Ford Motor Company: From the Model T to the Mustang

this is one of the world’s largest

this is one of the world’s largest family controlled businesses welcome to

family controlled businesses welcome to

family controlled businesses welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be

watchmojo.com and today we’ll be

watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the history of the

learning more about the history of the

learning more about the history of the Ford Motor Company as an engineer Henry

Ford Motor Company as an engineer Henry

Ford Motor Company as an engineer Henry Ford was interested in mechanics and by

Ford was interested in mechanics and by

Ford was interested in mechanics and by June 4th 1896 he was already

June 4th 1896 he was already

June 4th 1896 he was already experimenting with an early form of

experimenting with an early form of

experimenting with an early form of motor vehicle that he called the

motor vehicle that he called the

motor vehicle that he called the quadricycle he then launched the Detroit

quadricycle he then launched the Detroit

quadricycle he then launched the Detroit automobile company in 1899 and this

automobile company in 1899 and this

automobile company in 1899 and this became the Henry Ford company by 1901

became the Henry Ford company by 1901

became the Henry Ford company by 1901 however Ford ended up leaving the next

however Ford ended up leaving the next

however Ford ended up leaving the next year and the company went on to reform

year and the company went on to reform

year and the company went on to reform as Cadillac it didn’t take long for

as Cadillac it didn’t take long for

as Cadillac it didn’t take long for Henry Ford to start his next company On

Henry Ford to start his next company On

Henry Ford to start his next company On June 13 1903 the Ford Motor Company of

June 13 1903 the Ford Motor Company of

June 13 1903 the Ford Motor Company of Dearborn Michigan was incorporated Ford

Dearborn Michigan was incorporated Ford

Dearborn Michigan was incorporated Ford was profitable right away however it was

was profitable right away however it was

was profitable right away however it was 1908 s Model T that proved immensely

1908 s Model T that proved immensely

1908 s Model T that proved immensely popular and affordable at eight hundred

popular and affordable at eight hundred

popular and affordable at eight hundred and fifty dollars the Model T became the

and fifty dollars the Model T became the

and fifty dollars the Model T became the first mass-produced automobile

first mass-produced automobile

first mass-produced automobile production went from a few cars per day

production went from a few cars per day

production went from a few cars per day at the outset to over 170,000 produced

at the outset to over 170,000 produced

at the outset to over 170,000 produced in 1912 by the next year the company had

in 1912 by the next year the company had

in 1912 by the next year the company had perfected the assembly line and this

perfected the assembly line and this

perfected the assembly line and this served to increase productivity even

served to increase productivity even

served to increase productivity even further in 1920 over 1 million Ford cars

further in 1920 over 1 million Ford cars

further in 1920 over 1 million Ford cars were produced initially output was

were produced initially output was

were produced initially output was slower due to high employee turnover it

slower due to high employee turnover it

slower due to high employee turnover it was then that Henry Ford effectively

was then that Henry Ford effectively

was then that Henry Ford effectively invented the 8-hour workday and doubled

invented the 8-hour workday and doubled

invented the 8-hour workday and doubled the salaries of his employees

the salaries of his employees

the salaries of his employees productivity and sales increased and

productivity and sales increased and

productivity and sales increased and other companies followed suit Ford

other companies followed suit Ford

other companies followed suit Ford social theories about manufacturing and

social theories about manufacturing and

social theories about manufacturing and its social effects were later named

its social effects were later named

its social effects were later named Fordism due to the success of Fordism

Fordism due to the success of Fordism

Fordism due to the success of Fordism and the rising efficiency of Ford’s

and the rising efficiency of Ford’s

and the rising efficiency of Ford’s production the already low price of the

production the already low price of the

production the already low price of the Model T continued to drop until it

Model T continued to drop until it

Model T continued to drop until it reached 290 dollars in the 1920s by this

reached 290 dollars in the 1920s by this

reached 290 dollars in the 1920s by this time Ford had expanded overseas and was

time Ford had expanded overseas and was

time Ford had expanded overseas and was producing cars all over the world in

producing cars all over the world in

producing cars all over the world in 1922 the company acquired the Lincoln

1922 the company acquired the Lincoln

1922 the company acquired the Lincoln Motor Company to cater to the luxury

Motor Company to cater to the luxury

Motor Company to cater to the luxury market however by the end of the 1920s

market however by the end of the 1920s

market however by the end of the 1920s Ford was no longer considered innovative

Ford was no longer considered innovative

Ford was no longer considered innovative by the consumer and was falling behind

by the consumer and was falling behind

by the consumer and was falling behind other automakers

other automakers

other automakers GM and Chrysler meanwhile other

GM and Chrysler meanwhile other

GM and Chrysler meanwhile other automakers were selling more expensive

automakers were selling more expensive

automakers were selling more expensive cars but they were also offering

cars but they were also offering

cars but they were also offering financing options to make them

financing options to make them

financing options to make them accessible while Ford opposed this by

accessible while Ford opposed this by

accessible while Ford opposed this by saying it would hurt the economy in the

