Mazda, History, efforts SkyActiv Environment, Technology, Motorsport
History

 

The History of Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation is a Japanese car manufacturer that operates in various automotive markets around the world. Mazda is based in the Fuchu Aki district in Hiroshima, Japan. The majority of their vehicles are produced and assembled in their Japan based plants. They are then distributed worldwide to places where Mazda operates. Aside from the vehicles produced in Japan, Mazda also operates several assembly plants throughout the globe. Every unit produced in these facilities is distributed directly to their respective markets for sale.

Mazda during its earliest foundation and the Second World War

Mazda's earliest roots are traced back to the year 1920, when its founder Jujiro Matsuda and a small group of investors acquired a small company called, Toyo Cork Kogyo. Toyo Cork Kogyo manufactured machine tools for domestic sales. In 1927, the company changed its name into Toyo Kogyo Co. Ltd. Slowly, but surely, Toyo Kogyo's operation gradually shifted from producing machine tools to the production of vehicles.

The shift in production resulted to the introduction of a three-wheeled truck, called the Mazda-Go in 1931. Aside from producing this vehicle, Toyo Kogyo was also involved in the manufacturing of military weapons used by the Japanese military. These weapons were used in the Second World War, particularly the Type 99 rifle series 30 to 35.

Mazda after the Second World War

After the Second World War, Mazda continued producing vehicles under the name Toyo Kogyo. But, this was subsequently changed to "Mazda" in 1984. According to the company's website, this name was derived from "Ahura Mazda", a Persian-Zoroastrianism God. However, most automotive historians also believe that the company's name was derived from its founder "Jujiro Matsuda." These claims still remain unverified, even up till today. Another question that goes unanswered, is why most of the company's earliest vehicles carried the name "Mazda", even-though the change of name was not yet implemented during those times.

Mazda's popularity started to grow in 1960 when the company introduced its first real car, which was the Mazda R360. The Mazda R360 was a 4-seat, 2-door coupe, powered by a rear mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine. This engine was mated to either a 4-speed manual transmission or a 2-speed automatic transmission. That engine was capable of producing a maximum power output of up to 16 horsepower and 16 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine was capable of producing a top speed of about 52mph.

Aside from producing vehicles, Mazda's operation also involved the development of the Wankel rotary engine. The company's focus on developing this engine was basically triggered by Mazda's desire to use this technology as a means of differentiating itself from other Japanese car manufacturers. Mazda's efforts and resources used in developing the rotary engine eventually gained positive results. The company started selling the newly-developed engine in 1962. Five years later, Mazda released the limited edition Cosmo Sport. This 1967 sport was powered by Mazda's rotary engine. This type of engine was also used in the current RX-8 engine. These events titled Mazda as the sole car manufacturer engaged in the production of the Wankel engines.

Mazda's development and use of the rotary engine in the R100 and the RX Series increased the company's exports a great deal. The increase in exports was eventually followed by Mazda's expansion in other areas of the world. In 1968 Mazda started its formal operations in Canada. Two years after, Mazda began its operations in the American market and became very successful. As a result of its success in America, Mazda produced the Mazda Rotary Pickup, which was offered for North American buyers only.

The success of Mazda in the American and world markets, brought about by the growing demands for the rotary engine, suffered a major setback in 1973 when the "oil crisis" occurred. Fortunately, the company did not fully abandon the production of vehicles equipped with piston-powered engines. These vehicles saved Mazda complete collapse. As a result, the 4-cylinder powered models, such as the Mazda Familia and the Mazda Capella series, became very important during those times.

Despite the decline in demand for vehicles with rotary engines, Mazda was able to find a way to use them in some of their models. Instead of installing the rotary engine, Mazda has used them in sports cars. The Mazda RX-7 became the first recipient of this strategy in 1978, and was followed by the modern version RX-8. The company had also focused its attention in developing small and lightweight sports cars with powerful piston-powered engine. Mazda's efforts to develop this type of sports car resulted in the production of the Mazda Roadster or popularly known as the Miata, in 1989. The Mazda Roadster was then given credit for reviving the existence of small sports cars, which started to decline in the later parts of the `70s.

Mazda-Ford Partnership

Mazda Motor Corporation developed a partnership with Ford Motor Company when Mazda experienced financial turmoil in the 1960s. Ford became a willing investor and the American car manufacturer earned a 7% financial stake in 1979, which had then increased to 27% during the `80s. Since Mazda had been suffering from financial difficulties, Ford continued to acquire some of the company's stakes, and in 1996 Ford was able to gain 33.4% of Mazda's financial stakes. These stakes, however, were sold by Ford in 2008, when the American car manufacturer was struck by the negative effects of the world financial crisis. As a result, Ford reduced its involvement with Mazda's operation, which eventually allowed the Japanese car maker to handle its own affairs and engage the global automobile market with the utmost independence.

Aside from acquiring Mazda's financial stakes, Ford was also involved in several projects with its newly established partner. Most of these projects were focused on the development of smaller cars and pickups. Aside from this, Mazda had also shared some of its resources with Ford. The Mazda Familia shared its platform with several Ford models, such as the Escort and the Laser. Mazda Capella's architecture was also used in Ford's Probe sports model and the Telstar sedan.

In addition to this, Mazda had also helped Ford develop some of its own vehicles, including the Ford Explorer in 1991. In fact, Mazda also sold a similar vehicle called the Mazda Navajo, but its sales became a failure. As a result, the Japanese car maker decided to discontinue sales of the Navajo. Mazda had also used the Ford Ranger as a base for its B-Series trucks. These trucks were sold in the North American market from 1994 to 2010. Due to poor sales, Mazda decided to discontinue the production of the B-Series as-well.

Mazda and Ford's partnership started to weaken when the Japanese car maker was headed by several presidents, such as Henry Wallace in 1996, James Miller in 1997, and Mark Field, who was a Ford executive, in 1999. Under Field's leadership, Mazda had started expanding its product line-up and marked the start of Mazda's independence from Ford. The global economic crisis further weakened the alliance between the two companies and Ford then sold its part of the stakes on Mazda. In November 2010, Ford's financial stake on Mazda was reduced to merely 3%, and this allowed Mazda to pursue its own interests and enhance its growth in the emerging markets. The partnership between the two companies is currently confined to several joint ventures and some technological information exchange.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marty_Bay

 The Tale of the Mazda Protege

Also known as the Mazda Familia in Japan, the Mazda Protege has gone through various forms and various names. Like in South Africa, this vehicle is known as the Mazda etude. In truth, the Mazda Protege, the Mazda GLC, and the Mazda 323 is just one vehicle. They are one and the same. Changes had only been made to its name and of course, there were little furnishings here and there. However, for most, all these point to one vehicle which is the Mazda Protege. These Mazda Protege vehicles are built in Japan. However, the assembly is done on various countries which include Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Colombia, and in New Zealand.

The Mazda Protege is a subcompact car that is produced by the Mazda Motor Corporation which has its headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan. This vehicle, has been introduced to the United States. To actually tackle information about the Mazda Protege per se, it would be quite a difficult task for there are areas which overlap each other. The name Mazda Protege actually was used starting from 2004. Come the year 2004, use of this name was stopped and was later on replaced by the Mazda 3 which was actually a Ford based vehicle line. That might be the fact behind the Mazda 3, however, Mazda still did give some contributions to this.

Because the Mazda Protege was built in Japan, it was actually sold much more expensive than its competitors which were the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic. And since its introduction, it became a favorite among US car magazines. This was due to the Mazda Protege's reputation for bearing, delivering, and providing a spirited handling. This vehicle was the very first small Japanese car to cross over to the EPA "compact" class. Later on, the Mazda Protege became the basis of other vehicles like the Ford Laser and the Ford Meteor which were actually marketed in Asia, and Australia, and also the For Escort which was also marketed in the United States and the rest of North America.

The Mazda Protege was also known to boast of a European-inspired styling. Aside from having a spirited handling, the Mazda Protege also holds a very comfortable interior, a smooth driving experience as well as grandiose features. It was made available in three trim levels which comprised of the ES, the LX, and the DX. The ES came equipped with a 1.8 liter engine with four cylinders. It was capable of providing 122 horsepower, and the trim level also held bigger front disc brakes and quality standard equipments. As per the other two trim levels, the LX and the DX, both were powered by the very same 1.6 liter engine with four cylinders. It was very much capable of creating an output of 105 units of horsepower. For all three trim levels, made standard was a five speed manual transmission system and given as an option was a four speed automatic transmission system. Other features for this vehicle include the anti lock braking system, side impact air bags, rear drum brakes and all disc brakes.

No matter what, the Mazda Protege sure has been able to perform and to deliver. And to assist Mazda and the Mazda Protege in continually providing and doing what is expected of them, Mazda Parts and Mazda Auto Parts takes care of this amazing vehicle. They have a wide array of Mazda parts like Mazda Portege parts to pamper and maintain your precious Mazda vehicle.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Meyer

Mazda began as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., founded in Hiroshima, Japan in 1920. Toyo Cork Kogyo own name to Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. in 1927. In the late 1920s the company had to be rescued from bankruptcy by Hiroshima Saving Bank and leader Other businesses in Hiroshima.
In 1931 Toyo Kogyo moved from manufacturing machine tools to vehicles with the introduction of the Mazda-Go autorickshaw. Toyo Kogyo produced weapons for the Japanese military throughout the Second World War, notably the series 30 through 35 Type 99 rifle. The company formally adopted the Mazda name in 1984, though every automobile sold from the beginning bore that name. The Mazda R360 was introduced in 1960, followed by the Mazda Carol in 1962.

Mazda Cosmo Sport

Started in 1960, Mazda was inspired by the NSU Ro 80, and decided to put a major engineering effort in the development of the Wankel rotary engine as a way to differentiate itself from other Japanese auto companies. The company established a business relationship with the German company NSU, and started with a limited production of Cosmo Sport in 1967 and continues today with the Pro Mazda Championship, Mazda has become the sole manufacturer of Wankel-type engines for the automotive market, especially by means of friction (NSU and Citroën both give in to the design during the 1970s, and efforts to General Motors Corvette prototype never made it to production.)
This effort to bring attention to themselves apparently helped, as Mazda rapidly started exporting vehicles. Both piston-powered and rotary-powered models made their way around the world. Rotary models quickly became popular for their combination of good power and light weight in comparison with competitors piston engined heavier required V6 or V8 engine to produce the same power. The R100 and RX series (RX-2, RX-3, and RX-4) led the company's export efforts.
During 1968, Mazda began official operations in Canada (MazdaCanada) although Mazdas seen in Canada since 1959. In 1970, Mazda formally entered the US market (Mazda North American Operations) and was very successful there, going so far as to create the Mazda Rotary Pickup (based on the conventional piston-powered B-Series model) solely for North American buyers. To this day, Mazda remains the only automaker to have produced a Wankel-powered pickup truck. In addition, it is also the only marque to have ever offered a rotary-powered bus (the Mazda Parkway, offered only in Japan) or station wagon (within the RX-3 line and RX-4 for the US market). After nine years of development, Mazda finally launched a new model in the United States in 1970.
Mazda rotary success continued until the 1973 oil crisis. As American buyers (as well as people in other countries) to quickly switch to vehicles with fuel efficiency better, relatively thirsty powered rotary models began to fall from favor. Combined with the most efficient automaker in Japan (in terms of productivity), inability to adjust to excess inventory and over-reliance on the US market, the company suffered heavy losses in 1975. An already heavily indebted Toyo Kogyo was on the verge of bankruptcy and only Sumitomo keiretsu saved through the intervention group, namely Sumitomo Bank, and the company subcontractors and distributors. Fortunately, the company had not actually turned on the engine piston, as it continues to produce a wide range of four-cylinder models throughout 1970. The smaller Familia lines were particularly important for Mazda sales worldwide after 1973, as did a bit bigger Capella series.

Mazda RX-7 (first generation)

Mazda refocused efforts and make a selection of rotary engines for sports riders than the main powerplant. Starting with the lightweight RX-7 in 1978 and continuing with the modern RX-8, Mazda continued dedication to this unique powerplant. This switch in focus also resulted in the development of another lightweight sports car, piston-powered Mazda Roadster (perhaps better known throughout the world as the MX-5 or Miata), inspired by the concept of 'Jinba Ittai'. Introduced in 1989 and gained recognition around the world, the Roadster has been widely credited with reviving the concept of the small sports car after a decline in the late 1970s.
A partnership with the Ford Motor Company
From 1979 to 2010, Mazda has a partnership with Ford Motor Company, which bought shares 7% in 1979 and in 1996, owned 33.3% of Mazda. Under the administration of Alan Mulally, Ford gradually divested its stake in Mazda 2008-2010, with Ford currently holds a 2.1% stake in Mazda in 2014 and decided that the most production and development relationship.

