Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company, commonly known as Ford, is an American multinational automobile manufacturer. It was founded by Henry Ford and began operating on June 16, 1903. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford makes cars and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and luxury cars under its Lincoln brand. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol F and is mostly controlled by the Ford family.

Ford changed how cars were made by creating moving assembly lines. This method, known as Fordism, became famous around the world. Over the years, Ford has owned many different car brands, such as Jaguar and Land Rover, which were later sold, and Volvo, which Ford owned for a time. Today, Ford is the second-largest American car maker, after General Motors, and one of the biggest in the world.

Even during tough times like the 2008–2010 automotive industry crisis, Ford managed without help from the government. The company has since grown strong again. In 2023, Ford made 4.4 million cars and employed about 177,000 people around the world. It also works with partners in places like China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.

History

Main article: History of the Ford Motor Company

20th century

The Henry Ford Company was Henry Ford’s first attempt to make cars. It began on November 3, 1901, but later became the Cadillac Motor Company after Ford left. In 1903, the Ford Motor Company started in a new factory with $28,000 from twelve investors, including John and Horace Dodge, who later started the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company.

The first leader was not Ford but a local banker named John S. Gray, chosen to make investors feel safer. In the early years, the company made just a few cars each day at factories in Detroit, Michigan. They built cars from parts made by other companies. Over time, Ford improved how cars were built, creating the moving assembly line in 1913.

Henry Ford started the company when he was 39, and it grew to become one of the biggest and most successful companies in the world. The first gasoline-powered automobile was made in 1885 by German inventor Karl Benz. Ford helped make cars affordable for middle class people with new ideas, like the first moving assembly line in 1913.

Between 1903 and 1908, Ford made cars like the Models A, B, C, F, K, N, R, and S. In 1908, Ford made the Model T, which sold millions over nearly 20 years. In 1927, Ford replaced the T with the Model A, the first car with laminated safety glass in the windshield. Ford made the first low-priced car with a V8 engine in 1932.

Ford made the Mercury brand in 1939 to compete with other mid-priced cars. Henry Ford bought the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922 to make luxury cars.

During World War II, Ford made planes for the United States and vehicles for Germany. In 1951, Ford started a lab in Dearborn, Michigan, which later helped create important technology.

Ford made safety improvements like seatbelts and child-proof locks in the 1950s. In 1964, Ford introduced the Ford Mustang. In the 1980s, Ford made many popular cars and used the slogan "Have you driven a Ford, lately?"

21st century

William Clay Ford Jr., Henry Ford's great-grandson, became leader of the company in 1998 and CEO in 2001. Ford sold some racing business in 2004 and made changes to save money. By 2005, Ford and another company had financial trouble.

Ford made new types of cars, including hybrid electric vehicles. In 2006, Ford raised money by borrowing and made an agreement to save on costs. In 2007, Ford made a big loss but later made a profit in 2009.

In 2012, Ford sold its climate control business. In 2016, Ford planned to modernize its buildings. In 2017, Ford canceled plans to build a plant in Mexico and instead invested in Michigan. Ford also started working on self-driving and electric vehicles.

In 2020, Ford slowed down production because of health concerns. In 2021, Ford made a partnership to deliver groceries using self-driving cars. In 2022, Ford split into three parts to focus on electric vehicles, traditional vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Ford announced job cuts in several countries to save money. In 2023, Ford introduced a new technology that helps drivers but still needs human control.

In November 2024, Ford announced more job cuts in the UK and Germany. In September 2025, Ford moved its headquarters to a new building in Dearborn, which opened in November 2025. In December 2025, Ford made changes to its electric vehicle plans due to changes in government support.

Corporate affairs

The Ford Motor Company shows important business trends each year.

Ford is mostly owned by big investment groups. Some of the largest owners include The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation.

Ford has a charity group called Ford Philanthropy. It was started in 1949 and helps with education, safe driving, and building stronger communities. It offers many programs for students and young drivers.

