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.
Acquired in 1986 English stamp 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 toFord Motor Company is the famous American car company. It ranks 4th in the world in terms of sales over the past hundred years. Currently, the company has offices in more than 60 countries around the world. Often, motorists have a question: "Which country is the country of manufacture of Ford?" Most of the company's cars are produced at factories located in the US and Europe.
Company Founder
The company is named after its founder, Henry Ford. He was born July 30, 1863. His parents were simple farmers. From childhood, Henry was fond of technology. The boy figured out how to simplify hard farm work with the help of various mechanisms. One day, Henry was thrown from the saddle by a young stallion. From that day on, his goal was to create a safe means of transportation. At the age of 16, the young man moves to Detroit and gets a job in electric company. For twenty years simple mechanic manages to become a chief engineer. In his spare time, Ford was engaged in the development of the car. When these works were completed, Ford quit and began looking for investors to create an automobile company.
The Ford World Automobile Corporation is one of the most successful and largest companies in the world, ranking third in terms of the number of cars produced in history. In the European market, cars of this manufacturer occupy the second position in sales, second only to the German brand Volkswagen. Interestingly, Ford is traditionally considered an American company, but truly american cars there is no European branch of the corporation in the model line.
Almost all the cars that we see in the Ford model line in Russia are the brainchild of German made corporations. They are created, developed and assembled in Europe, and the only American capital in them. The main enterprises of the company are located in the USA, they produce expensive premium cars, as well as SUVs and legendary pickups Ford line F. Let's take a closer look at the scope of the corporation.
Ford production is truly a worldwide corporation
The plant producing the aggregate assembly of Ford cars is present today on every continent where these cars are sold at all. With the help of a rather complex development in all respects, the company gained a presence in all key countries, which helped to reduce the cost of cars for potential buyers.
It is for this reason that today the corporation offers a lot interesting models, new solutions for each country. Model line offers in South Africa is strikingly different from cars sold in Russia, and models for the US market are completely unique. main enterprises and production facilities companies are as follows:
- American factories are the cradle of the corporation, from which the rapid development of the company began;
- a German factory producing a full-scale production of the machine, starting from the design;
- the Chinese branch of the company produces cars almost exclusively for the domestic market of the Middle Kingdom;
- cars for the CIS countries are manufactured in Russia - Focus and Mondeo in the latest generations;
- several factories in South America also carry out the task of reducing the cost of the corporation's machines.
Production optimization different cars, as well as attracting the best minds from all over the world allowed Ford to become one of the most powerful automotive corporations. For several years in a row, the technical achievements of the company's engineers have taken first place at various exhibitions and specialized shows.
What is worth only the production of a new type of EcoBoost gasoline engine with a special turbocharger system. 1 liter power unit capable of developing up to 125 Horse power V civilian versions and up to 150 horsepower in sports versions, while consuming a modest amount of fuel. Ford has a lot of such developments in the project.
Model line for Russian buyers Ford
Enough is represented in Russia a large number of world renowned cars manufacturer Ford. Many are interested in this brand, because in it you can often find desired parameters and combinations necessary qualities. For example, the ratio of price and quality in these cars is optimal for each buyer.
The company also offers modern car design, good materials and excellent build quality. Considering the high performance of equipment, it is difficult to find an alternative to cars from the American brand. The model range is represented by the following cars:
- Ford Focus is one of the best-selling cars in Europe, the leader of the C-class, which has recently been updated and is already on sale in its third generation;
- Ford Mondeo is a large executive sedan that is expected to be updated this year, but also in old version very interesting for the buyer;
- Ford S-Max is a fairly large family minivan with a premium appearance and good technology;
- Ford Galaxy - almost a copy of the previous minivan with certain additions to the configuration and design;
- Ford EcoSport - new compact crossover with great potential against the background of the main competitors and rivals in the market;
- Ford Fuga - a compact urban SUV that did not receive planned sales due to too high a cost;
- The Ford Edge is a large crossover capable of taking on off-road challenges and providing the driver and passengers with incredible comfort;
- Ford Explorer is the largest SUV presented by the company in the Russian model line;
- The Ford Ranger is a small-sized pickup truck designed for lovers of practical and productive equipment for little money.
