Ford
Without any doubt Ford is the most known nameplate in the world. Like it often happens, a great story of a giant car maker begins with tiny steps. The future founder of the brand Henry Ford ran his first experiments with engines at the age of 28 after working in Detroit as a mechanic. William H. Murphy – a businessman involved in timber processing noted his zeal, namely Ford's second car built in 1898 in the wake of his “horseless carriage”.
After several failed attempts to organize a mass-market production of civilian vehicles through the Henry Ford Motor Company, Ford finally managed to create another enterprise – the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The following models were titled as “A”, “B” and “K” powered by two-, four- and six-cylinder engines respectively. In 1908 one of the world's most successful vehicles – Ford Model T was presented. 850 $ cost was beyond any competition offering the newly elaborated four-cylinder engine, user-friendly and simple transmission based on planetary gear. In 1913 Ford pioneered in using a moving assembly line which resulted into shortest production terms – 93 minutes required for construction of one car. Ford held the leadership in the U.S automobile industry until 1927, when Chevrolet overtook the market. However its following history hasn't been deprived of benchmark events and notable achievements.
The Ford Motor Company successfully initiated multiple directions for its products, the scale is rich: trucks, executive and medium-priced passenger cars for average citizens, compact and smart cars, buses, racing models and even motor homes (Ford Transit Motor Caravan). The first trucks assembled by Ford appeared in 1917 with the Model TT which was replaced with the 1927 Model AA, equipped with the inline four-cylinder engine. Heavier C-Series trucks featuring a sleepover cabin were introduced in 1948 available in diesel and petrol modifications. Later, in 1957 a cabover model was developed and subsequently used in many applications, notably as a firefighting unit. In the 1970s Ford started manufacturing L-Series heavy-duty trucks which were geared up for multiple purposes such as sewage cleaning and building tasks. The second generation included Ford Aeromax and Ford Louisville produced until 1998.
Ford Transit series vehicles have been known since 1937. The initial vehicle nicknamed “crackerbox”, featured an 85 hp. V8 front engine. The model was discontinued in 1947 due to its obsolete design. The next five generations of Transits derived from the 1965 Ford Taunus. Now the lineup includes versatile commercial vans and people movers of various sizes designed for implementing any kind of tasks: from small business activities (Fiesta Van) to medium-duty transportation (Transit Custom and Transit Van).
The brand also offers an exciting row of family models: Tourneo Connect, S-Max and New Galaxy, C-Max and Grand C-Max. While the Kuga and the Ecosport are representatives of entry-level SUVs, the Ranger is in all relations a well-balanced light pickup truck. In one word, it seems impossible to underestimate Ford's contemporary capabilities as a modern car manufacturer which looks straight forward to the future and is always ready to adjust to new commercial challenges.