A partnership with the Ford Motor Company started because of financial difficulties Mazda during the 1960s. Started in 1979 with a 7 percent financial stake, Ford began a partnership with Mazda produces various joint projects. During the 1980s, Ford gained another 20 percent financial stake. This includes large and small efforts in all regions of the automotive landscape - especially in the realm of pickup trucks (such as the Mazda B-Series, which gave birth to the Ford Courier variant in North America in 1972) and a small car. For example, Platform Mazda Familia used for Ford models like the Laser and Escort, while the Capella architecture found its way into Ford Telstar sedan and Probe sports models. In 2002 Ford gained 5 percent additional financial stocks.

The Probe is built in a factory new Mazda company in Flat Rock, Michigan along with the mainstream 626 sedan (North American version of the Capella) and a companion Mazda MX-6 sports coupe. Ford also loaned Mazda some capacity when it is needed: the Mazda 121 sold in Europe and South Africa, for the time being, a variant of the Ford Fiesta built in plants in Europe and South Africa. Mazda is also making efforts in the past to sell some Ford cars in Japan, mainly through its Autorama dealer group.

Mazda also helped Ford develop the 1991 Explorer, which Mazda sold as the 2-door only Mazda Navajo from 1991 to 1994. Ironically, Mazda's version was unsuccessful, while the Ford (available from the start as a four-door or two-door model) instantly became the best selling sport-utility vehicles in the United States and continue titles for more than a decade. Mazda has used Ford Ranger pickup as the basis of the North American-market B-Series trucks, starting in 1994 and continuing until 2010, when his Mazda stopped importing B-Series trucks in North America, because of costs related to taxes chicken.

Mazda Millenia

After a long pull handle with alternative engine technologies, Mazda introduced the first Miller cycle engine for automotive use in the Millenia luxury sedan of 1995. Though the Millenia (and Miller-type V6 engine it) was discontinued in 2002, the company has recently introduced a Miller cycle four-cylinder engine that is smaller for use in its Demio starting in 2008. As the leadership in Wankel technology, Mazda remains (so far) only cars have been using Miller-cycle engine in the automotive realm.

2006 Mazda3

Further financial difficulties at Mazda during the 1990s (partly caused by losses associated with the Asian financial crisis of 1997) caused Ford to increase its stake to a controlling 33.4 percent in May 1996. In June 1996, Henry Wallace was appointed President, and he set about restructuring Mazda and setting the new strategic direction. He laid out a new direction for the brand, including design of the present Mazda marque; he put a new product plan to achieve synergies with Ford, and he launched Mazda digital innovation program to accelerate the development of new products. At the same time, he began to take control of overseas distributors, rationalized dealerships and manufacturing facilities, and driving much needed efficiencies and cost reductions in operations Mazda. A lot of preliminary work put Mazda back to profitability and lay the groundwork for future success. Wallace was replaced by James Miller in November 1997, followed in December 1999 by Ford executive Mark Fields, who has been credited with expanding the lineup of new Mazda products and lead changes during the early 2000s. Ford increased influence in the 1990s allowed Mazda to claim another distinction in history, having maintained the first foreign-born head of the Japanese car company, Henry Wallace.

2014 Mazda6

In the midst of the world financial crisis in the fall of 2008, there were reports that Ford has been contemplating the sale of its stake in Mazda as a way to streamline its asset base. BusinessWeek describes the alliance between Ford and Mazda has been a very successful one, with Mazda saving perhaps $ 90 million per year in development costs and Ford "several times" it, and that the sale of its stake in Mazda would be a desperate measure. On 18 November 2008, Ford announced that it would sell a 20% stake in Mazda, reducing its stake to 13.4% thus handed over the reins of the company, which is held since 1996. On the following day, Mazda announced that, as part of the deal, it bought back 6.8% of its shares of Ford for around US $ 185 million while the rest will be acquired by the company's business partners. He also reported that Hisakazu Imaki will resign as chief executive, to be replaced by Takashi Yamanouchi. On November 18, 2010, Ford reduced its stake further to 3%, citing a decrease in ownership will allow greater flexibility to pursue growth in emerging markets, and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group is believed to be the largest shareholder. Ford and Mazda remain strategic partners through joint ventures and exchange of technology information.
Post Partnership with Ford
Mazda Motor Corp. (7261) collected more than 150 billion yen (US $ 1.9 billion) in sales of stock footage to raise capital because of the biggest annual loss in 11 years, part of a resume used to build a car factory in Mexico. The Mexican plant built jointly by the company and Sumitomo Corp.

Marques

Japan's Mazda dealership in Saitama, Japan

Mazda Motors square symbol based Sumitomo family crest, and is an affiliated company of the Sumitomo Group

Autozam logo

Observe logo
Mazda had previously used a number of different marques in Japan (and occasionally Australia) markets, including Autozam, Eunos, and Ẽfini, which has since been removed. Motivation brought by the market competition from other Japanese auto businesses in offering vehicles in some Japanese dealer network offered by Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. Implementation of the Mazda brand diversification reflects Japanese engineering philosophy, called Kansei engineering, which is used as an advertising slogan in North America. This selective marketing experiment ended in the mid-1990s due to economic conditions, largely due to the collapse of Japan's asset price bubble in 1991.
This diversification emphasizes product development group in the past Mazda limit. Instead of having half a dozen variations on any given platform, developers are asked to work on dozens of different models and consumers are also confused with a similar explosion of new models. One of the most bizarre sub-Marques is M2, used on three rare variants of Eunos Roadster (which M2-1001, and M2-1028 M2-1002) and one Autozam AZ-1 (M2-1015). M2 even has its corporate headquarters avant-garde itself, but closed after a very short period of operation.
Today, the former Marques was no longer in Japan as a sales channel. The Carol was sold at Autozam store (which specializes in small cars), but now sold by Mazda marque, not as Autozam Carol as it used to.
At the beginning of 1992, Mazda plans to release a luxury marque, Amati, to challenge Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus in North America, which began selling in late 1993. The initial range will include Amati Amati 500 (which becomes Eunos 800 in Japan and Australia, Mazda Millenia in the US, and Mazda Xedos 9 in Europe), a rebadged version of the Mazda Cosmo and a Amati 1000 (rear-wheel drive V12 successor to Mazda Luce). The Amati marque finally canceled before the car hit the market. It is probably just curiosity, but "Observe" is an anagram of coincidence "Miata"
In Europe, Xedos name is also associated with Mazda Xedos 6, two models were in production from 1992 to 1997. Xedos line marketed under the Mazda marque, and used Mazda badge of the year accordingly.
Emblem
Year Symbol Description
1934-1936 first listed company logo, which appears in the three-wheeled trucks in 1936.
Branding 1936-1962 first style. Three mountains (representing Hiroshima) also form the Latin alphabet letter M, which is duplicated three times for "Mazda Motor Manufacturer". Representing the long side wing extensions for agility and speed.
1962-1975 Symbols and marks the company as seen on most cars Mazda from Mazda R360 until 1975
1975-1991 Between 1975 and 1991, Mazda does not have an official symbol, just a stylized version of his name; blue "m" before the symbol is still used in some dealerships until 1980, but then in a plain blue box next to the name Mazda often used on signs and documentation agent
1991-1992 In 1991, Mazda adopted the corporate symbol representing the sun and fire stand for genuine passion. It is often referred to in the Mazda enthusiast circles as "Cylon" logo
1992-1997 Shortly after the release of a new symbol, the design was smoothed to reduce its similarity to Renault. It is sometimes referred to as the "eternal flame" logo. It also represents the Mazda rotary engine designs are known for.
1997-Present A redesigned symbol introduced in 1997. It is a stylish, winged "M" is meant to show the Mazda stretch its wings for the future.
Leadership
• Jujiro Matsuda (1921-1951)
• Tsuneji Matsuda (1952-1970)
• Kouhei Matsuda (1970-1977)
• Yoshiki Yamasaki (1977-1984)
• Kenichi Yamamoto (1984-1987)
• Masanori Furuta (1987-1991)
• Yoshihiro Wada (1991-1996)
• Henry Wallace (1996-1997, appointed by the Ford Motor Company, the first non-Japanese CEO of the Japanese car)
• James E. Miller (1997-1999)
• Mark Fields (1999-2002)
• Lewis Booth (2002-2003)
• Hisakazu Imaki (2003-2008)
• Takashi Yamanouchi (2008-2013)
• Masamichi Kogai (2013-present)

 Environmental efforts
Mazda has been conducting research on hydrogen-powered vehicles for decades. Mazda has developed a hybrid version of the Premacy compact minivan version of the signature using a rotary engine capable of running on hydrogen or gasoline. Although plans to release it in 2008, as the year 2010 vehicles in a limited test.
In 2010, Toyota and Mazda announced an agreement to supply hybrid technology used in the Toyota Prius model.
Bio-Car
Mazda is to find a number of alternative uses for various materials and substances - ranging from plastic to milk - in the vehicle, as it aims to become more environmentally friendly. Mazda introduced several innovations this - internal console bioplastics and bio-fabric seats - in its Mazda5 models in EcoInnovasia 2008, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok. Up to 30% of the parts in the Mazda5 interior components made from non-biomaterials, such as Poti (gobar cow).
SkyActiv Technology
SkyActiv technology is the umbrella name for a range of technologies used in certain new Mazda vehicle. These vehicles include the Mazda2 / Demio, Mazda6 / Atenza, the CX-5 and 2014 Mazda 3. Together these technologies improve fuel economy to a level that is similar to a hybrid drivetrain. Engine output increases and reduced emission levels. This technology includes high compression ratio gasoline engine (13.0 to 1), reduced compression diesel engine (14.0 to 1) with a new two-stage turbocharger design, highly efficient automatic transmission, lighter weight manual transmission, lightweight body design and electric power steering. It is also possible to combine this technology with a hybrid drivetrain for the fuel economy greater.
Motorsport
In the world of racing, Mazda has been a great success with both signature Wankel-engine car (in two-rotor, three-rotor, and form four rotor) and piston-engine models. Mazda vehicles and engines compete in various disciplines and series around the world. More Mazdas ran every week than any other brand cars (most of this statement speaks to the success of the MX-5 / Miata and hugs widely by grass roots motor). In 2014, Mazda remains the only Japanese car to win the 24 hours of Le Mans overall.
International Competition
Mazda competition debut was on 20 October 1968 when two Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S coupes entered the 84 hour Marathon de la Route ultra-endurance race at the Nürburgring, one finishing in fourth place and others violated the shaft after 81 hours. The next year, Mazda ran Mazda Familia R100 M10A coupe. After winning the Singapore Grand Prix in April 1969 and came in fifth and sixth in the Spa 24 Hours (only lost Porsche 911s), on October 19, 1969, Mazda again entering the Nürburgring 84-hour race with four Familias. Only one of these was completed, took fifth place.
The first racing victory with a Wankel-engined cars in the United States was in 1973, when Pat Bedard won the IMSA RS race at Lime Rock Park in the Mazda RX-2.
In 1976, Ray Walle, owner of Z & W Mazda, riding Cosmo (Mazda RX-5) from a dealer in Princeton, New Jersey, to Daytona, won the Touring Class under 2.5 liters at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and drove back to New Jersey. Cosmo placed 18th overall in the field of 72. The only modification racing brake pads, exhaust, and safety equipment.
After the huge success of the Mazda RX-2 and the Mazda RX-3, the Mazda RX-7 has won more IMSA races in its class compared to other models of cars, with a hundredth victory on September 2, 1990. After that, the RX ₩ -7 class in the IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona race ten consecutive years, beginning in 1982. The RX-7 won the IMSA Grand Touring Under Two Liter (GTU) championship every year from 1980 to 1987, inclusive.