In 2016, Ford started the FordWorks program to help people with disabilities find jobs. It first focused on people with autism and has since grown to include others with disabilities. Ford works with partners like Upbound to make this happen.

Operations

See also: List of Ford factories

Ford has had manufacturing operations around the world. These include places like the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa. Ford also helped the Soviet Union build cars for the Russian company GAZ.

North America

In 2010, Ford said its sales went up by 23% for the month. Sales to fleet customers rose by 32% in June 2010. By the end of 2010, fleet sales had risen by 35% to 386,000 units. In 2025, Ford reported higher sales because more people wanted its hybrid cars and affordable trucks.

Europe

Main article: Ford of Europe

At first, Ford in Germany and Ford in Britain made different cars. This changed in 1965 when the Ford Transit and later the Ford Escort and the Ford Capri became common to both. In 1970, the Ford Taunus and the Ford Cortina were made with the same basic design. Later, the cars became identical.

In February 2002, Ford stopped making cars in the UK. This was the first time in 90 years that Ford cars were not made in Britain. Production of the Transit van continued at the company's Southampton factory until 2013.

East and Southeast Asia

Ford started working with car makers in China in 2001. It has spent money to grow its business there. Ford also works in places like Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan. In Thailand, Ford started making cars in 1960 but stopped in 1976. It returned in 1995 with a partner, Mazda.

Ford stopped all its work in Indonesia in 2016.

South Korea

In 1967, Ford worked with the South Korean company Hyundai. Later, Ford worked with Kia. Ford sold cars like the Ford Festiva and the Ford Aspire in the United States.

South and West Asia

Ford India started making cars in 1998. It made cars like the Ford Escort and later the Ford Ikon. In 2010, Ford launched the Figo, its first car made just for India.

South America

In South America, Ford works mostly in Brazil, Argentina, and some other countries. In 2021, Ford said it would stop making cars in Brazil.

Africa

In Africa, Ford's main market has been South Africa. Ford stopped working in South Africa in 1988 but returned in 1994. Today, Ford sells cars like the Fiesta and the Focus there.

Research

Ford has research centers in places like:

• Dearborn, Michigan
• Palo Alto, California
• Aachen, Germany
• Nanjing, China

The center in Palo Alto opened in 2012 and planned to grow in 2015.

Former operations

East and Southeast Asia

Ford of Japan

Ford opened a factory in Yokohama, Japan, in 1925. There, they built cars using parts from other countries. They made 10,000 cars by 1936 but stopped making cars in 1940 because of problems between Japan and the United States.

After World War II, Ford did not sell cars in Japan because the Japanese government took over their factory. In 1958, Ford got their factory back and used it for research with their partner, Mazda. In 1979, Ford bought part of Mazda and helped sell Ford cars in Japan through a place called Autorama. Later, this place was renamed Ford Sales of Japan.

Cars sold in Japan included models made in North America and Europe, as well as some made by Mazda.

Ford changed its ownership in Mazda over time but, by 2016, no longer sold new cars in Japan and closed its office there.

Oceania

In Australia and New Zealand, Ford made the Falcon car from 1960 to 2016. It was a big car, bigger than Ford’s main car in Europe, the Mondeo. The Falcon was very popular and was also made in New Zealand. It came in many versions, including high-performance models and a version called a ute, which is a small truck.

Ford also made other cars in Australia, like the Laser, which was very popular even though it was similar to a Mazda car. In New Zealand, Ford made the Laser and Telstar cars along with some Mazda models.

In 2013, Ford announced it would stop making cars in Australia by 2016. This decision affected many workers who lost their jobs. The factories in Australia closed in October 2016.

Products and services

Automobiles

See also: List of Ford vehicles, List of Lincoln vehicles, and List of Mercury vehicles

Ford Motor Company sells many cars under the Ford brand around the world. It also sells luxury cars under the Lincoln brand in the United States. Over time, Ford has used other brand names too. The Mercury brand started in 1939 but stopped in 2011 because not many people bought those cars. The Edsel brand was introduced in 1958 but stopped in 1960 for the same reason. The Merkur brand was used in the United States from 1985 to 1989 for cars made by Ford of Europe.

