When you think of a pure American truck, odds are that you will think about Ford. Ford is a brand of automobile that people trust and have come to love for many years. You may not know how it got started, or you may need a little refresher course. So here is a brief history of Ford, as well as where Ford looks to go in the future. This great American automobile has a great history.
Ford: The Beginnings
In 1903, all it took was $28,000 in cash from twelve different investors to launch an automobile company. A 40 year old Henry Ford, running his business from Detroit, Michigan, had much on his plate at that time. He had a control Ford Motors through the Great Depression. He did just that, and it became one of the few companies to make it through. His company produced the Model T. It was the 1st production car ever, and only a few Model T cars were made a day. Ford then started to produce their trucks in 1908. Those too became very popular in the early days of Ford.
The Expansion of Ford
Ford has always been at the front of expansion, looking to expand its empire. They want to put their golden touch on other car brands. Within the past 20 years, Ford has bought controlling stakes in Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Daimler, Volvo, and Mazda. They have also expanding their market to the Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, Africa, and the Middle East.
The Ever Changing Design of Ford
While Ford is known for their slick designs and great new brands of automobiles, they have also watched out for the environment. In 2000, Ford stepped up and let everyone know that they were going to make their cars more eco-friendly by 2005. They worked with hybrid-electric car and alternative fuel cars. Although the project did not turn out as broad as they had hoped for, they were able to achieve a lot. They also continue to work fuel cell-powered cars, and hope that they can work those into their automobiles in the near future. More of their models will become alternative fuel ready by 2009. Ford realizes they cannot be stuck in a rut, and have to advance to the future if they want to keep their product hot and in demand.
Ford: An American Tradition
With it’s involvement in NASCAR, and it’s popularity among musicians, and athletes, Ford is not going away any time soon. They have always been one of the cars America trusts most, and have an ever growing fan base. Ford always looks to improve its design, but maintains that quality “good old times” feel. Have you driven a Ford lately? Odds are that you or someone you know has. There is a reason they have been making cars for more than a century, and no one will be surprised if they continue to make cars for another century.
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