The Mazda 787B, winner of the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race
In 1991, four-rotor Mazda 787B (2622 cc in fact, judged by the FIA ​​Formula 4708 cc) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race directly. 787B remains unchallenged victory, because it is the only non-piston-engined car ever win at Le Mans, and Mazda is still the only Japanese marque has won overall at Le Mans - ironically after Nissan has closed its World Sportscar Championship Program and Toyota have choose to take time off for most of 1991 in order to develop its 3.5-liter TS010. This led to a ban on a rotary engine at Le Mans racing beginning in 1992, which has since been canceled. After the 1991 race, won openly engine disassembled for internal examination, which showed that although 24 hours is very difficult to use it to accumulate a bit of wear.
Le Mans win in 1991 was followed a decade of class wins from other Mazda prototypes, including 757 and 767. Sigma MC74 powered by Mazda 12A engine is the first machine and a team from outside Western Europe or the United States to complete the entire 24-hour race of Le Mans, in 1974. Mazda also the most reliable finisher at Le Mans (with the exception of Honda, which has been incorporated only three cars in one year), with 67% of entries finishing. Mazda will return to prototype racing in 2005 with the introduction of Courage C65 LMP2 car in the American Le Mans Series race at Road Atlanta. This prototype racers use of Wankel Renesis RX-8.
Mazda has also enjoyed great success in the World Land Speed ​​competition, SCCA competition, drag racing, rally pro competition (which Familia appeared in WRC several times during the late '80s and early' 90s), the One Lap of America race (won SUVs and trucks in MazdaSpeed5), and other places. Wankel engine has been banned for some time on the international Formula One racing, and also from the United States midget racing, after Gene Angelillo won the North East Midget Racing Association championship in 1985 with a car powered by the engine 13B, and again in 1986 in a car powered by 12A engine.
Spec series
The Cooper Tires Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda is the North American open wheel racing series. This is the peak level MAZDASPEED ladder, driver development program which rewards the winner of season one level with automatic vehicle at the next level. Since 2006, the Atlantic Championship has been run exclusively by Swift 016.a chassis powered by Cosworth MZR Mazda- 2,300 cc (2.3L) DOHC inline-four engine producing 300 bhp (224 kW). The cars are capable of speeds over 175 mph (282 km / h).
Formula Mazda Racing has an open-wheel race cars with Mazda engines, adapting to both oval tracks and road courses, at some level of competition. Since 1991, the professionals organized Star Mazda Series has become the most popular formats for sponsors, spectators, and upward bound drivers. This is the second highest level in the MAZDASPEED driver development ladder. Machines for the Star Mazda series all built by one engine builder, certified to produce the prescribed strength, and sealed to prevent tampering. They are in a relatively mild state of racing in tune, so they are very reliable and can go years between the motor rebuilt.
Spec Miata has become one of the class of road racing's most popular and most affordable in North America. The Spec Miata (SM) class is intended to provide an opportunity to compete in low-cost, production-based cars with limited modification, suitable for racing competition. Rules are deliberately designed to be more open than the Showroom Stock class but more limited than Improved Touring class.
Spec racing class club RX7 also popular mainly because of the availability of the first generation RX7 cars and low startup costs. Spec RX7 (SRX7) in some areas was recorded as one of the sports car class of the most cost effective.
Sponsor

Mazda headquarters in Fuchu, Hiroshima
Mazda is the main sponsor for several professional sports teams, including:
• Team Hometown:
o Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J. League): Originally known as Toyo Kogyo Football Club was founded in 1938, it is owned directly by Mazda until 1992 when Mazda reduced its stake to professionalize the J. League club to the new.
o Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Nippon Professional Baseball): The "Toyo" part of the team name is in honor of part-ownership of Mazda team since 1968 (when it was still known as the Mazda Toyo Kogyo). The Matsuda family, descendants of the founders of the Mazda, holds a majority stake in the ownership of the team.
• Tim abroad:
o North Melbourne Football Club (Australian Football League)
o ACF Fiorentina (Italian football league - Serie A)
o Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand football league - Yamaha League 1)
The Company also sponsors a variety of marathon and relay events in Japan, such as the Hiroshima International Peace Marathon and Hiroshima Prefectural Ekiden Race, along with a wide range of sports and other charitable efforts in Hiroshima and Hofu. Mazda also sponsors the league for the now defunct Australian Rugby Championship.
Mazda also maintain sponsorship of the Laguna Seca race course in California, going so far as to use it for its own purposes as well as automotive testing various racing events (including some Mazda series special) that the host - as well as for the 2003 launch of the Mazda RX-8.
Mazda also sponsors the Western New York Flash, a professional women's football team playing in the WPA and has some of the best players in the world, including world player of the year.
Marketing
Mazda's advertising slogan past include: "The more you look, the more you like it" (1970s to early 1980s); "Mazda Experience" (mid-1980s); "A strong commitment to total satisfaction, that the Mazda Way" (end of 1980); "It Just Feels Right" along with ads depicting Mazda usage of Kansei engineering (1990-1995); "Passion for the road" (1996); "Come in. Be moved." (1997-1999)
Since 2000, Mazda has used the phrase "Zoom-Zoom" to describe what they call the "emotion of motion" which claims inherent in the car. Very successful and durable (when compared to other automotive marketing slogan), Zoom-Zoom campaign has now spread around the world from early use in North America.
Zoom-Zoom campaign has been accompanied by a "Zoom-Zoom-Zoom" song on many television and radio advertising. The original version, which is carried out by Jibril Serapis Bey (used in advertising in Europe, Japan and South Africa), was recorded long before it became the official song for Mazda as part of the soundtrack for the film Only The Strong (released in 1993). Serapis Bey is a cover version of the traditional Capoeira songs, called "Capoeira Mata Um". In 2010, the slogan now is "Zoom Zoom Forever". The longer a slogan (Used in TV ads) is "Zoom Zoom, Today, Tomorrow, Forever".
The initial ad campaign Zoom-Zoom also features a young boy (Micah Kanters) whispering "Zoom-Zoom" tagline.
Since 2011, Mazda is using the tagline Zoom-Zoom in another campaign called "What Do You Drive?". Punchline for this is "At Mazda, we believe because if it's not worth driving, it's not worth building. We built Mazdas. What do you drive?".


Article Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda

History Ford, Cars, sports cars, Touring cars

History Ford, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Tractors, Financial Services, Automotive components, Motorsport, Stock car racing, Formula One, rally, sports cars, Touring cars

Ford - The History of Ford Motors

Ford Motor Company or simply Ford Motors, is an American car manufacturer based in Dearborn, Michigan. This company is currently the second largest car manufacturer in the US and ranks as the fifth largest in the world. Aside from its domestic operations, Ford also operates in the markets of South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East.

Given its worldwide operations, Ford Motors could be considered as one of the most successful car makers. However, the company's success did not happen overnight. In fact, it took more than 100 years before Ford was able to earn its current status. To provide a clearer picture of the company's development, some of the highlights of Ford's history are provided below.

Ford

Ford's Earliest Foundation

Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford. The company was actually established with the help of Henry Ford's acquaintance, Alexander Y. Malcomson, a coal dealer, and Malcomson's uncle, John S. Gray, president of the German-American Bank. To further strengthen the newly established company, Malcomson recruited some of his business partners and urged them to invest. Due to Malcomson's success in recruiting investors, the Ford Motor Company was finally established on June 16, 1903, with 12 investors and 1000 shares. Both Ford and Malcomson owned 255 of these shares, while Gray owned 105. The remaining shares were owned by the other 9 investors.

The first stockholders meeting of the Ford Motor Company happened two days after it was formed. During this meeting, the election of officers happened. Gray became the company's first president, while Ford was elected as vice-president. Under Gray's leadership, the company had started to earn profits. Ford's total profit in October 1, 1903 was calculated to be around $37,000. This profit further increased to $300,000 in 1905.

But, after a few years of smooth operation, the harmonious relationship among investors was broken. Subsequent clashes between them eventually led to separation and Henry Ford's assumption of the presidential position. Under Ford's leadership, the company gradually became the largest car maker in the US.

During the first few years, Ford as a car manufacturer, was involved in developing and producing its first car model, which was called the "Model A." The Model A was powered by a two cylinder internal combustion engine, capable of producing 8 horsepower. Ford had sold a total of 1,750 units from 1903 to 1904. The impressive sales record obtained by the Model A marked the first successes of Henry Ford's business. However, this model was eventually replaced by the Model C in 1904.

The Ford Model C was actually a refined version of the Model A, with a sportier look and more powerful engine. Ford discontinued the production of the Model C in 1905 with a total of 800 units produced. This model was replaced by the Model F in 1905. In 1906, Ford developed its first six-cylinder powered vehicle and called it the Model K. This was a replacement for the earlier Model B. The Model K was powered by an in-line 6-cylinder engine that produced up to 40 horsepower. Despite its powerful engine, the Model K was considered a failure due to its expensive price and poor quality. Its production had reached its end in 1908. Ford then focused its attention on producing a succeeding model, which was the Model S. However, the demands for the Model S were not so impressive. As a result Ford then introduced the "Model T".

Ford's Model T or the T-Model Ford is the company's first affordable vehicle and at the same time one of the most in demand models. Its production started on August 12, 1908, with its first unit leaving the company's assembly line September 27, 1908. The Model T started to establish its iconic image in the automotive market. Since it was affordable and middle-class Americans were capable of buying this car, the demand for the model increased. The 15 millionth unit of the Model T left the company's factory on May 26, 1927. Production of the Model T continued until the end of the same year. After the overwhelming success of the Model T, Ford had produced a lot more models. Some of these were very successful, while several other models failed.

Ford Motors during the First World War

The occurrence of the First World War had greatly affected the automobile production of the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford's pacifist policies were very successful in preventing the company's downfall. In fact, the company became more popular in the First World War when Henry Ford joined other pacifists in Europe to prevent the war from happening. Although their efforts had failed to stop the war, Ford Motors Company became very active in supporting the Allied Power's participation in the war. The company's Model T eventually served as the underpinnings of some of the military vehicles, including the M1918 as well as the 1916 ambulance. Ford's participation in the Allied Powers' war effort continued until the First World War ended.

Ford Motors after the First World War

Ford Motor Company started to lose its dominance in the automotive market a few years after the First World War, particularly when Edsel Ford was charged with being his father's successor. The company's gradual decline was caused by its continuous use of the personalized management mechanism, that was starting to become obsolete, as-well as the company's neglect of consumer demands for more improved vehicles.

The company's sales were further worsened by the expansion of some of its closest competitors' market share. General Motors and Chrysler were able to grab a significant share of the market from Ford by producing high-quality vehicles and providing credit opportunities to their customers. However, Ford was able to recover from its previous loses by providing similar opportunities to its customers. In addition to this, Ford's stoppage of the production of the Model T and the introduction of the redesigned version of the Model A had placed the company back on track.

Ford's operation expanded into the luxury market division, when the company acquired the Lincoln Motor Company on February 2, 1922. This was followed by the company's ventures on financing the cultivation of rubber in Brazil in 1928. The rubber cultivated would be used in producing synthetic rubber for use on Ford vehicles. However, this venture failed and only caused the company to spend millions of funds.

The company's operation further expanded in 1938, when the Mercury division was established. This division would handle the mid-priced automotive market's demand for vehicles. Unfortunately, all of these expansion efforts were halted by the "Great Depression."

Ford Motors during the Great Depression

The economic crisis and the collapse of the automotive market in the US, caused by the Great Depression, left some scars on Ford Motor Company's image. In order to stay afloat, the company had to reduce its operation and implement mass lay-offs. As a result, a lot of Ford workers had lost their jobs.

As economic conditions worsened, workers who lost their jobs formed a series of strikes to demand greater support from the company. However, the friction between the protesters, and the police erupted into violence. The police used teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, but the protesters responded by throwing rocks. The violence escalated and this forced the police and the company's security to fire live bullets. As the battle ended, 9 individuals were killed and 60 others were seriously injured. Due to this, it took a few more years before Ford Motor Company was able to stabilize its vehicle production.

Ford Motors during the Second World War

Henry Ford's pacifist mentality had once again guided his company's fate during the Second World War. To prevent the Nazis from turning the Ford Motor Company's plants in Germany into a nationalized factory, Henry Ford developed a close working relationship with the Nazi government. Ford's efforts were effective since the company obtained the 52% ownership of the factories there. Although the Nazi controlled the day-to-day business of these facilities, Ford still remained as the majority owner.

Henry Ford's relationship with the German Nazi government remained good for a while. However, this had subsequently changed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This event encouraged Ford to provide support for the Allied Forces' war efforts, by producing airplane engines. But, this doesn't mean that Ford's operation in Europe, particularly in Germany, had stopped. In fact, one-third of the trucks used by the Nazi army were produced by Ford Motor Company. Due to these strategies, Ford was viewed as a company that collaborates with both the Allied and the Nazis and earned a lot of investments from these sources.

Ford's direct communications and business ties ended when the US declared war in December 1941. However, there were some allegations that a series of indirect communications between the Nazi government in Germany and Ford still took place. But after an investigation conducted by the US Treasury Department, allegations were dismissed due to lack of concrete proofs.

