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Experimenting with the Model T
During this time, Henry Ford made his first experimental car behind his Detroit home in 1896. -
First Ford car assembled
During this time, the first Ford car was created in the Mack Avenue plant in Detroit, Michigan. -
Ford is founded
On June 16, 1903, Ford Motor Company is founded in Detroit, MI by Henry Ford and 11 other associate investors. -
The Model T
In 1908, Ford came out with the Model T, which proved to be a big success. The demand got so great that the company had to create mass manufacturing methods. -
New Production Plants Open
In 1911, Ford expands his production by opening a production plant in Kansas City plus one overseas in Manchester, England. -
First Production Line
In 1913, Ford creates the first assembly line for mass production. -
The $5 Day
In 1914, Ford introduced the $5 daily salary, which was double the pay at the time. This had an immediate impact for employment for Ford as 10,000 people lined up for jobs at Ford the following day. -
First Ford Truck
The first Ford truck, the Ford Model TT, was introduced in 1917. This original truck was rated at one ton. -
Ford begins to construct the River Rogue Complex
In 1917, Ford starts construction on the River Rogue Complex in Dearborn, Michigan. This was at the time going to be the biggest production facility in the world. It was built with a steel mill, tire factory, glass factory, power plant, and reception depot. It continues to evolve to this day. -
Ford acquires the Lincoln Motor Company
In 1922, Ford acquires the Lincoln Motor Company, a company that sells rather luxury cars. -
Ford makes a commercial airplane
In 1925, Ford makes an airplane that will be nicknamed the "Tin Goose". This was one of the first commercial airplanes created. -
Model A Introduced
In 1927, The final Model T was made, therefore starting production for the Model A. -
The Flathead V8 Engine
In 1932, Ford introduces the Flathead V8 Engine to go with the Model A. This made for a more powerful engine and a faster car. Production continued with the V8 engine for more than 22 years. Today, the V8 engine is still widely used and very popular. -
The Lincoln Zephyr
In 1936, Lincoln (part of Ford) Introduces the Lincoln Zephyr. This was a mid-range car between the affordable Ford V8 De Luxe and the pricy Lincoln cars. However, production for the Zephyr ceased during WWII. -
Ford Releases the Mercury Brand
In 1938, Ford released the Mercury brand to officially set the bridge between lower-priced Ford cars and the higher-end Lincoln cars. Since the first one, all Mercury cars were equipped with V8 engines. -
Ford starts creating Jeeps for the military
In 1941, Ford creates Jeeps for the first time for usage in the military. Due to their designation of general-purpose, they were nicknamed the GP vehicles. -
Contract signing with the UAW-CIO
In 1941, Ford signed a contract with the UAW-CIO ensuring better pay and better working conditions for all. -
Henry Ford II becomes president of the Ford Company
In 1945, after the death of Edsel Ford, Henry Ford II becomes the president of the Ford company, from 1945-1960. With the help of ten Air Force offices known as the "Whiz Kids", Henry modernized the Ford company, using the latest technology as opposed to what they had before. -
Ford begins crash testing vehicles
In 1954, Ford begins crash testing all of their vehicles. To this day, Ford has crash-tested more than 31 thousand times. -
The Ford Edsel
In 1957, Ford introduced the Edsel. During the time, it was considered the wrong car at the wrong time, however, today it is considered a vintage car due to its unique shape. -
Ford Credit
In 1959, Ford starts the Ford Motor Credit Company LLC, allowing all car owners and buyers to acquire loans and leases. This is widley used in the car industry today. -
The Ford Mustang
In 1964, Ford releases the Mustang. With its long hood, short deck and affordable price, it remains today the fastest-selling car of all time. -
The Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta, released in 1976, was the first successful front-wheel-drive vehicle created by Ford. After building a plant in Spain, the car was widely sold in Europe, taking the one-year sales record from the Mustang. -
Philip Caldwell becomes CEO
In 1980, Philip Caldwell becomes CEO, becoming the first CEO that isn't a member of the Ford family. -
The Ford Escort
In 1981, Ford releases the Ford Escort. It was advertised as "The New World Car" and was one of Ford's best-selling cars in the 80s. -
The Ford Explorer
With the creation of the Explorer, Ford founded the SUV market. The Explorer is a widley used car today and remains one of Ford's most successful cars. -
Ford turns 100
2003 marked the 100th anniversary for Ford. Due to the special event, they came out with limited-edition versions of five of their most popular cars. -
The Ford GT
With a 550 horsepower engine, the Ford GT was released in 2004 as Ford's premium sports car. -
The EcoBoost Engine
In 2009, Ford takes an approach to help the Fuel Economy with the EcoBoost engine. It became widely used among Ford cars and beyond. -
Ford Smart Mobility
In 2016, Ford starts the Ford Smart Mobility LLC, taking the company to the next level in connectivity, mobility, customer service, data, and autonomous vehicles. This program included over 30 experiments, including testing the vehicles in the snow, the first time they've done that in their history.
