Henry Ford is the greatest personality in the history of the automobile industry.
Once upon a time, it was he, as a boy working on his father’s farm, who fell hard from a horse. The accident occurred in the United States, in Michigan on the outskirts of Dearborn, in 1872. Standing on the ground after his fall, Henry set a goal in his life, to create a mode of transportation for people that would be safe, comfortable as opposed to horse-drawn carriages (carriages) or just riding on the saddle.
Ford Motor Company.
Growing up, Henry Ford teamed up with his 11 friends, enthusiasts like himself. On June 16, 1903, they all put together a start-up capital of $28,000 and applied for a manufacturing plant in Michigan.
This is how the Ford Motor Company came into being. Its first automobile invention was the “gasoline baby carriage,” which was called the Model A and was powered by an eight-horsepower engine.
Ten years after the first release of the car, Henry Ford was worldwide known as the genius who gave the entire earthly society the first affordable car for everyone – the Ford T. In addition, Ford Motor Company is the very first company in the world to introduce conveyorized car production. Due to technological advances and constant innovation, Ford managed to reduce the price of the Tin Lizzy model from $850 to $290.
So what is the secret of the success of the Ford Motor Company automobile production, which has lasted for over a hundred years? Henry Ford, when he created his company, dreamed of inventing the car that would cost the same as the annual salary of an ordinary worker in a Detroit assembly plant.
Henry Ford’s very first car was the Model A.
Ford has endured and undergone a lot of changes throughout its history, which is already about 140 years old. But, in spite of this, the most important principles of production remained unchanged – cars for people should be affordable, modern and reliable.
Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863, in Springfield, Michigan. His parents were William and Mary Ford, who had six children. Henry was the oldest of them all. Father and mother owned a farm, whose business flourished. Therefore, the entire childhood of the future genius was spent on the family farm, where Henry went to a regular rural school, and after it he helped his parents on the farm.
When Henry was 12 years old, he built himself a small workshop, in which he spent all his free time with great pleasure. A few years later he created his first steam engine, designed in this workshop.
The most famous and popular car of the last century is the Ford T. It is thanks to the series of this brand, the car has turned from a toy for the rich into a means of transportation that is available to everyone.
Henry Ford gets a job as an assistant machinist, moving to Detroit in 1879. Three years later he moves to Dearborn, where he designs and repairs steam engines for about five years, but occasionally moonlights at the Detroit plant. Nine years later Ford marries Clara Bryant and in 1888 successfully takes one of the managerial positions at the sawmill.
Three years later in 1891, Ford becomes an engineer at Edison Illuminating, and two years later he is promoted to chief engineer. Ford now had more free time plus a very decent income. Thanks to this, Henry was able to devote more time to the development of the internal combustion engine.
The first version of the engine was developed in the kitchen, in Ford’s own home. He then bolted it together with a four-wheeled bicycle frame. The result was a quad bike. In 1896, it became the first Ford automobile. In 1899, Henry Ford leaves Edison Illuminating to start his own company Detroit Automobile. A year later the company goes bankrupt, but despite this Ford managed to produce several models of race cars. Also in October 1901, Ford will participate in auto racing, which will be the winner, beating then the current U.S. champion Alexander Winton (Alexander Winton).
The Model T was produced as a convertible, pickup, passenger car, and other types of models. Ford Motor was formed in 1903. Henry Ford founded the company along with 12 founders from the state of Michigan. Ford himself was at the head of the company, serving as vice president and chief engineer, and he owned a controlling interest of 25 percent.
To set up an automobile manufacturing plant, the company bought the Mac Avenue van factory in Detroit and remodeled it to suit its line of business. Ford hired teams of two or three workers under its management and they made custom auto parts.
On July 23, 1903, the first Ford automobile was sold. The first model was a “gasoline baby carriage,” or Model A, powered by an eight-horsepower engine. The car was marketed as a simple and affordable car that even a teenager at age 15 could sit behind the wheel. After that, 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 Great Britain in 1907 the oval-shaped Ford logo was invented. It characterized Ford cars as a symbol of reliability, efficiency and embodied the “stigma of the highest standard”.