Ford Motors after the Second World War

After the Second World War, Ford Motors had once again experienced internal chaos. Edsel Ford died in 1943 and left the company under the leadership of Henry Ford. But Henry Ford's failing health made it difficult for him to handle the company's business. Due to this, his wife and daughter-in-law intervened and demanded that Henry's grandson "Henry Ford II" should be appointed as the company's new president. They even threatened Henry Ford that they would sell their share of stocks if he refused to give in to their demand.

Although Henry Ford was infuriated by this idea, he had no choice but to give in to the demand and appointed his grandson as the company's president. When Henry Ford II became the president, he was faced with financial chaos with company losing about $9 million a month. This condition and Henry Ford's death in 1947 forced the company to hire outsiders to handle its day-to-day business. The hiring eventually weakened the Ford family's grip on the company. Ford Motor Company became a publicly traded company in 1956. During this period the Ford family only maintained a 40% controlling interest in the company. The rise and fall of high-ranking executives hired from outside the company continued up to the present.

Despite the financial and leadership chaos that the company had experienced during these times, Ford Motors was still able to produce some of its most popular vehicles, including the Thunderbird in 1955, the Falcon in 1960, and the Mustang in 1964. In addition to this, the company was also able to establish the Ford Europe in 1967.

Ford Motors in the year 2000 up to the present

High-ranking executives that were hired from outside the company and handle its operations continued to come and go. Harold Polding served as the company's CEO and Chairman from 1990 to 1993. Polding was replaced by Alex Trotman and remained as the company's head until 1998. Jacques Nasser replaced Trotman and served until 2001.William Clay Ford Jr., Henry Ford's great-grandson, became the Chairman and CEO of the company from 2001 to 2005. In 2005, Alan R. Mulally from "Boeing" became the company's President and CEO.

In 2006, Ford Motor Company surprised the world when it announced that the company will offer all of its assets for mortgage since they could no longer handle the company's operations. However, the US government provided assistance to the company. After a few years, the company, under the leadership of Alan R. Mulally, was able to pay some of its loans off and continue its production. With Alan R. Mulally's effective leadership, Ford Motor Company is now enjoying significant sales profits and a revival of its financial strength.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marty_Bay

History Ford, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Tractors, Financial Services, Automotive components, Motorsport, Stock car racing, Formula One, rally, sports cars, Touring cars, the Environment initiative, compressed natural gas, fuel flexible vehicles, electric vehicles drive, Hydrogen, Improved fuel efficiency

Ford Motor Company
The Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, United States, also known as the Glass House.
Type
Public company
Traded as NYSE: F
(S & P 500 Component)
Automotive Industry
Established on 16 June
Founder Henry Ford
The headquarters of Dearborn, Michigan, USA
Area served
The Whole World
Key Persons


    William C. Ford, Jr.
    (Chief Executive)
    Mark Fields
    (President & CEO)

Product

    Car
    Luxury Vehicles
    Commercial vehicles
    Automotive parts

Service

    Auto financing
    Vehicle rental
    Service vehicles

The decline in revenue of US $ 144.1 billion (2014)
Operating income
A decrease of US $ 4342000000 (2014)
Net income
A decrease of US $ 3187000000 (2014)
Increase total assets of US $ 208.5 billion (2014)
Total equity Decrease in US $ 24830000000 (2014)
Owner Ford Family (2%)
Number of employees
187,000 (2014)
Division

    Ford
    Lincoln
    Motorcraft

Child
List
Slogan

    Go Further
    Built Ford Tough

Website www .ford .com

Ford Motor Company (often referred to simply as Ford) is an American multinational headquartered in cars Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells cars and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. Ford also has a Brazilian manufacturer of SUVs, Troller, and performance car manufacturer Australia FPV. In the past it has also produced tractors and automotive components. Ford has a 2.1% stake in Mazda of Japan, an 8% stake in Aston Martin from the UK, and 49% stake in Jiangling China. It also has a number of joint-venture, two in China (Changan Ford Mazda and Ford Lio Ho), one in Thailand (AutoAlliance Thailand), one in Turkey (Ford otosan), and one in Russia (Ford Sollers). It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family, even though they have a minority ownership.

Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of labor manufacturing industry uses a complicated sequence engineered characterized by moving assembly lines; in 1914 this method is known around the world as Fordism. Former British child Ford Jaguar and Land Rover, which was acquired in 1989 and 2000 respectively, were sold to Tata Motors in March 2008. Ford owned Swedish automaker Volvo from 1999 to 2010. In 2011, Ford discontinue the Mercury brand, which has marketed the entry-level luxury cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East since 1938.

Ford is the second largest car manufacturer based in the US (preceded by General Motors) and the fifth largest in the world based on 2010 sales vehicle. At the end of 2010, Ford is the fifth largest car manufacturer in Europe. Ford is an American company based in ranked eighth overall in the 2010 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2009 of $ 118.3 billion. In 2008, Ford produced 5.532 million cars and employs approximately 213,000 employees in around 90 plants and facilities worldwide.

The company went public in 1956, but the Ford family, through a special Class B shares, still retains 40 percent of the voting rights.

History

Henry Ford (ca. 1919)
A 1910 Model T, photographed in Salt Lake City
20th century

Henry Ford's first attempt at a car company under his own name is Henry Ford Company on November 3, 1901, the Cadillac Motor Company on August 22, 1902, after Ford left the rights to his name. Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $ 28,000 in cash from twelve investors, notably John and Horace Dodge (who would later find their own car company). During the early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at the factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Groups of two or three people working on each car, the assembly of parts made mostly by company suppliers contractor for Ford. Within a decade the company will lead the world in the expansion and refinement of the concept of the assembly line; and Ford soon bring a lot of production parts in-house at vertical integration which looks way better for the era.

The 39-year-old Henry Ford when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the largest and most profitable company in the world, as well as being one to survive the Great Depression. As one of the companies controlled by the largest family in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been holding continuous family control for over 100 years.

After the first modern automobile has been created in 1886 by German inventor Carl Benz (Benz Patent Motorwagen), more efficient production methods that are needed to make the car affordable to the middle class; which Ford contributed, for example by introducing the first moving assembly line in 1913.

In 1908 Ford introduced the first machine with a detachable cylinder head, in the Model T. In 1927, Ford introduced the Model A, the first car with safety glass in windshields. Ford launched the V8-powered machine prices low first car in 1932.

The creation of scientific laboratory in Dearborn, Michigan in 1951, doing basic research freely, causing possible involvement Ford in superconductivity research. In 1964, Ford Research Labs made a key breakthrough with the discovery of a superconducting quantum interference device, or SQUID.

Ford offers the Lifeguard safety package of 1956, which includes innovations such as deep-dish steering standard, optional front, and, for the first time in the car, the rear seat belt, and an optional padded dashboard. Ford introduced the child -proof locked door products in 1957, and in the same year offered the first retractable hardtop on the six-seater cars are mass produced. Ford Mustang was introduced in 1964. In 1965 Ford introduced the safety belt reminder light.

By 1980, Ford introduced several vehicles that are very successful worldwide. During 1980, Ford began using the advertising slogan, "Have you driven Ford lately?" to introduce new customers to their brands and make them appear more modern vehicles. In 1990 and 1994 respectively, Ford also acquired Jaguar and Aston Martin car. During the mid- to late-1990s, Ford continues to sell a large number of vehicles, in a booming American economy with soaring stock market and low fuel prices.

With the dawn of the new century, the legacy health care costs, fuel prices higher, and the faltering economy led to falling market share, declining sales and reduced profit margins. Most of the company's profit comes from consumer car financing through Ford Motor Credit Company.

21st century

William Clay Ford, Jr. , Great-grandson of Henry Ford, served as executive chairman of the board of Ford Motor Company.

In 2005, both Ford and GM corporate bond 's been downgraded to junk status, as a result of the high cost of US health care for the aging workforce, rising gasoline prices, eroding market share, and more dependence on the declining SUV sales. Declining profit margins on large vehicles because of the increased "incentive" (in the form of rebates or low interest financing) to offset declining demand. In the second half of 2005, Chairman Bill Ford asked newly appointed Ford Americas Division President Mark Fields to develop a plan to return the company to profitability. Fields first plan, called The Way Forward, on December 7, 2005 the company board meeting and unveiled to the public on January 23, 2006. "The Way Forward" includes resizing the company to match market realities, dropping some unprofitable models and inefficient, consolidation of production lines, closing 14 plants and cutting 30,000 jobs.

Ford moved to introduce a variety of new vehicles, including "crossover SUVs" built on a unibody car platform, rather than the more body-on-frame chassis. In developing a hybrid electric powertrain technology for the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, Ford licensed Toyota's hybrid technology similar to avoid patent infringement. Ford announced that they will cooperate with the electricity supply company Southern California Edison (SCE) to examine the future of plug-in hybrid in terms of how the home and vehicle energy system will work with the electricity network. Under the multi-million dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicle can interact with the home network and electricity utilities. Some vehicles will be evaluated "in typical customer settings", according to Ford.

William Clay Ford Jr., the great-grandson of Henry Ford (and better known by the nickname "Bill"), was appointed Executive Chairman in 1998, and also became Chief Executive Officer of the company in 2001, with the departure of Jacques Nasser, became the first member of the family Ford head of the company since retiring from his uncle, Henry Ford II, in 1982. After retiring from the President and Chief Operation Officer Jim Padilla in April 2006, Bill Ford assumed his role as well. Five months later, in September, Ford named Alan Mulally as president and CEO, Ford to continue as Executive Chairman. In December 2006, the company raised its lending capacity to about $ 25 billion, placing substantially all of the assets of the company as collateral. Chairman Bill Ford has stated that "bankruptcy is not an option". Ford and the United Auto Workers, representing about 46,000 hourly workers in North America, agreed to the settlement of a historic contract in November 2007 gives the company sufficient rest in terms of retiree health care costs that are running and other economic problems. The agreement includes the formation, independently run company that funded the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trust to shift the burden of retiree health care from the company's books, thereby improving the balance sheet. This arrangement came into force on January 1, 2010. As a sign of the strong current cash position, Ford contributed the entire current liabilities (estimated at around US $ 5.5 billion at December 31, 2009) with the VEBA cash, and also pre-pay US $ 500 million of liabilities to fund future. The agreement also provides hourly workers job security they seek to have the company is committed to a major investment in most of the factories.

Mobil reported the biggest annual loss in company history in 2006 from $ 12.7 billion, and is not expected to return to profitability until 2009. However, Ford surprised Wall Street in the second quarter of 2007 with a record $ 750 million profit. Despite the advantages, the company ended the year with a loss of $ 2.7 billion, largely due to the restructuring fund in Volvo.

On June 2, 2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors for $ 2.3 billion.

During the congressional hearings held in November 2008 in Washington DC, and to show support, Ford's Alan Mulally stated that "We at Ford hope that we have enough liquidity. But we also have to prepare for the prospect of further deteriorating economic conditions". Mulally went on to state that "The collapse of one of our competitors would have a severe impact on Ford" and that the support of the Ford Motor Company, both Chrysler and General Motors in their search for a bridge loan the government in the face of conditions caused by the 2008 financial crisis. Together, the three companies presented an action plan for the sustainability of the industry. Mulally stated that "In addition to our plan, we are also here today to ask for support for the industry. In the near future, Ford does not require access to a government bridge loans. However, we ask for a credit limit of $ 9 billion a critical hedge or protection against the deteriorating conditions as we drive transformational change in our company "GM and Chrysler receive government loans and financing through TARP funding provisions of the law.

On December 19, the cost of credit default swaps to ensure Ford's debt is 68 percent of the sum insured for five years in addition to annual payments of 5 percent. That means the $ 6.8 million paid upfront to insure $ 10 million in debt, in addition to a payment of $ 500,000 per year. In January 2009, Ford reported a loss of $ 14.6 billion in the previous year, a record for the company. The company maintains sufficient liquidity to fund its operations. Until April 2009, Ford's strategy of debt for equity exchange obligations erased $ 9.9 billion (28% of the total) in order to improve the cash position. This action resulted in Ford's profit of $ 2.7 billion in fiscal 2009, the company's first full-year profit in four years.

In 2012, Ford corporate bonds were upgraded from junk to investment again, citing ongoing, lasting improvement.

On October 29, 2012, Ford announced the sale of the business climate control components, automotive components operations last remaining, to Detroit Thermal Systems LLC for an undisclosed price.

