Ford is a household name within the automotive industry. Part of this reason is because of its reliability, capability, and versatility of models to fit all kinds of buyers. The Ford brand continues to win new fans and satisfy loyalists with a wide range of trucks and SUVs.
Henry Ford is the person who really brought the automotive industry to the forefront of business and life. He founded the Henry Ford Company back in 1901, but it didn’t really kick off until 1903.
At the start of the endeavor, Ford had investors in John and Horace Dodge who would years later develop their own company and brand. When Ford first started, the line was limited to just a few vehicles rolled out each day with several people working on the parts. Ford is credited with creating the assembly line for mass production of automobiles. The Ford company began in Michigan and is still located there today. The Ford company was a family-owned business back at the start of the Ford line and the family still owns the company which has been operating for over 100 years.
When Ford began the first models that were rolled out were all known by letters. Model A, model B, model C, F, and more. Several hundred or even a thousand of these vehicles were purchased every year, but the most popular vehicle in the line was the Model T, which came out in 1908. The amount of these vehicles sold would number in the millions over the next 20 years.
In 1927, the Model A would again rise to popularity as the first vehicle to have safety glass for the windshield. About 5 years later, Ford would also make a breakthrough in engine technology by building the first V8. Seven years after that, in 1939 Ford would add the first Mercury to their inventory. Priced higher, it would appeal to a different clientele. Henry Ford had already added Lincoln to the Ford line back in 1922 when he purchased the Lincoln Motor Company. With the Lincoln name under his belt, he could now compete with other luxury brands like Cadillac.
Ford expanded into Russia and Germany with subsidiary companies to help the country’s economy and industrialization. From there, the company often led the way with features like rear seat belts and retractable hardtops on six-seater vehicles.
The Ford empire began expanding into other subsidiary companies like Edsel and merging Lincoln and Mercury into Lincoln-Mercury. In 1964, Ford introduced the Mustang at the World’s Fair and in the 1990s Ford purchased Jaguar and Aston Martin. The 2000’s brought some economical struggles, but in 2005 Ford began increasing their profit margins by selling off some models that weren’t as popular and then they turned their attention to SUVs and hybrids.
In coming years, Ford will be phasing out passenger cars, except Mustang, and will pour their efforts into trucks and SUVs. The F series pickups remain the top-selling pickups on the market, especially the F-150 models. Ford has expanded more into commercial use trucks like the Ford Transit. The SUV division has developed with SUVs like the Edge and Escape, but the Full-sized Explorer is still a top selling SUV. If you are interested in purchasing a new Ford Model, the Stanley Automotive Finance Enterprise (S.A.F.E.) is here to help. Come by Stanley Automotive Group Serving Dallas, Andrews and Gilmer and visit S.A.F.E. and let us help you find a great finance package made just for you.