Henry Ford managed the overall operation of the production. Over the next five years, nineteen letters from Model A to Model S were run under his direction, some of which remained at entry or research levels and never made it to production and market.
Henry Ford was able to fulfill his dream only in 1908. He released the Tin Lizzy model (as Americans affectionately called it) – the Model T. This car became the most famous model in the history of the automobile industry. The base price of the car was $260. During the first year of release was sold eleven thousand cars Model T. Its appearance on the market meant a new era or evolution of a mode of transportation.
Ford cars did not require complicated maintenance, they could drive even on rough rural roads, and in general, they were easy to drive. As a consequence, demand for the car grew steadily, and it became the object of mass production.
Also on the main base of the Model T were produced other modifications: vans, ambulances, small trucks, small vans, etc. In addition, a military ambulance version was produced.
With the increase in productivity and quality of products, consumer demand from buyers was also growing. Henry Ford becomes the very first person in the world who decided to introduce the assembly line in automobile production. Thanks to him, a worker, staying in one place, performed only one operation, so every ten seconds a completely new Model T came down the assembly line. Conveyor production became one of the significant stages in the revolution of production.
A family company.
Henry Ford, along with his son Adsel Ford, bought Ford Motor Company stock from the other founders of the company for $105,568,858 in 1919, after which the company became their family firm and the Fords its sole owners. In addition, Edsel Ford inherited from his father the position of Ford Motor chief executive officer and held that position until his sudden death in 1943. After his son’s death, Henry Ford had to take over the company again.
The Ford Fordor Deluxe was also at one time a wildly popular car model.
In 1927, the Model A was the first to feature the Ford logo on the grille in the form of an oval silhouette. Most Ford cars until the late fifties were produced with a dark blue logo badge, which is still known to many customers. But despite the fact that the oval pattern was approved as the company’s official logo, it wasn’t applied to cars until the mid-seventies.
Constant progress and accelerated human life style, forced the company to introduce technology innovations and strengthen the capacity. Ford Motor Company has always tried to keep up with the times.
In 1932, the company introduced to the public V8 engine. On April 1 of the same year, Ford became the first company to produce such a monolithic engine. The series of cars with this engine became the most popular with most Americans.
There is an assumption that our “Seagull” is a copy of the Ford Fairlane. What do you think?
In the same year, Ford became the most common car, because of its maintainability and availability of spare parts in U.S. stores. In 1934 – Ford trucks (with a completely redesigned engine) were produced for large cities and working farms.
After, with every year of the popularity of personal transportation people have the problem of safety in cars. Ford does not pass over this problem. He again becomes the one who is the very first to begin using safety glass in the manufacture of the car. The main principle of the company’s general policy has been and remains concerned for human life. Therefore, the plant was constantly under development to reduce the risk to the person behind the wheel. Buyers have always generously paid for it 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 all over the world a large network of factories, stores and branches, Russia and Europe also gets there. All over the world Ford cars have good sales and become a people’s brand of genuine quality.
The 50s and 60s.
After the second national war, Henry Ford in 1945 passes his powers of company head to Henry Ford the second (eldest grandson) by inheritance. In addition, Henry Ford Sr. was given an honorary award in May 1946 for his services to the automobile industry, and a gold medal later that year for his services to society by the American Petroleum Institute.
Ford F-100 – became a cult car among pickups, getting a huge number of US residents hooked 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 was the end of the early and turbulent period of the Ford Motor Company and, despite this, it opened the door to a new automotive era. Henry Ford Sr.’s grandson is fittingly continuing his grandfather’s work and dream. A new Ford model appears. On June 8, 1948, the 1949 model of the future was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. Its unique design set the model apart from all others: independent front suspension, opening rear side windows, and sleek side panels.