On November 1, 2012, Ford announced that CEO Alan Mulally will remain with the company until 2014. Ford also named Mark Fields, president of US operations, as chief operating office of the new Ford CEO Mulally has paid compensation over $ 174 million in the previous seven years at Ford since 2006. The number of generous has become a sore point for some workers of the company.
Logo evolution

    1903

    1909

    1912

    1912 variant

    1927

    2003 Present

Affairs of the company
Executive management

Ford board member in July 2014 are: Richard A. Gephardt, Stephen Butler, Ellen Marram, Kimberly Casiano, Mark Fields (President and CEO), Edsel Ford II, Homer Neal, William Clay Ford Jr. (Executive Chairman), Anthony F. Earley Jr., James P. Hackett, John L. Thornton, James H. Hance, Jr., William W. Helman IV, Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., John C. Lechleiter and Gerald L. Shaheen.
Financial results

In 2010, Ford gained a net profit of $ 6.6 billion and reduce its debt from $ 33.6 billion to $ 14.5 billion lower the interest payments of $ 1 billion, following a 2009 net profit of $ 2.7 billion. In the US, the F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in 2010. Ford sold 528 349 F-Series trucks throughout the year, an increase of 27.7% compared to 2009, total sales of 1.9 million vehicles, or any one of four Ford vehicles sold. Truck sales account for a large piece of Ford's profits, according to USA Today. Ford arrangement also includes the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Hertz Rent-a-Car to a private equity group for $ 15 billion in cash and debt acquisition. The sale was completed on December 22, 2005. The 50-50 joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra of India, called Mahindra Ford India, Limited (MIFL), ended up with Ford to buy out the remaining shares in the company Mahindra in 2005. Ford had previously been raised its stake to 72% in 1998.

 

Surgery

Ford has manufacturing operations throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, England, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa. Ford also has a cooperation agreement with Russian automaker GAZ.
North America
Ford Dealer in Garden City, New York, ca. 1930-1945

In the first five months of 2010, car sales in the US rose to 4.6 million cars and light trucks, an increase of 17% from the previous year. This increase is mainly due to the resumption of commercial customers that have all but stopped buying in 2009 during the recession. Sales to individual customers at dealerships has increased by 13%, while fleet sales have jumped 32%. Ford reported that 37% of sales in May came from the sales force when it announced sales for the month increased by 23%. In the first seven months of 2010, Ford vehicle sales increased 24%, including retail and fleet sales. Ford's fleet sales for the same period rose 35% to 386,000 units, while retail sales increased 19%. Fleet sales account for 39 percent of sales of Chrysler and 31 percent for GM.

Europe

Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Laindon, England, automotive research and development facility in the country's largest
Ford Research Center in Aachen, Germany

At first, Ford in Germany and Ford in the UK built a model different from one another until the end of the 1960s, the Ford Escort and later Ford Capri that are common to both companies. Then, the Ford Taunus and Ford Cortina became identical, produced in left hand drive and right-hand drive respectively. Rationalization of the range of models, which means that the production of many models in the UK switched to elsewhere in Europe, including Belgium and Spain and Germany. The Ford Sierra replaced the Taunus and Cortina in 1982, drawing criticism for radical aerodynamic styling, which is soon given nicknames like "Jellymould" and "The Salesman's Spaceship."

Increasingly, Ford Motor Company, Ford of Europe has looked for "world car", such as the Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta, although sales of European-sourced Ford in the US has been disappointing. Focus has been one exception to this, which has become the best selling compact car America since it was launched in 2000.

In February 2002, Ford ended car production in the UK. This is the first time in 90 years that Ford had not been made in the UK, although production continues at its Transit van Southampton facility until mid-2013, the engine in Bridgend and Dagenham, and transmissions at Halewood. Ford's European development is broadly divided between Dunton in Essex (powertrain, Fiesta / Ka, and commercial vehicles) and Cologne (body, chassis, electrical, Focus, Mondeo) in Germany. Ford also produces Thames various commercial vehicles, although the use of the brand name was discontinued around 1965. Elsewhere in Europe, Ford assembles the Mondeo range in Genk (Belgium), Fiesta in Valencia (Spain) and Cologne (Germany), Ka in Valencia (Spain), Focus in Valencia (Spain), Saarlouis (Germany) and Vsevolozhsk (Russia). Transit production at Kocaeli (Turkey), Southampton (UK), and Transit Connect in Kocaeli (Turkey).


Ford also has a joint production plant in Turkey. Ford otosan, founded in 1970, manufactures the Transit Connect compact panel van and "Jumbo" and the long-wheelbase version of the full-size Transit. The new production facility is set up near Kocaeli in 2002, and opening marks the end of the Transit assembly in Genk.

Another joint venture plant near Setubal in Portugal, set up in cooperation with Volkswagen, before collecting the Galaxy people-carrier and its sister ship, VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra. With the introduction of the third generation of the Galaxy, Ford has shifted production of the carrier to the Genk plant, with Volkswagen to take over sole possession of Setubal facility.

In 2008, Ford acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova, Romania. From 2009, the Ford Transit Connect is Ford's first model produced in Craiova, followed, in 2012, by a low-capacity car engines and a new small class car, the B-Max.

Its 1959 Anglia two-door sedan is one of a small family car the most unique looks in Europe at launch, but buyers quickly become familiar with its appearance and it is very popular with British buyers in particular. It still sells well when it was replaced by a more practical Escort in 1967.

The third incarnation of the Ford Escort was launched in 1980 and marks the company's move from salons rear wheel drive to front-wheel drive hatchback in the small family car sector.

The fourth-generation Escort was produced from 1990 to 2000, although its successor - the Focus - have been sold since 1998. At launch, the Focus is arguably the most dramatic-looking and fine-handling small family cars sold, and sold in large volumes until to launch the next-generation Focus at the end of 2004.

1982 Ford Sierra - a replacement for the long-run and massively popular Cortina and Taunus models - is a style-setter at launch. Ultra modern aerodynamic design is a world away from the square, sharp Cortina, and it was massively popular everywhere it is sold. Series continue to update it looked relatively fresh until replaced by the front-wheel drive Mondeo in early 1993.

The rise in popularity of small cars during the 1970s saw Ford entered the mini-car market in 1976 with the Fiesta hatchback. Most of its production is concentrated in Valencia in Spain, and Fiesta sold in large numbers from the outset. Update in 1983 and the launch of new models all in 1989 to strengthen its position in the small car market.

On October 24, 2012, Ford announced that it will close its assembly plant in Genk eastern Belgium at the end of 2014.

Oceania

Ford Falcon FG (Australia)

In Australia and New Zealand, the popular Ford Falcon has long been regarded as an average family car and is much larger than the Mondeo, Ford's largest car sold in Europe. Between 1960 and 1972, the Falcon was based on a US model of the same name, but since it has been designed and manufactured entirely in Australia, sometimes produced in New Zealand. As rival General Motors, which Holden Commodore, Falcon uses the layout of the rear wheels. High performance variants of the Falcon running locally built engine produces up to 362 hp (270 kW). A ute (short for "utility", known in the US as a pickup truck) version is also available with the same range of drivetrains. In addition, Ford Australia sells highly tuned limited-production Falcon sedans and utes through its performance car division, Ford Performance Vehicles.

In Australia, the Commodore and Falcon traditionally outsold all other car and consists of more than 20% of the new car market. In New Zealand, Ford's second in market share in the first eight months of 2006 with 14.4 percent. Ford recently been fired its Falcon-based LWB variant lineup- Fairlane and LTD ranges, and announced that they Geelong engine plant can be shut down from 2013. They also announced the local manufacturing of the Focus small car starting in 2011.

In Australia, Ford Laser is one of Australia's most successful model 's, and is produced at Ford Homebush plant from 1981 until the closure of the plant in September 1994. It outsold the Mazda 323, although almost identical to it, because the laser is manufactured in Australia and Ford is regarded as a local brand.

In New Zealand, the Ford Laser and Telstar gathered together Mazda 323 and 626 to 1997, in the Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (Vanz) plant in Wiri, Auckland. The Sierra wagon also gathered in New Zealand, because of the popularity of the station wagon on the market.

Scheduled closing manufacturing base Ford Australia in 2016 was confirmed at the end of May 2013. Headquartered in the suburb of Victoria Broadmeadows, the company has registered losses amounting to AU $ 600 million over the five years prior to the announcement. It was noted that the company and government fleet sales which explains two-thirds of the large, local car sales in Australia are not sufficient to maintain profitable and viable Ford products in Australia. Decision will affect the 1200 Ford workers-more than 600 employees in Geelong and more than 500 in Broadmeadows-who will lose their jobs in the month of October 2016.

East and Southeast Asia

Ford formed a joint venture in China's first passenger vehicle in 2001, six years behind GM and more than a decade after VW. It has spent $ 4.9 billion to expand its 2013 lineup and doubled production capacity in China to 600,000 vehicles. This includes the largest ever Ford factory complex in the southwestern city of Chongqing. Ford has 2.5 percent of the Chinese market in 2013, while VW controlled 14.5 percent and GM had 15.6 percent, according to LMC Automotive consultant. Ford outsells GM in China with more than six-to-one.
Ford's stamping plant in Geelong, Australia

With the acquisition of shares in the Japanese manufacturer Mazda in 1979, Ford began selling Mazda Familia and Capella (also known as 323 and 626) as the Ford Laser and Telstar, replace the European-sourced Escort and Cortina. Through a relationship with Mazda, Ford also acquire a stake in the South Korean manufacturer Kia, which builds (Mazda-based) 1988-1993 Ford Festiva and Ford Aspire 1994-1997 for export to the United States, but then sold their interest in Hyundai (which also Ford Cortina was produced until the 1980s). Kia continues to market the Aspire as the Kia Avella, then was replaced by Rio and once again sold in the United States.

Ford's presence in Asia has traditionally been much smaller, limited to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan, where Ford has had a joint venture with Lio Ho since the 1970s. Ford began assembling cars in Thailand in 1960, but withdrew from the country in 1976, and did not return until 1995, when it formed a joint venture with Mazda, called Auto Alliance. Now in Bo-win Subdistrict, Sriracha District of Chonburi located in Ford Motor Company (Thailand) Limited, made a passenger car. The factory was built in 1941 in Singapore immediately taken over by the Japanese during the war and is a handover from Britain to Japan, at the plant site which is now a national monument in Singapore.

On April 30, 2013, Ford Motor Co. launched their line of cars and trucks in Myanmar. Earlier, heavy import taxes have detained the purchase of imported cars in Myanmar, but due to the currency reform, the lifting of import restrictions previously, and the elimination of eye shadow, Myanmar car market has grown in demand.

Ford Japan

Ford established a manufacturing facility in the port city of Yokohama in February 1925, where the vehicle is assembled using a Model T that knock-down kits imported. The factory then produce 10,000 Model A until 1936. Production stopped in 1940 as a result of political tensions between Japan and the United States.

After World War II, Ford does not have a presence in Japan, as the Ford facility taken by the Government of Japan until 1958, when the property is returned as belonging to Ford Motor Company and became the location of research and development for Ford partner Mazda. In 1979, Ford acquired a 24.5% stake in Mazda, and in 1982 Ford and Mazda jointly established sales channels to sell Ford products in Japan, including vehicles produced in North America, at the dealership called Autorama (Japan ). The Autorama sales channels renamed Ford Sales of Japan in 1997.

Vehicles sold Autorama location is North America gathered Ford Explorer, Probe (1989-1998), Mustang, Taurus (1989-1997), Thunderbird (1990-1993), Lincoln Continental, and the Lincoln LS. Ford products produced in Europe are sold in Japan is the Ford Mondeo, Ka, Focus, Focus C-MAX, Fiesta, and Galaxy. Ford Mazda vehicles produced in Japan and sold as Ford at Autorama location. They are Ford Telstar (Mazda Capella), Laser, Festiva, Festiva Mini Wagon, Ixion (Mazda Premacy), Freda (Bondo Friendee Mazda), Spectron (Mazda Bongo), and commercial trucks and J80 (Mazda Bongo truck) J100.

Ford increased its stake in Mazda to 33.4% in 1996. Ford currently sells a variety of small vehicles in Japan; per October 2010, Ford Mustang, Escape, Explorer (and Explorer truck), Ford Kuga, Lincoln Navigator and Lincoln MKX are available in Japan. Ford maintains regional offices in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

South and West Asia

Ford India began production in 1998 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with the model Ford Escort, which was later replaced by locally produced Ford Ikon in 2001. Since then added Fusion, Fiesta, Mondeo and Endeavour to its product line.

