Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the world's third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. For 2007, Ford is the third-ranked automaker in US sales after General Motors and Toyota. This is the first time in the past 56 years Ford was not second-ranked autmaker in US sales. Ford was also the seventh-ranked American-based company in the 2007 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues of $160.1 billion. In 2006, Ford produced about 6.6 million automobiles, and employed about 283,000 employees at about 100 plants and facilities worldwide. In 2007, Ford had more quality awards from J.D Power than any other automaker. Based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, the automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in June 16, 1903. Ford now encompasses many global brands, including Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a one-third controlling interest in Mazda. Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce, especially elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Ford's combination of highly efficient factories, highly paid workers, and low prices revolutionized manufacturing and came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914.
Today, Ford Motor Company manufactures automobiles under several names including Lincoln and Mercury in the United States. In 1958, Ford introduced a new marque, the Edsel, but poor sales led to its discontinuation in 1960. Later, in 1985, the Merkur brand was introduced; it met a similar fate in 1989. Ford has major manufacturing operations in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, the People's Republic of China, and several other countries, including South Africa where, following divestment during apartheid, it once again has a wholly owned subsidiary. Ford also has a cooperative agreement with Russian automaker GAZ. Since 1989, Ford has acquired Aston Martin (which it sold again on March 12, 2007, but it will retain a $77 million stake in the sports car maker), Jaguar, Land Rover, from the United Kingdom and Volvo Cars from Sweden, as well as a controlling share (33.4%) of Mazda of Japan, with which it operates an American joint venture plant in Flat Rock, Michigan called Auto Alliance. It has spun off its parts division under the name Visteon. Its prestige brands, with the exception of Lincoln, are managed through its Premier Automotive Group.
Ford's FoMoCo parts division sells aftermarket parts under the Motorcraft brand name. Ford's non-manufacturing operations include organizations such as automotive finance operation Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford also sponsors numerous events and sports facilities around the nation, most notably Ford Center in downtown Oklahoma City and Ford Field in downtown Detroit. Overall the Ford Motor Company controls the following operational car marques: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, and Volvo; Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo are currently part of the Premier Automotive Group.
Ford sports cars have always been visible in the world of endurance racing. Most notably the GT40 won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in the 1960s and still stands today as one of the all-time greatest racing cars. The GT40 is the only American car to ever win overall at Le Mans. Ford won the manufacturers title in 2005 in the Grand-Am Cup series with the FR500C Mustang race car.
In the USA, Ford's heavy trucks division (Classes 7 and 8) was sold in 1997 to Freightliner, now part of DaimlerChrysler, that rebranded it as Sterling. Ford continues building medium class trucks with the F-650 and F-750 and recently introduced the LCF series similar in design to the Ford Cargo trucks of the past.
Fords Cars Models in alphabetic order List: Ford 2GA Ford 300 (1963) Ford 7W (1937-1938) Ford 7Y (1938-1939, UK) Ford Anglia (1940-1967, Europe) Ford Aspire (1994-1997, rebadged Kia Avella) primarily an American car but exported to Canada, Spain, Greece, Malta Ford Bantam (South Africa) Ford Capri (1961-1964, 1969-1986, Europe; 1989-1994, Australia) Ford Classic (1961-1963, UK) Ford Comčte (1951-1954, France) Ford Consul (1951-1962, 1972-1975; UK) Ford Contour (1995-2000) Ford Corcel (Brazil, Venezuela) Ford Corsair (1964-1970, UK) Ford Corsair (1989-1992, Australia, rebadged Nissan Pintara) Ford Carousel(name for Cortina in Brazil) Ford Cortina (1962-1982, Europe) (Australia (1981 Brazil and North America) Ford Cougar (1999-2002, Europe, rebadged Mercury Cougar) Ford Country Sedan (1952-1974) Ford Country Squire (1949-1991) Ford Coupe Ford Courier (1972-1982, North America; 1991-2002, Europe; 1972-present, Australia; 1998-present, Brazil) Ford Crestline (1952-1954 as independent model; 1950-1951 as Custom submodel) Ford Crestliner (1950-1951) Ford Crown Victoria (1955-1957, 1992-present) Ford Crusader North America rebadged cortina Ford Custom (Used periodically between 1929 and 1996) Ford Custom Deluxe (1950-1951) (Included "Crestliner" as submodel) Ford Customline (1952-1956) Ford CX (1935-1937) Ford Delivery Car Ford Del Rey (Brazil, Venezuela) Ford Del Rio Ford Deluxe (1950-1951) Ford Ecosport - Brazilian SUV based on the European Ford Fusion Ford Eifel (1935-1939, Germany) Ford Eight Ford Elite (1974-1976) Ford Escort (1981-2002, North America; 1968-2000, Europe) Ford EXP (1982-1988) Ford Fairlane (1955-1971, North America; 1967-2007, Australia) Ford Fairmont (1978-1983, North America; 1965-present, Australia) Ford Falcon (1960-1969, North America; 1960-present, Australia) Ford Falcon XR6 (1991-present, Australia) Ford Festiva (1988-1992, rebadged Mazda 121) Ford Fiesta (1976-present, Europe; 1978-1980, North America, 2002-present South America) Ford Five Hundred (2005-2007) Ford Flexible Fuel Vehicle Ford Focus (North America) (2000-present) Ford Focus (International) (1998-present, Europe) Ford Focus C-MAX (2003-present) Ford Fusion (North America) (2006-present) Ford Galaxie (1959-1974).