As you can see, everyone will be able to choose from the model range presented by the company. The line has offers for both the father of a large family and for the student. Both a businessman and a manager of a large enterprise will find a great car. Even if you need universal transport for various operating conditions, you can find the right car.
Ford is quite cautious about pricing, offering Russian buyers excellent opportunities to purchase the right vehicles. There are no pretentious cars with excessively high cost in the Ford lineup. This is precisely what the proposal of the American corporation is valuable for.
Ford cars not represented on the Russian market
The American model range of the corporation has more than three dozen proposals, which actually stand out for their individuality both in appearance and in technology. Prices for Ford cars can be considered a benchmark for other market participants, because the company ranks third in the most difficult automotive market in the world - in the United States.
Among the models that would be of interest to a Russian buyer, one can single out a whole line of F pickups. These are huge cars with excellent capabilities and high technology. Also Russian motorist the following proposals present on the US market would clearly be of interest:
- Fusion- new sedan with an old name, which received an excellent modern appearance and sports equipment;
- Mustang - the legendary sports car with huge popularity and consumer demand;
- Taurus - the most big sedan a company offering a sporty premium, an amazing and unique car;
- The Escape is one of the most affordable crossovers in the company's lineup with good potential;
- a whole line of hybrid cars that are present on the American market and are successfully sold;
- Expedition is a huge SUV specially designed for the Americans, which is unofficially shipped to any country in the world.
Buy Ford cars that are not in the official lists Russian dealers, only available in gray form. This means that you will not receive a guarantee for the car, you will be forced to overpay a lot of money for customs clearance and delivery. For example, a huge Expedition SUV in the USA costs 44 thousand dollars, and after transportation and registration to a Russian buyer, it will cost 60-70 thousand.
Therefore, it is better to focus on those cars that are available for official purchase in our country. Moreover, the list of these cars contains quite interesting and presentable sedans, minivans, SUVs, crossovers and even a pickup truck. There really is plenty to choose from.
Let's take a look at the review American version Ford Kuga - Escape, finding the main differences between the US version:
Summing up
Given the rather difficult state of the Russian automotive market in 2015, some new items planned for this period were cancelled. Therefore, today the company's model line has remained the same and has not presented new achievements of the corporation. Nevertheless, the cars currently on sale are worthy of the attention of the Russian buyer.
In the model line of the corporation there are many amazing options for cars suitable for any occasion. Which of the presented Ford models do you like the most, and which car would you like to see in your own garage?
| Full title: | Ford Motor Company. |
| Other names: | Ford (Ford) |
| Existence: | 1903 - present day |
| Location: | USA: Dearborn, Michigan. |
| Key Figures: | William Ford Jr. (Chairman of the Board of Directors) Alan Mulally (President). |
| Products: | Cars and commercial vehicles: Ford |
| The lineup: | Ford Mondeo Ford Kuga Ford Airstream Ford GT (2003) Ford Windstar Ford Ka Ford Flex Ford Explorer Ford Orion Ford Probe Ford Excursion Ford Edge Ford Cougar Ford C-Max Ford Crown Victoria Ford EcoSport Ford Fiesta Ford Five Hundred Ford Capri |
Henry Ford (Henry Ford) - the greatest personality in the history of the automotive industry.
Once upon a time, it was he who, while still a boy, working on his father's farm, flopped hard from his horse. The incident occurred in the USA, in the state of Michigan on the outskirts of the city of Dearborn, in 1872. Having risen to the ground after a fall, Henry set a goal in his life to create a type of transport for people that would be safe, comfortable, unlike carts (carriages) with horses or just riding while sitting on a saddle.
Ford Motor Company.
Having matured, Henry Ford teamed up with his 11 friends, enthusiasts like himself. On June 16, 1903, they all gathered together start-up capital in the amount of $28,000 and applied to set up a manufacturing plant in Michigan.
