History of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)
Ford Motor Company – A History
Vehicle History
Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. Ford was a skilled craftsman, who used his skills to create an experimental car in 1896. He created a two cylinder vehicle that was capable of going up to 20 mph. Ford left his primary job in 1899 to create Detroit Automobile Company and produced the Model A in 1903. The car had an under the floor engine and sold for $850. This car sold 1,708 units in its first season. As Ford refined the product, he became increasingly focused with vehicle speed. In 1904, he released an experimental car, called the 999, which had a max speed of 91.4 mph. Later that year, the company also introduced the Model B and Model C for $2,000. Ford improved upon the prototype to create the Model K in 1905 that sold for $2,500. The 1906 model was the Model N, which sold for $500. The Model N undercut Oldsmobile’s prices and paved the way for Fords most historical innovation in 1909: the Model T.
The Model T, also known as the Tin Lizzie, was a very popular model for several reasons, including the rock-bottom price of $850, low fuel consumption, large engine size, and a top speed of 40 mph. 15 million Model T's were produced over the next 18 years and was considered the hallmark American vehicle. Ford rapidly increased production over the next several years, despite a major recall of the first million cars in 1922. During their continued production expansion, Ford began selling overseas in Great Britain, France, and Germany. The company realized continual innovation was a necessity to avoid product stagnation, notably with their only car color being black. As a result, in 1927, Ford stopped production of the Model T and worked on creating more innovative products that would move both the company and the industry forward.
The Model A became the next popular model to roll off the Ford production line. As a drawback of changing
Ford Motor Company – A History
Vehicle History
Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. Ford was a skilled craftsman, who used his skills to create an experimental car in 1896. He created a two cylinder vehicle that was capable of going up to 20 mph. Ford left his primary job in 1899 to create Detroit Automobile Company and produced the Model A in 1903. The car had an under the floor engine and sold for $850. This car sold 1,708 units in its first season. As Ford refined the product, he became increasingly focused with vehicle speed. In 1904, he released an experimental car, called the 999, which had a max speed of 91.4 mph. Later that year, the company also introduced the Model B and Model C for $2,000. Ford improved upon the prototype to create the Model K in 1905 that sold for $2,500. The 1906 model was the Model N, which sold for $500. The Model N undercut Oldsmobile’s prices and paved the way for Fords most historical innovation in 1909: the Model T.
The Model T, also known as the Tin Lizzie, was a very popular model for several reasons, including the rock-bottom price of $850, low fuel consumption, large engine size, and a top speed of 40 mph. 15 million Model T's were produced over the next 18 years and was considered the hallmark American vehicle. Ford rapidly increased production over the next several years, despite a major recall of the first million cars in 1922. During their continued production expansion, Ford began selling overseas in Great Britain, France, and Germany. The company realized continual innovation was a necessity to avoid product stagnation, notably with their only car color being black. As a result, in 1927, Ford stopped production of the Model T and worked on creating more innovative products that would move both the company and the industry forward.
The Model A became the next popular model to roll off the Ford production line. As a drawback of changing