Ford Business Environment Essay

Ford Motor Company is one of the greatest automobile manufacturers of all time. They started under Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. Ford had a skill for craftsmanship when he built an experimental car in 1896. It was a twin cylinder engine with potential of 20 mph. In 1899 he left his job in order to organize the Detroit Automobile Company. Ford’s first production was in 1903, the Model A, with an under the floor engine selling for $850. In the first season it sold 1,708 cars. After World War II production slowed down until the entrance of the 1949 line. At this time power units were new along with the automatic transmission in 1950. Great automobiles were manufactured in the coming years. The sporty Ford Thunderbird was introduced with 5.1 litres and capabilities of 113 mph. In 1958 it became a convertible with five seats and a strengthened structure. Major restyling occurred in the late 1950’s with such automobiles as the Falcon, a compact car, with the help of General Motors and Chrysler. During the 1960’s competition increased and Ford had to become innovative in order to remain one of the top manufacturers. They put their minds together to create the Ford Mustang in 1964, a compact semi GT with four seats, at a price of $2480. The automobile had a 4.7 litre V8 engine with speeds exceeding 110 mph. The car was a great success and remained so until the present day selling over 500,000 in the first year and a half on the market. During the coming years Ford realized its potential. They have created some great cars including the Thunderbird, Model T, Fairlaine, Galaxie, Falcon, and Mustang. They have also increased their production well into the 1980’s and further with the offerings of four wheel drive pickup trucks and all terrain vehicles such as the Bronco, Jeep, F series, and Ranger. They became increasingly aware of needs for change such as colors, convertibles, hardtops, and number of doors. With increased production, innovative styles, low prices, and customer satisfaction Ford Motor Company has become a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of automobiles.