Ford once owned the British sports car company Aston Martin, buying it in 1989 and selling it in 2007. Ford also owned Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1999 until selling it in 2010.

In 2008, Ford reduced its share in the Japanese company Mazda from 33.4% to just 3%, though they still work together on technology and projects. In 2015, Ford sold even that small share. In 2008, Ford sold the United Kingdom-based Jaguar and Land Rover companies to Tata Motors of India.

In 2018, Ford announced plans to focus mainly on pickup trucks and SUVs, phasing out most of its North American car models, except the Mustang.

Trucks

Ford has made trucks since 1908, starting with the Ford Model TT. Countries where Ford made trucks include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the United States.

From the 1940s to the late 1970s, Ford's Ford F-Series was a popular truck in North America.

Many of Ford's truck businesses are no longer active. In Europe, the truck business became part of the Iveco group in 1986. Ford sold its heavy truck business to Freightliner Trucks of Daimler AG in 1996. In 1998, Freightliner started making its own versions of Ford trucks in Ontario, Canada, under the Sterling brand.

Ford made many truck models over the years, including the Ford F-Series, N-Series, L-Series, C-Series, Cargo/CF-Series, H-Series, W-Series, and CL-Series.

In 1999, Ford stopped making medium-duty trucks for a short time. In 2001, Ford joined with Navistar International to make medium-duty trucks in Mexico. They made the Ford F-650/F-750 Super Duty and International 4000/DuraStar. In 2006, they introduced the Ford LCF/International CityStar using a modified F-Series chassis.

In Europe, Ford makes the Ford Transit jumbo van for carrying goods, and also makes the Ford Transit Connect van and the Ford Ranger pickup truck.

Buses

Ford used to make complete buses, but now works with other companies to provide bus chassis. In North America, the E-Series is used for small school buses, and the F-650 is used for commercial buses. In the 1980s and 1990s, the medium-duty B700 was used by school bus makers, but Ford lost market share.

Older Ford bus models included buses based on truck bodies before 1936, like the Model B, Model T, and F-105 school bus.

In 1936, Ford introduced the Ford Transit Bus, a small bus with bodies made by other companies. It was changed to have a rear engine in 1939. About 1,000 to 1,200 of the original design were made, and around 12,500 of the rear-engine design, which was made until 1947 (called the Universal Bus from 1946).

After the Transit Bus, Ford made the Ford 8M buses, like the 8MB transit bus from 1948.

After World War II, Ford lost much of its bus business in North America to General Motors.

In Europe, Ford makes the Ford Transit Minibus for passengers, available with 12, 15, or 17 seats. Past European models included the EM, N-138, and D series buses (in Australia).

Tractors

Ford began making tractors in 1907 with the Fordson tractors in Michigan, Ireland, England, and later in Leningrad. Ford returned to tractors in 1939 with the Ford N-series tractors. The Ford 8N, introduced in 1947, was very popular in North America. Production of the N-series ended in 1952.

The Ford NAA tractor was introduced in 1953, larger than the 8N with a four-cylinder engine.

In 1986, Ford bought Sperry-New Holland, making skid-steer loaders and hay tools, forming Ford-New Holland. This company was bought by Fiat in 1993 and renamed New Holland, which is now part of CNH Global.

Financial services

Ford offers car financing through Ford Motor Credit Company.

Automotive components

Ford's parts division sells replacement parts under the Motorcraft brand. It later became a separate company called Visteon.

Marques

Current marques

Ford Motor Company has several brands, or marques, that they use today.

Former marques

Ford has also used other brands in the past. Some of these are no longer used by the company.