So there was Ford company motor company. Her first automotive invention there was a "gasoline sidecar", which was branded "Model A" and was driven by an eight-horsepower engine.
10 years after the first release of the car, Henry Ford was called the genius all over the world, who gave the entire earthly society the first car available to every person - the Ford T. In addition, Ford Motor Company is the very first company in the world to introduce conveyor production cars. Due to technological advances and constant innovation, Ford was able to reduce the price of the Tin Lizzy from $850 to $290.
So what is the secret to the success of the Ford Motor Company's automobile production, which has been going on for over a hundred years? Henry Ford created his company, dreamed of inventing such a car, the price of which in total would be the annual salary of a simple worker who worked at a car assembly plant in Detroit.
Henry Ford's very first car was the Model A.
The Ford company in its entire history, which has endured for about 140 years and has undergone great changes. But, despite this, the most important principles of production work remained unchanged - cars for people should be affordable, modern and reliable.
Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863 in Springfield, Michigan. His parents were named William and Mary Ford (William and Mary Ford), who had six children. Henry was the oldest of them. My father and mother owned a farm, which flourished. Therefore, all the childhood of the future genius was spent on the family farm, where Henry went to an ordinary rural school, and after that he helped his parents with the housework.
When Henry was 12 years old, he built a small workshop for himself, in which he spent all his free time with great pleasure. A few years later, he will create his first steam engine, designed in this workshop.
most famous and popular car of the last century - Ford T. It is thanks to the series of this brand that the car has turned from a toy for the rich into a means of transportation that is available to everyone.
Henry Ford takes a job as an assistant machinist, moving to Detroit in 1879. Three years later, he moved to Dearborn, where he designed and repaired steam engines for about five years, but sometimes worked part-time at a factory in Detroit. After 9 years, Ford marries Clara Bryant and in 1888 successfully occupies one of the leading positions at the sawmill.
Three years later, in 1891, Ford became an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company, and two more years later he was promoted to chief engineer. Now Ford has more free time plus a very decent income. Thanks to this, Henry was able to devote more time to the creation of an internal combustion engine.
The first version of the engine was developed in the kitchen, in the house of Ford himself. After that, he fastened it to a four-wheel bicycle frame. The result is a quad bike. In 1896, it was he who became the first Ford car. In 1899, Henry Ford left Edison Illuminating to form his own company, Detroit Automobile. A year later, the company will go bankrupt, but despite this, Ford will have time to produce several models of racing cars. Also in October 1901, Ford would take part in the auto race, where he would become the winner, overtaking the then current US champion Alexander Winton (Alexander Winton).
Model T was produced in the form of a convertible, pickup truck, passenger car and other types of models. Ford Motor was formed in 1903. Henry Ford founded the company along with 12 founders from Michigan. Ford himself was at the head of the company, holding the position of vice president and chief engineer, and he also owned a controlling stake of 25 percent.
To create a car manufacturing plant, the company bought the Mack Avenue van factory in Detroit and converted it to its line of business. Ford hired teams of 2-3 workers under his management and they made auto parts to order.
On July 23, 1903, the first Ford car was sold. The first model was the "gas sidecar" or Model A, powered by an eight horsepower engine. On the market, the car was assigned as a simple and affordable car, on which even a teenager at the age of 15 can sit behind the wheel. Thereafter, Henry Ford became the principal owner and chief president of Ford Motor.
Thanks to the first representatives of the company Schreiber, Thornton, Perry (Schreiber, Thornton, Perry) from the UK in 1907, the Ford logo was invented in the form of an oval. He characterized Ford cars as a symbol of reliability, efficiency and personified the "brand of the highest standard."
Henry Ford directed common work production. Over the next five years, under his management, nineteen letters from Model A to Model S were involved, some of which remained at the initial or research levels and did not reach the level of production and release to the market.