The new in-car design was a union of body and fenders. Ford Motor Company achieves high sales of these models in 1949, exceeding sales figures since 1929. The company’s profits begin to grow at a high rate, which in turn allows it to increase the number of plants, branches, and open new engineering and research centers.
Ford Thunderbird model – in those years becomes the most luxurious and legendary sports car. Further development of the company opens new directions of its activity: 1. Ford Motor Company – the financial business of the FORD brand itself. 2. American Road Insurance Company is an insurance company. 3. Ford Parts and Service Division – automated replacement of spare parts. And also the production of automotive electronics and technology, space technology, computer development, etc.
And finally, the Ford Motor Company in January 1956 becomes an OAO (public company). Now, at this point in time, there are more than seven hundred thousand founders and shareholders.
In the sixties, the firm’s focus is on the younger generation. Ford Jr. redirects the production of cars for the release of sports and low-cost cars designed for young people.
After that, in 1964, the first model Ford Mustang, named after the military aircraft P-51, appears on the market. Its feature was that it used a new kind of engine. It combined transmission and drive axle together. Also the differences were in a new body design, which combined all modern trends of those years.
The Ford Mustang was a true masterpiece among sports cars and the younger generation.
Such interest to the Ford brand has not been seen since the first Model A. The company’s expectations exceeded themselves. About a hundred thousand Mustangs were sold in the first three months after the sales launch.
After this success, the enthusiastic employees of the company, continue to work on improving the design. All the new tendencies and innovations in automobile design were applied. As a result, Corina and Transit models are born.
In turn, Ford Motor Company continues to work on road safety projects. Thereby proving that profit is not the main goal of the company.
The Model GT40 wins the twenty-four-hour race at Le Mans, breaking Ferrari’s lead in the event.
Also Ford Motor Company in 1970 was the first company in the world to introduce disc brakes in wide 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 every country of the world.
Model Ford Taurus – was awarded “car of the year” in the United States because of its comfort and economy, which also became a popular hit.
Then, in turn, came models like the Ford Taurus itself and the Mercury Sebale. They were invented as fuel-efficient cars. The company’s designers and specialists were constantly innovating to create a really necessary car for people with a middle-class income level.
It is worth noting that the Model Ford Taurus was designed as a car in which every detail was crafted to perfection. Such fruitful work brought success to the company and in 1986, the Ford Taurus became the number one car in America and was voted the best car of that year.
After these events, the Model Ford Mondeo was released. It replaced the Model Ford Scorpio, even though it was inferior in size at the beginning of production.
Then in 1994, there were a number of new products besides the Model Ford Mondeo. These included the new Windstar minivan, the redesigned Model Ford Mustang, and the novelty Model Ford Espire.
A little while later, new and improved Model Ford Taurus and Model Mercury Tracer appeared in North America. These were the first to feature the body and interior design changes from the outdated styling of the eighties. Also in European countries, design changes to the Galaxy minivan, Model Ford Fiesta and F-series pickup were shown to the public.
The new Model Ford Galaxy minivan was designed on the same platform as the Ford Seat Alkhambra and Ford Volkswagen Sharan, and their internal and external differences could easily be counted on the fingers.
Present time.
Years later, the main production principle of Ford Motor Company has become a combination of improving the cars together plus the minimum production costs, which allows the company to produce world-class cars. Now Ford Motor Company produces more than seventy modifications of cars for sale around the world under different brands Ford, Lincoln, Aston Martin, Mercury, etc. Also Ford Motor Company has a stake in other companies such as Kia Motors Corporation or Mazda Motor Corporation.
The Model Ford Focus is a new model that replaced the assembly-line production Model Ford Escort. Ford Focus has gained rabid popularity among Russian citizens even before the main production was launched. You can buy the engine for the Ford Focus 2 at this link.
The new official plant Ford Motor Company was opened July 9, 2002, in Vsevolzhsk city in the Leningrad region of the Russian Federation. In the Russian branch of the company is a full-cycle production process.