| The Ford Motor Company has been manufacturing | | | | factories and cutting 30,000 jobs. |
| cars since the early 1900s after its founder, Henry | | | | Ford has been one of the many motor vehicle |
| Ford, incorporated the company on June 16, 1903. | | | | manufacturing companies that has moved into |
| Ford is the fourth largest vehicle maker in the world | | | | producing hybrid cars and fuel flexible cars. Their fuel |
| based on worldwide sales. They trail Toyota, General | | | | flexible cars are the Ford F-150, the Crown Victoria, |
| Motors and Volkswagon. The company is located in | | | | the Focus, the Taurus, the Ranger, the Explorer, the |
| Dearborn, Michigan just outside of Detroit. Aside from | | | | Mercury Grand Marquis, and the Lincoln Town Car. |
| their brands of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, Ford also | | | | Their hybrid vehicles have been produced every |
| has international models in Sweden called Volvo and | | | | couple of years from 2004 to 2009. In 2004 the |
| Mazda of Japan. They were once a part owner of | | | | company released its Ford Escape Hybrid. In 2006 |
| Aston Martin in England. They sold their part | | | | the company released its Mercury Mariner Hybrid, in |
| ownerships of Jaguar and Land Rover to TaTa in | | | | 2008 the company released its Ford Fusion/Mercury |
| India in March of 2008. | | | | Milan Hybrid and in 2009 it released the 2009 Ford |
| Ford is the third largest manufacturer in the United | | | | Edge/Lincoln MKX Hybrid. |
| States in terms of sales behind GM and Toyota. It | | | | Ford, aside from manufacturing vehicles for everyday |
| was the first time in 56 consecutive years that Ford | | | | use, is also a major player in three of NASCAR's |
| had fallen from the number two largest manufacturer | | | | races. They manufacture cars for the Sprint Cup |
| in the country. Henry Ford revolutionized the | | | | Series, the Nationwide Series and the Craftsman |
| manufacturing world with his large-scale assembly line | | | | Truck Series. Their Ford F-150 is used in the |
| designs and how he treated his industrial workforce. | | | | Craftsman Truck Series and the mid-size Fusion is |
| His model for success became known globally as | | | | used in the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide |
| Fordism. The company has stayed within the Ford | | | | Series. |
| family for over 100 years. | | | | One of the most popular and recognizable Ford cars |
| Over the past few years the Ford Motor Company | | | | is their ultimate sports car; the Ford Mustang. The |
| has struggled to make a profit and needed a new | | | | Mustang was first manufactured in 1964 and released |
| plan to revitalize the company. Company chairman Bill | | | | that same year at the New York World's Fair. The |
| Ford requested a plan from Mark Fields, the president | | | | vehicle is modeled after the Ford Falcon, one of the |
| of the American Division. The plan was released to | | | | company's compact cars. There are five generations |
| the public in 2006 and it was titled "The Way | | | | of the Mustang, the fifth one beginning in 2005 and |
| Forward." This plan did consist of major layoffs | | | | continuing into the present. The Mustang, not only |
| across the company and it resulted in the | | | | the company's most popular car, is the company's |
| consolidation of production lines, the closing of 14 | | | | most successful model as well. |