Henry Ford was able to fulfill his dream only in 1908. He released the Tin Lizzy model (Tin Lizzy, as the Americans affectionately called her) - Model T. This car model has become the most famous in the history of the auto industry. The base price of the car was $260. Eleven thousand Model T cars were sold during the first year of production. Its appearance on the market meant new era or the evolution of the mode of transport.
Ford cars did not require complex Maintenance, they could even drive over rough rural roads, in general, they were easy to drive. As a result, the demand for the car was constantly growing, and it became an object of mass production.
Also, on the main base of the Model T building, cars of other modifications are produced: minibuses, ambulances, small trucks, small vans, etc. In addition, a version was also made for a military ambulance.
With the increase in labor productivity and product quality, consumer demand from buyers also grew. Henry Ford becomes the very first in the world who decided to implement in automotive production conveyor. Thanks to him, the worker, staying in one place, performed only one operation, so every ten seconds a completely new Model T descended from the assembly line. The assembly line was one of the significant stages in the manufacturing revolution.
Family company.
Henry Ford, along with his son Adsel Ford, in 1919 bought shares in Ford Motor Company from other founders of the enterprise for $105,568,858, after which the company became their family firm, and the Fords were its sole owners. In addition, Edsel Ford inherited the position of chief president of Ford Motor from his father, a position he held until he died suddenly in 1943. In the future, after the death of his son, Henry Ford has to again lead the management of the company.
Ford Fordor Deluxe - also became a wildly popular car model in its time.
In 1927, the Model A became the first to feature the Ford logo on the grille in an oval silhouette. Most Ford vehicles until the late fifties were produced with a dark blue badge logo, which is now known to many buyers. But, despite the fact that the oval pattern was approved as the official logo of the company, it was not applied to cars until the mid-seventies.
Constant progress and an accelerated lifestyle of a person, forced the company to introduce technology innovations and increase capacities. Ford Motor Company has always tried to keep up with the times.
In 1932, the company introduced the public to the V-shaped 8-cylinder engine. On April 1 of the same year, Ford became the first to produce such a monolithic engine. A series of cars with this engine has become the most popular among most Americans.
There is an assumption that our "Seagull" is a copy of the Ford Fairlane. What do you think?
In the same Ford- has become the most common car, due to its maintainability and auto parts available in US stores. In 1934 - were released trucks Ford (with a fully modified engine) for large cities and working farms.
After, with every year of popularity personal transport people also have a safety problem in cars. Ford does not get past this problem. He again becomes the one who is the very first to use safety glass in the production of a car. The main principle of the company's general policy has been and remains concern for human life. Therefore, the plant was constantly developing to reduce the risk to the person who was behind the wheel. Buyers have always generously paid for this with their love and predisposition to the Ford brand.
The Ford brand is becoming famous and popular not only in America. In addition to it, Ford Motor Company opens a large network of factories, stores and branches all over the world, including Russia and Europe. All over the world, Ford cars have good sales and become a national brand of genuine quality.
50-60s.
After the Second Patriotic War, Henry Ford in 1945 inherited his powers as the head of the company, Henry Ford the second (eldest grandson). In addition, in May 1946, Henry Ford Sr. was awarded an honorary award for services to the automotive industry, as well as Golden medal at the end of the same year for services to society by the American Petroleum Institute.
Ford F-100 - became iconic car among pickup trucks, putting a huge number of US residents on it. This model is still popular today.
On April 7, 1947, Henry Ford Sr. died at the age of 83 in Dearborn. His death marked the end of the initial and turbulent period of the Ford Motor Company and, despite this, opened the door to a new automobile era. The grandson of Henry Ford Sr. continues the work and dream of his grandfather with dignity. Appears, a new Ford model. On June 8, 1948, the 1949 model of the future was solemnly presented at the New York Auto Show. Its unique design set it apart from the rest: independent front suspension, opening rear side windows, and sleek side panels.
A novelty in automotive design, it has become an amalgamation of the body and fenders. Ford Motor Company achieves high sales of these models in 1949, which is the highest sales since 1929. The company's profits begin to rise from high speed, and this, in turn, allows you to increase the number of factories, branches and open new engineering and research centers.