On March 9, 2010, Ford Motor Co. launched its first compact car made-for-India. Start 349 900 ($ 7690), the first car Ford Figo is designed and priced for the mass Indian market. On July 28, 2011 Ford India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat State for the construction and machine assembly plant in Sanand, and plans to invest approximately US $ 1 billion in 460-acre site.

Ford's market presence in the Middle East has traditionally been small, in part because of the Arab boycott of companies dealing with Israel earlier. Ford and Lincoln vehicles currently sold in ten countries in the region. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates is the largest market. Ford also put himself in Egypt in 1926, but faces an uphill battle during the 1950s because of the hostile business environment nationalists. Ford distributor in Saudi Arabia announced in February 2003 that it had sold 100,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles since it began selling in November 1986. Half of the vehicles Ford / Lincoln sold in the state that the Ford Crown Victoria. In 2004, Ford sold 30,000 units in the region, fell far short of General Motors '88 .852 units and Nissan Motors '75 .000 units.

 

South America

Over the 20th century, Ford face protectionist government measures in South America, with the result that it was built different models in different countries, without notably for rationalization or economies of scale attached to produce and share similar vehicles among nations , In many cases, new vehicles in the country are based on those of other manufacturers have entered into an agreement with the production, or that the plant was obtained. For example, Corcel and Del Rey in Brazil was originally based on Renault vehicles.

In 1987, Ford of Brazil and Ford of Argentina merged their operations with Brazilian and Argentinan operations of the Volkswagen Group, formed a new joint venture called Autolatina with various models together. Sales figures and profitability were disappointing, and Autolatina disbanded in 1995. With the advent of Mercosur, a common market area, the Ford eventually could rationalize the product line-up in countries. Consequently, the Ford Fiesta and Ford EcoSport only built in Brazil, and the Ford Focus only built in Argentina, with each crop export in large volumes to neighboring countries. Models like the Ford Mondeo from Europe can now be imported completely built. Ford Brazil produces a pick-up truck versions of the Fiesta, the Courier, which is also produced in South Africa as the Ford Bantam in right hand drive versions.

Africa

In Africa, the presence of traditionally strong Ford markets in South Africa and neighboring countries, with only trucks being sold elsewhere on the continent. Ford in South Africa began by importing kits from Canada to be assembled in Port Elizabeth facility. Then Ford models sourced from the UK and Australia, with local versions of the Ford Cortina including the XR6, with a 3.0 V6 engine, and based Cortina 'bakkie' or pick-up, which is exported to the UK. In the mid-1980s Ford joined the rival company, owned by Anglo American, to form the South African Motor Corporation (Samcor).

After international condemnation of apartheid, Ford divested from South Africa in 1988, and sold its stake in Samcor, although licensed use of the brand for the company. Samcor began to assemble Mazdas as well, which affect the product line-up, and look like the European Ford Escort and Sierra was replaced by the Mazda-based Laser and Telstar. Ford bought 45 per cent stake in Samcor after the death of apartheid in 1994, and it later became, once again, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company of South Africa. Ford now sells a local sedan version of the Fiesta (also built in India and Mexico), and Focus. Falcon model from Australia was also sold in South Africa, but was dropped in 2003, while the Mondeo, after being assembled locally, was dropped in 2005.

Products and services

Car

2013 model year Lincoln MKS

Ford Motor Company sells a variety of cars under the Ford marque across the globe, and a variety of additional luxury cars under the Lincoln marque in the United States. The company has sold vehicles under a number of other marques during its history. The Mercury brand was introduced by Ford in 1939, continued in production until 2011, when poor sales led to his termination. In 1958, Ford introduced the Edsel brand, but poor sales led to discontinuation in 1960. In 1985, Merkur brand was introduced in the United States to market products produced by Ford of Europe; was discontinued in 1989.

Ford acquires British sports car maker Aston Martin in 1989, then sold it on March 12, 2007, despite maintaining an 8% share. Ford bought Volvo Cars Sweden in 1999, sold to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2010. In November 2008, it reduced its 33.4% controlling in Mazda of Japan's non-controlling 13.4%. On November 18, 2010, Ford reduce their stakes further by only 3%, citing a decrease in ownership will allow greater flexibility to pursue growth in emerging markets. Ford and Mazda remain strategic partners through technology information exchange and joint ventures, including American joint venture plant in Flat Rock, Michigan called Auto Alliance. Ford sold UK-based Jaguar and Land Rover companies and brands to Tata Motors of India in March 2008.
Marque Origin Year used / owned Market
Ford USA 1903-Now Global
Lincoln United States 1922-Now North America, Middle East
Quicksilver United States 1939 - 2011 North American, Middle East
Edsel United States 1958 - 1960 North American
Merkur United States 1985 - 1989 North American
Jaguar UK 1989 - 2008 Global
Aston Martin UK 1989 - 2007 Global
Volvo Sweden 1999 - 2010 Global
Land Rover UK 2000 - 2008 Global
Mazda Japan 1996 - 2010 Global
FPV Australia 2002 - 2014 Australia
Troller Brazil 2007-Present Brazil
Truck
An advertisement for the 1939 Ford V-8 pick-up truck
A 1961 Ford truck ads for H-Series

Ford has manufactured trucks since 1908, starting with the Ford Model TT, followed by Model AA, and BB models. Countries where Ford commercial vehicles or previously manufactured, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada (also badged as Mercury), France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Philippines, Spain (badged Ebro also), Turkish, English (badged also Fordson and Thames ) and the United States.

From 1940 to 1970 Ford Ford F-Series are used as the basis for light trucks for the North American market.

Most of these efforts are now extinct. European long-lasting is the truck arm of Ford UK, which became part of the Iveco group in 1986. Ford has a minority stake in the new company and Iveco took over the sales and production of the Ford Cargo range. and significant European truck models Ford is Transcontinental and Cargo.

In the United States, Ford's heavy truck division (Grades 7 and 8) sold in 1997 for Freightliner Trucks, whose name lineup as Sterling. 73] Freightliner is in the process of cessation of this line.

Line of heavy trucks made by Ford for the North American market:

    Ford F-650 - a joint models from 2000 to present
    Ford L9000 - the last model in 1999
    Ford LNT9000 - spindle nose short tandem from 1970 to 1997
    Ford LT9000 - tandem axle with the last model in 1997
    Ford FT900 - to 1998
    Ford LT8000 - the last model in 1998
    Ford L7000 - the last model in 1996

Ford continues to produce medium trucks under the F-650 and F-750 badge. In 2001, the company entered into a joint venture with Navistar International to produce medium and heavy duty commercial trucks. The first new model of the new company, known as the Blue Diamond Truck Company LLC, is the 2006 Model LCF, Ford branded design first cab-over-engine in the United States since the acquisition of Freightliner of the Cargo in the mid-1990s. LCF was discontinued in 2009 and 2011 medium and heavy-duty commercial offers limited to two Ford F-Series.

At the end of 1999 Ford F800 indicates no longer produce the F-series heavy truck chassis.

In Europe, Ford produces the Ford Transit van jumbo that is classified as a large goods vehicle and has a payload of up to 2,265 kg, there is a choice of panel van, pickup or chassis cab. Ford Transit is also available as a light van called the Ford Transit Connect and Ford Ranger pickup available.

Buses

A Ford B700 bus chassis, with body by Thomas Built

Ford produced a complete bus in the early history of the company, but today the role of the company has changed to a second stage manufacturer. In North America, the E-Series is still used as a chassis for a small school bus and F-650 is used in the commercial bus market. In the 1980s and 1990s, medium-duty chassis B700 is popularly used by the body manufacturers including Thomas Built school bus, Ward and Blue Bird, but Ford lost market share because of contraction and agreements between manufacturers of industrial entities. Older bus models including:


Prior to 1936, the Ford bus based on truck bodies:

    Model B - 1930
    Model T - 1920
    F-105 school bus

A 1937 Ford Transit Bus in Seattle

In 1936, Ford introduced the Ford Transit Bus, a series of small transit buses with bodies built by both parties. Initially the design of front-engine, rear design was modified for the engine in 1939. Approximately 1,000 to 1,200 of the original design was built, and about 12,500 of the rear-engine design, which is in production until 1947 (renamed as Universal Bus in 1946).

Rear-engine chassis Model Transit Bus numbers:

    09-B / 19-B City bus transportation - 1939-1941
    19-B / 29-B City bus transportation - 1941-1942
    49-B / 79-B City bus transportation - 1944-1947
    69-B City bus transportation - 1946-1947
    29-B City bus transportation - 1946-1947
    72-T transit buses - 1944-1945

After 1946 buses sold as a Universal City Transit Bus with roof changed from fabric / wood for all-metal:

    79-B Universal bus shuttles - 1946-1947

Ford Transit Bus succeed with it that Ford 8M bus:

    8MB busing - with Wayne Works 1948?

After World War II and from 1950 onwards Ford lost from General Motors. This led to the end of the Ford transit buses in North America.

    B500 or B-series - 1950-1990s by the Ford F-series truck chassis used by a school bus body manufacturers

In Europe, Ford produces the Ford Transit Minibus is classified in Europe as a Passenger Carrying Vehicles and there is a choice of 12, 15 or 17 seaters. In the European model of the past including:

    EM
    N-138
    D serial bus (Australia)

Tractor

Ford N series tractors

The "Henry Ford and Son Company" started making Henry Fordson tractor in the town of Springwells (then part of the Dearborn), Michigan from 1907 to 1928, 1919 to 1932, in Cork, Ireland, and from 1933 to 1964 in Dagenham, England, and then transferred to the Basildon. They are also produced in Leningrad early 1924.

In 1986, Ford tractor expand business when it bought Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implements company of Sperry Company and formed Ford-New Holland tractors versatile purchased in 1988. The company was bought by Fiat in 1993 and changed the name of Ford New Holland New Holland. New Holland is now part of CNH Global.

Financial services

Ford offers auto financing through Ford Motor Credit Company.

Automotive components

FoMoCo parts division of Ford sells aftermarket parts under the Motorcraft brand name. It has spun off under the name Visteon parts division.

Ford Motorsport

Along with Shelby and Chevrolet, Ford is one of only three Americans to win the constructors' title in the international arena in the FIA ​​World Championships. As a constructor, Ford won the Sportscar World Championship three times in 1966, 1967 and 1968, and the World Rally Championship three times in 1979, 2006 and 2007.

Race car stock

Ford Fusion NASCAR race cars

Ford is one of the three manufacturers in NASCAR's three major series: Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. The main teams include Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske, and Richard Petty Motorsports. Ford is represented by a mid-size Fusion in Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Mustang and F-150 in the Camping World Truck Series. Some of the most successful NASCAR Ford is the aerodynamic fastback Ford Torino, Ford Torino Talladega, Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, and Mercury Montegos, and aero-era Ford Thunderbirds. Ford nameplate has won eight manufacturers in the Sprint Cup championship, while Mercury has won one. In the Sprint Cup Series, Ford won the 1,000 in 2013 Quicken Loans 400. Ford Fusion is also used in the ARCA Remax Series. Ford had last won the drivers' championship in the Cup Series with Kurt Busch in 2004.

Ford Formula One

Ford is heavily involved in Formula One for many years, and provided the engine for a large number of teams from 1967 to 2004. The machine is designed and manufactured by Cosworth, the racing division which is owned by Ford from 1998 to 2004. Ford-badged engines won 176 Grand Prix between 1967 and 2003 for teams such as Team Lotus and McLaren. Ford entered Formula One as a constructor in 2000 under the name Jaguar Racing, after buying the Stewart Grand Prix team principal who has his 'work' in the series since 1997. Jaguar achieved little success in Formula One, and after a turbulent five seasons, Ford interesting away from the category after the 2004 season, selling both Jaguar Racing (which became Red Bull Racing) and Cosworth (for Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven).

Rally

Jari-Matti Latvala driving a Ford Focus RS WRC 09 in 2010.

Ford has a long history in the rally and has been active in the World Rally Championship since the start of the world championship, the 1973 season. Ford take the 1979 title of the manufacturer 'with Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldegård and Ari Vatanen driving a Ford Escort RS1800. In Group B era, Ford achieved success with the Ford RS200. Since the summer of 1999, Ford has been using various versions of the Ford Focus WRC for a lot of success. In the 2006 season, BP-Ford World Rally Team Ford title successfully both producers', with the Focus RS WRC 06 was built by M-Sport and driven by the "Flying Finland" Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen. Continuing with Grönholm and Hirvonen, Ford managed to retain the world title producer 'in the 2007 season. Ford is the only manufacturer to score in points for 92 consecutive races; since the 2002 season opener Monte Carlo Rally.