Motorsport

Main article: Ford Racing

FIA World Championships

Along with Shelby and Chevrolet, Ford is one of only three American car makers to win big international races at the FIA World Championships. Ford won the World Sportscar Championship three times. At the World Rally Championship, Ford won four times for drivers and four times for manufacturers. At the World Touring Car Championship, Ford helped a Swiss team win a title. As an engine supplier, Ford also won many times in Formula One World Drivers' Championships and Formula One World Constructors' Championships.

Ford is also one of only three car makers, along with Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport (wins at the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Monaco Grand Prix). Ford achieved this as an engine maker by winning the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix.

Open-wheel racing

IndyCar

IndyCars with Ford engines first raced in 1935. Ford’s first big win was in 1965. Ford engines, including ones made with help from Cosworth, have won the Indianapolis 500 eighteen times. In 1996, a driver using a Ford engine set very fast qualifying speed records.

Formula Ford

Formula Ford started in the UK in 1966. It is a place for young drivers to learn racing with simple, wingless cars.

Formula One

Main article: Ford in Formula One

See also: Cosworth and Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Ford helped many Formula One teams with engines from 1967 to 2004. These engines, made by Cosworth, won many races for teams like Team Lotus and McLaren. Ford tried racing as a team owner in 2000 with Jaguar Racing, but it did not go well. Ford left Formula One after 2004 but plans to return in 2026 with Red Bull Powertrains.

Stock car racing

Ford is one of three car makers in NASCAR’s big races. Major teams include RFK Racing, Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing. Ford uses the Mustang GT in one series and the F-150 in another. Ford has had many successful cars and won many races.

Rally

Main article: Ford World Rally Team

Ford has been in rallying since the 1973 season of the World Rally Championship. Ford won manufacturers’ titles with drivers like Hannu Mikkola. In the 1999 season, Ford started using the Ford Focus WRC and won titles again in 2006 and 2007.

Rallycross

Ford has raced in rallycross with its Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus. Drivers like Tanner Foust and Toomas Heikkinen have won big rallycross titles.

Sports cars

Main article: Ford GT § Racing

Ford sports cars have raced since 1964. The Ford GT40 is most famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times and is the only American car to ever win there. Ford also won four titles at the World Sportscar Championship with the GT40.

Ford Mustang

Main article: Ford Mustang § Racing

The Ford Mustang has been very successful in racing. It has won many titles in different series over the years.

Touring cars

Ford has raced touring cars like the Mustang, Focus, Falcon, and Contour/Mondeo in many series.

Drag racing

In drag racing, drivers like John Force, Tony Pedregon, and Robert Hight have won NHRA titles recently with Ford Mustang Funny Cars.

Drifting

Ford has started racing in drifting with the new Mustang. One famous car is a blue and green Mustang with special tires driven by Vaughn Gittin, Jr..

Environmental initiatives

Flexible fuel vehicles

Flexible fuel vehicles can use different mixes of ethanol and gasoline. This includes using pure gasoline or blends like E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). Having enough fueling stations is important for these vehicles to be popular with drivers. Efforts are underway to increase the production and availability of E85 fuel.

Electric drive vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles

See also: Hybrid electric vehicle

In 2004, Ford worked with Toyota to share technology for making hybrid vehicles. Ford introduced the Escape Hybrid in 2004, which was the first hybrid SUV on the market and could also run on E85 fuel. Ford aimed to make 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010 but faced challenges and changed its plans. Ford continued to develop new hybrid technology in Britain with Volvo.

In 2007, Ford partnered with Southern California Edison to study how plug-in hybrids could work with the electricity grid. Ford converted some Escape Hybrids to plug-in hybrids for testing. In 2008, Ford added a plug-in hybrid version of the Escape to the U.S. government’s fleet of vehicles. Ford began selling hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in 2009.

As of November 2014, Ford had produced many hybrid models, including the Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Ford C-Max Hybrid, and Ford Mondeo Hybrid.

Plug-in electric vehicles

See also: Plug-in electric vehicle

As of April 2024, Ford makes several plug-in electric vehicles, including the Ford Escape/Kuga PHEV, Ford Ranger PHEV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Explorer EV, Ford E-Transit/Tourneo Courier, Ford E-Transit Custom, and the Ford E-Transit.

