The History of Ford

Ford opened a branch in Russia as early as 1907, and its work continued after 1917. In 1932, with Ford's participation, the Nizhny Novgorod Automobile Plant (later known as GAZ) was opened, and the GAZ-A was an officially licensed copy of a Ford model.

Ford's lineup differs from region to region. Models such as the Fiesta, Focus and Kuga were developed by Ford of Europe and designed for European buyers, while the "homegrown" American Fords, such as the Escape and Explorer, look quite different from their European siblings. The Ford Focus became one of the best-selling cars in many markets around the world. 

Henry Ford founded the automobile company that bears his name, and that name became famous around the world. The one dark stain on his legacy is his open sympathy for the fascist regime and its leaders.

In Ford's youth, only the wealthy could afford to drive around in heavy motorized carriages, which stirred envy in those who couldn't afford such luxury. So even as a young man, Henry Ford set himself the goal of building a convenient, simple car that would help people with their work, on a farm, for example (his father was a farmer of modest means). 

In essence, his first vehicle looked like a frame on four bicycle wheels with an engine mounted on it. The invention earned Ford $200, which he promptly invested in developing his idea further: a simple, affordable and reliable car.

Ford then managed to build a race car that won races. This helped him attract the right people and raise the money to found a company called Ford Motor in 1903. Henry Ford's dreams were finally starting to come true!

Other models followed, though some were built only as experiments. The best-known car of those years was the Model T, nicknamed the "Tin Lizzie," which was a huge hit with ordinary buyers thanks to its simplicity and affordable price.

Ford became the sole owner of Ford Motor. Not content to rest on his success, Henry Ford went on to develop the V8 engine, and then the one-piece cast V8 engine block.

Over time, however, the company faced a powerful rival in General Motors, which outpaced Ford and its creation in many respects. 

For this, the company's founder received a high decoration from the Third Reich. When the tide of the war turned, however, the company switched to building jeeps and trucks for U.S. soldiers.

The founder's grandson, Henry Ford II, took the helm after his grandfather's death in 1947 and pulled the company out of a serious crisis. Production grew more vigorously, as the age of electronics and new technology was arriving, and the grandson followed these developments closely, trying to keep up with the times. Ford's engineering and styling kept changing. In the 1960s the company focused on sporty models and it paid off, leaving many rivals behind. The Mustang was another breakthrough for the company in that era, followed by a flood of successful new models, including the Capri, the Escort and others. 

In the following decades Ford built cars in many classes, from luxury models to the midsize segment (the Ford Mondeo, Ford Taurus and others). The attractive small Ford Fiesta drew plenty of attention, and the Mercury Sable wagon was aimed at family trips.

In the 1990s and around the turn of the century, the company's fortunes kept rising, especially after the debut of the legendary Ford Focus. Another notable arrival was the Windstar minivan, along with the Ford Fusion subcompact crossover-style hatchback (2002, in Europe).

You only have to step out onto the street in almost any city to see Ford cars going about their business. The story of this famous company is far from over!