Model Ford Thunderbird - in those years becomes the most luxurious and legendary sports car in further development the company opens new areas of its activity: 1. Ford Motor Company - itself financial business brand FORD. 2. American Road Insurance Company - Insurance Company. 3. Ford Parts and Service Division - automated replacement of spare parts. As well as the production of automotive electronics and technology, space technology, computer development, etc.
And, in the end, Ford Motor Company in January 1956 becomes an OJSC (open Joint-Stock Company). Now, at this point in time, there are over seven hundred thousand founders and owners of shares.
In the 1960s, the focus of the company was on the younger generation. Ford Jr. redirects car production to sports and inexpensive cars intended for youth.
After that, in 1964, the Ford Mustang, named after the P-51 military aircraft, appeared on the market for the first time. Its feature was that it was used the new kind engine. It combined the transmission and the drive axle together. Also, the differences were in the new body design, which combined all the modern trends of those years.
Ford Mustang - has become a real masterpiece among sports cars and the younger generation.
Such interest in the Ford brand has not been observed since the release of the first Model A. The company's expectations have exceeded themselves. Nearly 100,000 Mustangs were sold in the first three months after launch.
After such success, the inspired employees of the company continue to work on improving the design. New trends and innovations in automotive design are beginning to be applied. As a result, the Corina and Transit models are born.
In turn, Ford Motor Company continues to work on road safety projects. Proving thereby that profit is not the main goal of the company.
The Model GT40 wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans, ending Ferrari's lead in the event.
Also Ford Motor Company in 1970 was the first company in the world to introduce disc brakes to a wide range of production. In 1976 and thereafter, the official oval-shaped Ford logo with a blue background and silver letters appears on all car bodies. This made it possible to recognize Ford cars in any country in the world.
Model Ford Taurus - was awarded the "car of the year" in the United States, because of its comfort and economy, which also became a popular hit.
After, in turn, such models as the Ford Taurus and the Mercury Sebale appeared. They were designed as fuel economy vehicles. The company's designers and specialists have been constantly innovating to create a truly essential car for people with a middle-class income.
It is worth noting that the Model Ford Taurus was designed as a car in which every detail was made to perfection. Such fruitful work brought success to the company and in 1986 Ford Taurus became the number one car in America and was recognized best car the same year.
After these events, the Model Ford Mondeo was released. He replaced Model Ford Scorpio, despite being inferior to it in size at the beginning of production.
Then in 1994 there was whole line novelties in addition to such as the Model Ford Mondeo. These are the new Windstar minibus, a modified Model Ford Mustang, as well as the new Model Ford Espire.
After some time in North America new improved Model Ford Taurus and Model Mercury Tracer models appeared. The first ones were made in them, modifying the design of the body and interior after the outdated style of the eighties. also in European countries, the design changes were shown to the public Minivan Galaxy, Model Ford Fiesta and F-series pickup.
The new Model Ford Galaxy minivan was built on the same platform as the Ford Seat Alkhambra and Ford Volkswagen Sharan, their internal and external differences could easily be counted on the fingers.
Present tense.
Many years later, the main principle of the production of Ford Motor Company was the combination of car improvement plus the minimum production costs, which allows the company to produce world-class cars. Now the Ford company releases for sale around the world more than seventy modifications of cars under different brands Ford, Lincoln, Aston Martin, Mercury, etc. Also Ford Motor Company has shareholdings in other companies such as Kia Motors Corporation or Mazda Motor Corporation.
Model Ford Focus - new model, which replaced the assembly line production of the Model Ford Escort. Ford Focus has gained wild popularity among Russian citizens even before the start of the main production. You can buy an engine for Ford Focus 2 at this link.
The new official plant of the Ford Motor Company was opened on July 9, 2002 in the city of Vsevolzhsk in the Leningrad Region. Russian Federation. In the Russian branch of the company, complete process production cycle.