Ford Granada (1975-1982, North America; 1972-1993, Europe) Ford Grand Marquis (1999-present, Canada) Ford GT (2005-2006) Ford GT40 (1966-1969) Ford GTX1 Ford Interceptor (2009-present) Ford Ikon (South Africa, India, China and Mexico Ford Ka (1996-present, Europe and South America) Ford Kalos Ford Köln Ford Landau (1973-1976, Australia) Ford Landau (1976-1983, Brazil) Ford Laser (1980-2003, Australia & New Zealand) Ford Linha Ford LTD (Australia) (1973-2007) Ford LTD (North America) (1965-1986) Ford LTD II (1977-1979) Ford LTD Crown Victoria (1983-1991) Ford Mainline (1952-1956) Ford Marauder (2003-2004, Canada) Ford Maverick (1970-1977, North America; 1988-1998, Australia; 1993-2004, Europe) Ford Meteor (1981-1985, Australia; 1986-1995, South Africa), Ford Mondeo (1993-present) Ford Mondeo Metrostar 2000-2006, Taiwan) Ford Mustang (1964-present) Ford Orion (1983-1993, Europe) Ford P68 (1968) Ford P69 (1969) Ford Pampa (1982-1997, Brazil) Ford Parklane (1956) Ford Pilot (1947-1951, UK) Ford Pinto (1971-1980) Ford Popular (1953-1959, Europe) Ford Prefect Ford Probe (1989-1997) Ford Pronto (Taiwan) Ford Pulsar Ford Puma (1997-2001, Europe) Ford Ranchero (1957-1979) Ford Ranch Wagon Ford Rheinland (1933-1936, Europe) Ford Roadster Ford RS200 (1984-1986, Europe) Ford RS2000 Ford Sedan Delivery Ford Scorpio (1985-1999, Europe) Ford Sierra (1983-1992, Europe) Ford Skyliner(1957-1959) Ford S-MAX Ford Special Ford SportKa Ford Standard Ford StreetKa Ford Sunliner Ford Starliner Ford Super Deluxe Ford Squire Ford Taurus (1986-present) Ford Taunus (1939-1982, Germany) Ford Telstar (1983-1999; Africa, Asia and Australia) Ford Tempo (1984-1994) North America Australia Ford Ten Ford Ten-Ten Ford Territory (2004-present, Australia) Ford Thunderbird (1955-1997, 2002-2005) Ford Torino (1968-1976) Ford Tourneo Ford Ute Ford Vedette (1948-1954, France) Ford Verona (1989-1996, Brazil) Ford Versailles (1992-1994, Brazil) Ford Verve Ford Victoria Ford Woody Ford Zephyr (1950-1971, UK) Ford Zodiac (1950-1971, UK 1966 1971 USA) Ford ZX2 (1998-2003) Ford Vans: Ford Aerostar (1986-1997) Ford E-Series (1961-present) Ford Econovan Ford Freestar (2004-2007) Ford I-MAX (2008-present) Ford Transit (1965-present, Europe and China Russia Australia Pennsylvania) Ford Windstar (1995-2004) Ford Galaxy (1995-present), SUV Ford List: Ford Edge (2007-present) Ford Escape (2001-present) Ford Excursion (2000-2005) Ford Expedition (1997-present) Ford Explorer (1991-present) Ford Flex (2009-) Ford Freestyle (2005-2007) Ford Taurus X (2008-present) Ford Territory (2004-present) Ford Fusion (Europe) (2002-present) Ford Everest (2003-present) Ford Bronco (1966-1996) Ford Bronco II (1984-1990).