Ford Sports car

Ford's sports car has been seen in the world sports car racing since 1964. Most notably GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in 1960 and is the only American car to ever win the overall at this prestigious event. Ford also won the 1968 International Championship for Makes with the GT40, which still stands today as one of the all-time biggest race cars. Swiss Matech GT Racing team, in collaboration with Ford Racing, opened a new chapter with the Ford GT, won the team title at the 2008 FIA GT3 European Championship.

Ford Mustang GT (GT racing cars)

The Ford Mustang was arguably the most successful sports car Ford. Jerry Titus won the 1965 SCCA Pro B National Championship with the Mustang and Ford models continue to get the SCCA Trans-Am Championship title in both 1966 and 1967. Ford won the Trans -Am Championship again in 1970 with Parnelli Jones and George Follmer driving Boss 302 Mustang for Bud Moore Engineering. Ford took the 1985 and 1986 IMSA GTO Championship with Mustang driven by John Jones and Scott Pruett before returning to Trans-Am championship glory with in 1989 with Dorsey Schroeder. Ford dominated Trans-Am in the 1990s by Tommy Kendal won the championship in 1993, 1995, 1996, and 1997 with Paul Gentilozzi added yet another title in 1999. In 2005 Ford Mustang FR500C took the championship in the Rolex Series in the first Koni Challenge year on the circuit. In 2007 Ford added a victory in the GT4 European Championship. 2008 was the first year Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup, a series of holes which fields full of identical factory built Ford Mustang race cars against each other. Also in 2008, Ford won the manufacturers championship in the Koni Challenge Series and hypersport drivers Joe Foster and Steve Maxwell won the drivers title in the Mustang GT.

Touring car

Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon V8 Supercar at Eastern Creek in Australia in 2008.

Ford has campaigned touring cars such as the Focus, Falcon, and Contour / Mondeo and the Sierra Cosworth in many different series throughout the year. In particular, the Mondeo driver finished 1,2,3 in the 2000 British Touring Car Championship driver and placed 1,2,3 Falcon V8 Supercar Championship in 2005 Series.

Other

The Indianapolis 500, Ford supported IndyCars won 17 times between 1965 and 1996 Ford also has branched out to drift with the introduction of the new model Mustang. Most striking is Turquoise and blue Falken Tire Mustang driven by Vaughn Gittin Jr., AKA "JR" with 750 RWHP (Rear Wheel Horsepower). In drag racing, John Force Racing driver John Force, Tony Pedregon, and Robert Hight have piloted the Ford Mustang NHRA Funny Car to several titles in recent seasons. Teammates Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca III also encourage Mustang in Funny Car. Formula Ford, Formula for single-seater cars without wings and initially on a road tire which was conceived in 1966 in the UK as an entry-level formula for racing drivers. Many racers currently racing career started their cars in this category.
Environmental initiatives
Compressed natural gas

The alternative to fossil fuel vehicles, such as some versions of the Crown Victoria, especially in taxis and services, operating on compressed natural gas-or CNG. Some CNG vehicles have dual fuel tanks - one for petrol, the other for CNG - the same engine can operate on either fuel via a selector switch.
Flexible fuel vehicles
Ford Focus Flexifuel is the first E85 flexible fuel vehicles are commercially available in the European market.

Flexible fuel vehicles are designed to operate smoothly using a variety of available fuels-ethanol blends of pure gasoline, for -gasoline bioethanol blends such as E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) or E100 (neat hydrous ethanol) in Brazil. Part of the challenge of successful marketing alternative and flexible fuel vehicles in the US, is the lack of formation enough fueling stations, which will be important for these vehicles to be attractive to a wide range of consumers. Significant efforts to improve the production and distribution of E85 fuel is ongoing and evolving. When Ford Flex E100 sold in the Brazilian market is the Courier, the Ford EcoSport, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Ford Ka.

Electric vehicle drive
Hybrid electric vehicles
Ford Escape plug-in hybrid test vehicle.
Mulally (second from left) with then President George W. Bush in Kansas City Assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri on March 20, 2007, heralding a new hybrid car Ford.

In 2004, Ford and Toyota approved the sharing agreement Ford patents granted access to certain hybrid technology patented by Toyota; in exchange for Ford licensed Toyota's own patents. In 2004 Ford introduced the Escape Hybrid. With these vehicles, Ford is the third for the automotive market with a hybrid electric vehicle and the first hybrid electric SUV to market. It is also the first hybrid electric vehicle with a flexible fuel capability to run on E85. The Escape platform mate Mercury Mariner is also available with a hybrid-electric system in the 2006-model year full ahead of schedule. Similar Mazda Tribute also will receive a hybrid-electric powertrain option, along with many other vehicles in the Ford vehicle lines.

In 2005 Ford announced a goal to make 250,000 hybrids in 2010, but in mid-2006 announced that he will not meet that goal, because the costs are too high and the lack of an adequate supply of batteries of hybrid-electric drivetrain systems and components. Instead, Ford has committed to accelerate the development of hybrid-electric power generation in the UK, in cooperation with Volvo. Engineering study is expected to produce more than 100 models of new hybrid-electric vehicles and derivatives.

In September 2007 Ford announced a partnership with Southern California Edison (SCE) to examine how the plug-in hybrids will work with the electricity network. Under the multi-million dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicle can interact with the home network and electricity utilities. Some vehicles will be evaluated "in typical customer settings", according to Ford.

On June 12, 2008 USDOE expand its own fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles with the addition of the Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid Flex-Fuel Vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a 10-kilowatt (13 hp) lithium-ion battery supplied by Johnson Controls-Saft that stores enough electric energy to drive up to 30 miles (48 km) at speeds up to 40 mph (64 km / h). In March 2009 Ford launched hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid in the United States, both as a 2010 model.

In November 2014, Ford has produced for retail sales of hybrid electric vehicles the following: Ford Escape Hybrid (2004-2012), Mercury Mariner Hybrid (2005-2010), Mercury Milan Hybrid (2009-2010), the Ford Fusion Hybrid (2009-present) , Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (20010-present), the Ford C-Max Hybrid (2012-present), and the Ford Mondeo Hybrid (2014-present). In June 2012 Ford has sold 200,000 full hybrid in the US since 2004, and, in September 2014, the car manufacturer has sold more than 344,000 hybrids in the United States. The top selling hybrid in the US market is the Fusion Hybrid with 127 572 units, followed by the Escape Hybrid with 117 997 units, and the C-Max Hybrid with 54 236. ] In November 2014, Ford is the second largest producer in the world after the hybrid Toyota Motor Corporation, with 400,000 hybrid electric vehicles produced since its introduction in 2004.
Plug-in electric vehicles

In October 2014, Ford has produced the following plug-in electric vehicles: all-electric Ford Ranger EV (1997-2002),! Ford TH NK (1999-2003), Transit Connect (2010-2012), and the Ford Focus Electric (December 2011-present); and plug-in hybrid C-MAX Energi (October 2012-present) and Fusion Energy (February 2013- now). Since the launch of the Focus Electric in 2011, Ford has sold 35 391 plug-in electric passenger vehicles until September 2014.
The Azure Transit Connect Electric was produced between 2010 and 2012 as a collaboration between Azure Dynamics and Ford Motor Company

Bill Ford was one of the first top industry executives to make regular use of battery electric vehicles, a Ford Ranger EV, while the company contracted by the United States Postal Service to deliver electric postal vans based on the Ranger EV platform. Ford discontinued line of electric Ranger pickup truck and ordered them destroyed, despite the upside in January 2005, after environmental protests. The all-electric pickup truck leased 205 units for individuals and 1,500 units for the fleet in the US from 1998 to 2002.

From 2009-2011 Ford offers the Ford TH! NK car. Ford ended production and ordered all cars were confiscated and destroyed, even many people leasing them begged to be able to buy a car from Ford.Setelah protests of tenants and activists in the US and Norway, Ford car back to Norway for sale. A total of 440 units for rent in the US from 1999 to 2003.

The Azure Transit Connect Electric is the all-electric van developed as a collaboration between Azure Dynamics and Ford Motor Company, but Azure is the official manufacturer of the record. Transit Connect Electric has an official of the US Environmental Protection Agency a wide range of all-electric of 56 miles (90 km). EPA rated combined city / highway fuel economy at 62 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (3.8 L / 100 km equivalent). Delivery to fleet customers in the US and Canada starting in December 2010. The production of electric vans were discontinued in March 2012 as a result of the bankruptcy protection filing Azure. Ford continues to provide services. Approximately 500 units were sold before Azure stop production.
The Ford Fusion Energi is a plug-in hybrid powertrain and share with the Ford C-Max Energi.

The Ford Focus Electric is based on next-generation Focus internal combustion vehicles, converted to all-electric propulsion system as production of electric cars by Magna International, and began retail sales in the United States in December 2011. The EPA rated the Focus Electric has a wide range of 76 miles (122 km) and the combined economy of the city / highway fuel of 105 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (2.2 L / 100 km). Also available in Canada and some European countries, a total of 3,965 units have been sold in the US until September 2014.

The Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid is released in the US in October 2012. The C-Max Energi has EPA rated all-electric range of 20 miles (32 km) and fuel economy combined city / highway in all of the mode electricity at 88 MPG-e (2.7 L / 100 km). US sales reach 16 014 units by September 2014. Delivery of the Ford Fusion Energy began in the US in February 2013. The Fusion Energy has a variety of all-electric from 20 miles (32 km) and similar EPA fuel economy rating 88 MPG-e ( 2.7 L / 100 km). A total of 15 412 units have been delivered in the United States until September 2014. Both models are Energy share the same powertrain technology, and has the same fuel economy EPA combined city / highway at 38 mpg-US hybrid operation (6.2 L / 46 mpg; 100 km -imp ).
Hydrogen

Ford also continues to study Fuel Cell-powered electric powertrains, and have demonstrated a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine technology, as well as developing a hybrid-electric system of the next generation. Compared to conventional vehicles, hybrid vehicles and / or fuel cell vehicles reduce emissions of air pollutants and sound level, with a favorable impact on respiratory health and decrease health effects of noise.

Ford has launched the production of hydrogen-powered shuttle bus, use hydrogen instead of gasoline in a standard internal combustion engine, for use at airports and convention centers. In 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford showed off a hydrogen fuel cell version of the Explorer SUV. Fuel cell Explorer has a combined output of 174 hp (130 kW). It has a large hydrogen storage tank located in the middle of the car taking the original place of a conventional automatic transmission models. The position of the tank helps the vehicle achieve centered-known range of 350 miles (563 km), which is the furthest to the fuel cell vehicle as far as fuel ini.Sel Explorer the first in a series of prototypes partially funded by the US Department of Energy to expand its efforts to determine the feasibility of powered vehicles hydrogen. The fuel cell Explorer is one of several vehicles with green technology that appeared at the LA show, including the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, the PZEV emissions compliant Fusion and Focus models and the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with clean diesel technology Ford.
Improved fuel efficiency

Ford Motor Company announced it would accelerate plans to produce more fuel-efficient cars, changing both the North American manufacturing plans and range of vehicles available in the United States. In the case of North American manufacturing, the company will convert three existing truck and sport utility vehicle (SUV) plants for small car production, with the first conversion at the company's Michigan Truck Plant.Selain, Ford assembly plant near Mexico City, Mexico, and in Louisville , Kentucky, will convert from pickups and SUVs to small cars, including the Ford Fiesta, in 2011. Ford also will introduce to North America six European small vehicles, including two versions of the Ford Fiesta, at the end of 2012. And last but not least, Ford is increasing the production of fuel-efficient "EcoBoost" engine V-6 and four-cylinder, while increasing the production of hybrid vehicles.

European Ford ECOnetic develop programs to address the market and legislative requirements for fuel efficiency higher and lower CO2 emissions. Unlike the hybrid engine technology used in the products of competitors such as the Toyota Prius, ECOnetic improving existing technology. Use low consume Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, and is based on a combination of improved aerodynamics, lower resistance and increase efficiency, the Ford Fiesta now exudes a mass-produced car lowest in Europe, while the 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic will have better fuel consumption of the Prius or Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion. ECOnetic is not currently scheduled to be sold in North America because it is considered lower consumer demand at this time.

Ford has challenged University teams to create a vehicle that is simple, durable, lightweight and equipped with a target base price of just $ 7.000.Para students from the University of Aachen created "2015 Ford Model T".