saying it would hurt the economy in the

saying it would hurt the economy in the long term he eventually began offering

long term he eventually began offering

long term he eventually began offering monthly payment options in 1927 that

monthly payment options in 1927 that

monthly payment options in 1927 that year he also retired the popular Model T

year he also retired the popular Model T

year he also retired the popular Model T as the country suffered through the

as the country suffered through the

as the country suffered through the Great Depression so did for the company

Great Depression so did for the company

Great Depression so did for the company was forced to fire workers and this led

was forced to fire workers and this led

was forced to fire workers and this led to a high unemployment rate in Detroit

to a high unemployment rate in Detroit

to a high unemployment rate in Detroit and resentment toward the company once

and resentment toward the company once

and resentment toward the company once the Depression ended the mercury

the Depression ended the mercury

the Depression ended the mercury division of the company was founded to

division of the company was founded to

division of the company was founded to supply mid priced cars in 1938 world war

supply mid priced cars in 1938 world war

supply mid priced cars in 1938 world war ii followed and ford manufactured

ii followed and ford manufactured

ii followed and ford manufactured equipment for both the Allies and the

equipment for both the Allies and the

equipment for both the Allies and the axis henry ford and the company were

axis henry ford and the company were

axis henry ford and the company were then accused of nazi sympathy and by the

then accused of nazi sympathy and by the

then accused of nazi sympathy and by the end of the war the company was losing

end of the war the company was losing

end of the war the company was losing nine million dollars a month soon after

nine million dollars a month soon after

nine million dollars a month soon after Henry Ford died at the age of 83 on

Henry Ford died at the age of 83 on

Henry Ford died at the age of 83 on April 7 1947 however the company didn’t

April 7 1947 however the company didn’t

April 7 1947 however the company didn’t slow down by 1948 they had introduced

slow down by 1948 they had introduced

slow down by 1948 they had introduced the successful f-series of pickup trucks

the successful f-series of pickup trucks

the successful f-series of pickup trucks in 1955 Ford introduced the symbolic

in 1955 Ford introduced the symbolic

in 1955 Ford introduced the symbolic Thunderbird model though the company

Thunderbird model though the company

Thunderbird model though the company disappointed in 1958 with their Edsel

disappointed in 1958 with their Edsel

disappointed in 1958 with their Edsel line of cars their success continued

line of cars their success continued

line of cars their success continued into the 1960s with models like the

into the 1960s with models like the

into the 1960s with models like the Falcon and the iconic Mustang however

Falcon and the iconic Mustang however

Falcon and the iconic Mustang however one of the biggest failures in the fort

one of the biggest failures in the fort

one of the biggest failures in the fort catalog was 1971 s Pinto design flaws

catalog was 1971 s Pinto design flaws

catalog was 1971 s Pinto design flaws caused the car to be prone to exploding

caused the car to be prone to exploding

caused the car to be prone to exploding in a collision and the model is credited

in a collision and the model is credited

in a collision and the model is credited with causing a number of deaths despite

with causing a number of deaths despite

with causing a number of deaths despite the terrible press the company received

the terrible press the company received

the terrible press the company received fork bounced back by the 1980s and

fork bounced back by the 1980s and

fork bounced back by the 1980s and released a number of popular models the

released a number of popular models the

released a number of popular models the Lincoln Towncar first appeared in 1981

Lincoln Towncar first appeared in 1981

Lincoln Towncar first appeared in 1981 and replaced the Continental under the

and replaced the Continental under the

and replaced the Continental under the Ford name the escort was introduced that

Ford name the escort was introduced that

Ford name the escort was introduced that same year and became one of the

same year and became one of the

same year and became one of the company’s most successful models another

company’s most successful models another

company’s most successful models another triumph was the Ford Taurus starting as

triumph was the Ford Taurus starting as

triumph was the Ford Taurus starting as a 1986 model this sedan was the

a 1986 model this sedan was the

a 1986 model this sedan was the best-selling car in the United States

best-selling car in the United States

best-selling car in the United States for four years also introduced as an 86

for four years also introduced as an 86

for four years also introduced as an 86 was the Ford Aerostar minivan which was

was the Ford Aerostar minivan which was

was the Ford Aerostar minivan which was motor trends Truck of the Year for 1990

motor trends Truck of the Year for 1990

motor trends Truck of the Year for 1990 the

the

the out the years Ford has acquired and sold

out the years Ford has acquired and sold

out the years Ford has acquired and sold various other car companies including

various other car companies including

various other car companies including Jaguar Land Rover Aston Martin and Volvo

Jaguar Land Rover Aston Martin and Volvo

Jaguar Land Rover Aston Martin and Volvo cars like many US automakers they have

cars like many US automakers they have

cars like many US automakers they have struggled in recent years however with

struggled in recent years however with

struggled in recent years however with innovative efforts like their sync

innovative efforts like their sync

innovative efforts like their sync technology Ford is back on track as a

technology Ford is back on track as a

technology Ford is back on track as a pillar of the American auto industry