Bill Ford used a battery electric Ford Ranger EV while Ford worked with the United States Postal Service to deliver electric vans. Ford stopped making electric Ranger pickup trucks but later reversed this decision. From 1998 to 2002, the all-electric Ranger was leased to individuals and fleets in the U.S.

From 2009 to 2011, Ford offered the Ford TH!NK car but later ended production and took back the cars. After protests, Ford returned the cars to Norway for sale.

In 2017, Ford planned to invest $4.5 billion in plug-in electric vehicles by 2020.

The Azure Transit Connect Electric, developed with Azure Dynamics, was an all-electric van from 2010 to 2012.

The Ford Focus Electric, made by Magna International, began sales in the U.S. in December 2011.

The Ford C-Max Energi, a plug-in hybrid, was released in the U.S. in October 2012. It was followed by the Ford Fusion Energi from 2013 to 2020.

In October 2017, Ford created Team Edison to lead its electric vehicle efforts, planning a small SUV by 2020.

The Mustang Mach-E was introduced on November 17, 2019, and went on sale in December 2020 as a 2021 model.

The F-150 Lightning was revealed on May 19, 2021. The first one was made on April 18, 2022, and delivered in the U.S. on May 26.

Through the 2019 Ford-VW alliance, Ford began making electric vehicles for Europe using Volkswagen’s MEB platform and batteries. The first is the Ford Explorer EV, made in Germany. In August 2023, Ford delayed Explorer EV deliveries to 2024 due to new battery rules.

In March 2022, Ford created Ford Model E, a division for its electric vehicle business, aiming to be profitable by 2026.

In May 2023, Ford said it would use Tesla’s North American Charging System (NACS) for its electric vehicles after 2024.

2025 investment

In August 2025, Ford said it would invest almost $5 billion to make lower-cost electric vehicles. $2 billion will go to the Louisville factory to develop cheaper electric parts and a new way to build cars. The first car from Louisville will be a medium pickup truck starting at $30,000 in 2027. Another $3 billion will build a new battery factory in Michigan.

Hydrogen

Ford studies fuel cell-powered electric vehicles and has shown hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines. Compared to regular cars, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles cut air pollution and noise.

Ford makes hydrogen-powered shuttle buses for airports and convention centers. At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford showed a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Explorer SUV. This vehicle can go 350 miles and was partly funded by the United States Department of Energy.

Increased fuel efficiency

In July 2008, Ford said it would make more fuel-efficient cars faster. It planned to change three factories to make small cars instead of trucks and SUVs. Factories in Mexico City and Louisville would also change to make small cars like the Ford Fiesta by 2011. Ford also planned to bring six European small cars, including two versions of the Fiesta, to North America by the end of 2012.

Ford of Europe made the ECOnetic programme for better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Using special diesel engines and better design, the Ford Fiesta was the lowest-emitting car in Europe. The 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic uses less fuel than the Toyota Prius or Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion.

In 2000, Ford said it would improve SUV mileage by 25% by 2005 but could not meet this goal because of market and technology challenges.

For the 2007 model year, Ford had thirteen U.S. cars that could go 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway.

Efficient buildings

In 2010, Ford added a 10.4-acre living roof to part of its Dearborn Truck plant. This roof, made of sedum plants, helps clean rainwater and saves energy.

In 2016, Ford announced a ten-year plan to update its Dearborn campus. The plan includes building bigger offices and labs to LEED standards, using wetlands and parks, adding solar-powered parking decks, and building a new natural gas power plant.

Sponsorships

Ford sponsors many events and sports places in the U.S. This includes the Ford Center in downtown Evansville, Indiana and Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

The company has supported the UEFA Champions League for many years. It has also been a sponsor of the Sky media channel's coverage of Premier League football. From 1994 to 1999, Ford was the main sponsor for a German Bundesliga team called 1. FC Köln.

Sales numbers