In 2000, under the leadership of the current Ford chairman, William Clay Ford, the Company announced the planned 25 percent increase in the average mileage of the fleet of light trucks - including the popular SUV - which will be completed in 2005 calendar year. In 2003, Ford announced that the competitive market conditions and technological challenges and costs will prevent the company from achieving this goal.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has, however, listed Ford as the seventh worst company producer of air pollution, especially because of manganese compounds, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and glycol ethers released from its foundry, trucks, and assembly plants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has been attributed Ford's 54 Superfund toxic waste sites, twelve that have been cleaned and removed from the list.

For the 2007 model year, Ford has thirteen US model that reaches 30 miles per gallon or better (based on estimated highway fuel economy EPA) and some Ford vehicles are recognized in the EPA and Department of Energy Fuel Economy Guide for the best -class -in fuel economy. Ford claims to have eliminated nearly three million pounds of smoke-forming emissions from their cars and light trucks in the United States during the 2004 to 2006 model years.
PC power management

In March 2010, Ford announced PC power management system developed with software from 1E nightwatchman. The company is expected to save $ 1.2m electricity costs and reduce carbon footprint by an estimated 16,000 to 25,000 metric tons per year when the system is fully implemented.

PC power management is being rolled out to all computer users in the US Ford this month and will be used in Ford operations around the world at the end of the year. Computer with the power profile is enabled will monitor usage patterns and decide if it could be turned off. PC users will be notified of the power down time approached and given the opportunity to delay it.

According reduction in carbon footprint and electricity costs will be achieved by developing the 'Profile Power for every PC in the company.
Sponsor

Ford sponsoring various events and sports facilities throughout the United States, notably Ford Center in downtown Evansville, Indiana, and Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

Ford also has been the main sponsor of the Champions League for more than two decades old and also sponsor Sky channel media coverage of Premier League football. Ford senior marketer Mark Jones explained the process behind the May 2013 offers two links:

    We start with a blank piece of paper and work if the sponsor is still work to us and ask if it meets our objective? We want to find a moment in time when people come together and have a collective experience and we achieve this through sponsorship. ]

Sales figures
Calendar Year Sales US
1999 4.163.369
2000 4.202.820
2001 3.971.364
2002 3.623.709
2003 3.483.719
2004 3.331.676
2005 3.153.875
2006 2.901.090
2007 2.507.366
2008 1.988.376
2009 1.620.888
2010 1.935.462
2011 2.143.101
2012 2.250.165
2013 2.493.918
2014 2.480.942

Article source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company




Ford Motor Company - Case Study


Background (General Facts)

Ford Motors is one of three leading automotive manufacturing companies in the United States. Based in Michigan in 1903 by Henry ford and grew to reach revenue of $150 billion and more than 370,000 employees by 1996 [1]. In the 1970's, the automobile market for the major auto makers - General Motors (GM), Ford, and Chrysler- was crunched by competition from foreign manufactures such as Toyota and Honda. In 1999, Ford acquired the Swedish Volvo model in an attempt to compete in the foreign market and expand to other regions. Furthermore, Ford launched a full organization re-engineering business process plan called "Ford 2000" aiming at reestablishing the company's infrastructure. The process meant reduction in their Vehicle Centers (VCs) to only five covering the operations that spanned 200 countries. It also meant cutting redundancies and requiring Information Technology (IT) to be the driving force and the link between Ford centers worldwide.

In building Ford's IT infrastructure, the company focused on implementing a setup that supported the TCP/IP communication protocol based on the U.S. department of Defense requirements. At those days, Ford internal network was meant to serve files transfer unlike most companies that used the network mainly for email communications. Throughout the 1990's, Ford developed a cost effective Global Enterprise Network Integration (GENI) process to link all its locations compromising on the type of the connection and the cabling in favor of full coverage. During the same time, Ford started building its Web Farm, which was basically a set of hardware and software managed by a team for building Ford's public website. The work started by publishing documents for technical references and moved to more advanced images from a live auto show. As a result, the website received 1 million visits a day in less than 2 years after its official launch. Throughout the end of the 90's, Ford established its web services by increasing the amount of information published, building more intelligent and standard web application in 12 weeks period, purchasing more Netscape browsers for setup on its users' machines, and creating a B2B server to allow the suppliers secured access to Ford's Intranet.

In the path towards service cost reduction and bringing more business through the web, Ford worked closely with its competitors in the U.S. market GM and Chrysler to establish what came to be known as "Automotive Network Exchange" (ANX) certificate. The protocols aimed at providing a unified communications standard through the Internet to enable suppliers to provide common technology for all manufacturers. Moreover, Ford focused on making information on its web site more accessible and useful by deploying a team to manage the process of adding and updating information based on an analysis of how humans deal with information. One final aspect of Fords endeavor was to try to build a model through its infrastructure that benefited from the model implemented by Dell computers to improve their supply chain and delivery process. The direct model would not work well for automotives as it would with computers, as a result Ford worked on its retailing network remodeling and identifying what would eventually give it the extra edge in delivery time.

Enterprise Architecture Issues

    Ford's regional expansion to address the competition for market shares demanded cost management for the infrastructure upgrades
    IT infrastructure places limitations on the type of application development based on the platforms
    Easy access to information and prompt delivery of vital data to key individuals requires proper knowledge managementOrganizations reengineering and process remodeling is necessary when adapting new technologies to maintain the cost and increase efficiency
    Supply chain errors and delays can severely affect the progress of the business and the market value of the corporation

Analysis

Infrastructure Upgrade

Since the inception of the Internet in the 1960's, much effort has been made in standardizing how computers connect to it. In 1982, the International Organization for Standards (ISO) realized that during that period many ad hoc networking systems were already using the TCP/IP protocol for communications and thus adapted it as a standard in its model for the Internet network [2]. The main driver for IP convergence, at that period, was the growth in data traffic through wide area networks (WANs) established by local companies. Furthermore, in 1991, the Internet was open for commercial use, and that demanded a reduction in the total cost of operating the network to cope with 1 million Internet hosts that materialized in only 1-year time. Telecommunications companies like AT&T understood the potential and worked on standardizing the network offering voice services over IP networks that managed the separation between voice and data transmission [3].

At the same time, Ford had launched its plan to update its infrastructure, and seized the opportunity brought by the global movement of integrating the voice, fax transmission network with data transmission and expanded its WAN to include its offices in Europe and elsewhere. The financial benefits also came from the fact that Ford adapted the TCP/IP protocol from the beginning and made sure that all its technical infrastructure upgrades adhere to the standards. This made the transition of its system to the Internet as cost effective as it could be.

Web Technologies

Intranets employ the hypertext and multimedia technology used on the Internet. Prior to 1989, when Tim burners-Lee invented the Web [4], most applications used standard development languages such as C and C++ to create desktop applications that were proprietary and dependent on the platform. For example, applications running on a command-based operating system such as UNIX would not run under Windows, and those working for PCs might not work on Apple computers and vice versa [5]. The invention of HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) introduced a new model for applications that conform to the standards provided by a single program, the "Web Browser". Unlike standard applications, the browser brought a unified interface that had a very fast learning curve. Users seem to require no additional training to work with web browsers. Furthermore, system administrators did not have to spend time installing upgrades on users' machines, since the Intranet client/server architecture facilitated all the updates through the connection with the web server [6].

Since Ford established its Intranet, it was aiming at building web applications through the initial analysis of "Mosaic", the early form of web browsers. The technical department at Ford used web languages to create the first web site in 1995. In 1996, the team started building applications making use of the unified "Netscape" browser that was deployed on all machines at the company, and working on a standard template to cut on the development life cycle. There was a substantial cut in training cost due to the user-friendly interface of web applications. Furthermore, the speed of development made vital applications available to different individuals across the company. For example, the B2B site allowed suppliers remote and secured access to various sections of Ford's Intranet. In addition, the development team created an application as a virtual teardown on Ford's website where Ford's engineers could examine parts of competitors' cars and evaluate any new technologies. The alternative would have been an actual trip to a physical location where Ford tears down cars to examine the parts.

Knowledge Management

While there are many definitions for knowledge, each company might adapt its own based on how it analysis data and information to acquire knowledge. The University of Kentucky, for example, defines knowledge as "a vital organization resource. It is the raw material, work-in process, and finished good of decision-making. Distinct types of knowledge used by decision makers include information, procedures, and heuristics, among others... " [7].

Organizations go through different activities to manage the amount of information they collect to form the knowledge base of the company. Activities include creating databases of best practices and market intelligence analysis, gathering filtering and classifying data, incorporating knowledge into business applications used by employees, and developing focal points for facilitating knowledge flow and building skills [8].

Ford was excited about the traffic it was receiving on the Web site and everyone was publishing all the material they have on desk on the Intranet. Nevertheless, there was a growing concern about the usability and usefulness of the material people were adding. As a result, Ford created a "Knowledge Domain Team" to build complete information in nine areas that were identified as vital to the business. The process Ford took was based on surveys and specialists input in how people perceive information, and what is considered vital and what is distracting in the structure of Ford's website. The aim behind the initiative was to reduce the time individuals spent in searching for information through proper indexing of the website content, and making sure that what was important could be accessed in due time, and what is trivial did not overwhelm the researcher with thousands of results.

Business Re-engineering

In the area of organization's re-engineering process innovation is the set of activities that achieve substantial business improvements. Companies seeking to benefit from process innovation go through the regime of identifying the processes, the factors for change, developing the vision, understanding the current process, and building a prototype for the new organization. History shows that organizations who define their processes properly will not have problems managing the issues and developing the change factors [9]. When introducing technology, business redesign is necessary. The industrial fields have been using Information Technology to remodel processes, control production, and manage material for generations. However, it is only recently that companies recognized that the fusion of IT and business would go beyond automation to fundamentally reshaping how business processes are undertaken [10].

When foreign companies were allowed to compete in the U.S. market, Ford understood that to succeed in business in a competitive arena it needed to implement strategies that competitors find difficult to imitate [11]. As a result, Ford bought Sweden Volvo to enter the European market, and partially owned Mazda to have a competitive edge with Japanese cars1 [12]. To achieve that it re-engineered its production development activities and global corporate organization and processes for dramatic cost reduction. Furthermore, it understood that expansion requires collaboration and alignment, and thus planned to establish the IT infrastructure through a WAN that connected all the offices. In the process of innovation and re-engineering, Ford has set policies to manage the cost of establishing the network, built models for continuous implementation, and organized global meetings to align all parties with the process. Adding to that, when it came to managing the website, Ford facilitated an awareness campaign for all the branches to understand that Ford is using the web to collaborate and research and adapting information technology as a way to maximize its business value. The goal for Ford was to maintain its leadership in the market and to do that in the most efficient and cost effective method that is there.

Supply chain management

Supply chain management (SCM) is about coordinating between suppliers, manufactures, distributors, retailers, and customers [13]. The basic idea that SCM applications revolve around is providing information to all those who are involved in making decisions about the product or goods to manage delivery from the supplier to the consumer [14]. Studies show that reducing errors in supply chain distribution, increases revenue, enhances productivity, and reduces the order-to-fulfillment period [15].

Ford often compared its supply chain process to that of Dell's, in an attempt to close the gaps in its own process and reach the level of success Dell has reached. The difference in the distribution model between Dell and Ford lies in the middle link of using retail shops. Since Ford cannot skip retail as a focal distribution point, it worked on establishing a network of retail shops that it owned. Ford made sure shops are not affecting each other in terms of sales, and gave them all a standard look and feel to establish itself in the consumer's market as a prestigious cars sales retail company. Furthermore, extensive re-engineering initiatives were undertaken to enhance Ford external network by eliminating the correlation with smaller suppliers. In that way, Ford made sure that key suppliers have access to forecasting data from customers' purchasing trends and production information to enable a faster order-to-delivery cycle. Ford vision was to create a model that allowed flexibility, predicable processes and delivered the product at the right time to the right consumer.

Conclusions

Ford is an example of how traditional organizations can mature to adapt what is current and maximizes the business value. The process that Ford went through necessitated the continuous support from management. In addition, it depended on alignment between those involved as a key for success. The correlation was not restricted to internal staff; it extended to cover competitors to reach mutual benefits, to work with suppliers to maintain similar grounds and adequate infrastructure, and to create training programs to educate all on the vision and organization's objectives.

Ford technical progress came at a time where the Internet was yet to reach its full potential. The introduction of Fiber-optic cables in the late 90's and the substantial increase in bandwidth would have helped Ford and cut on the cost in endured connecting its own offices. Furthermore, the ISP services that provided hosting servers were limited to only few players, which explained why Ford preferred to manage its own web server and maintain the overhead of the 24 hours uptime and backup.



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