Overview & Reviews
For more than 100 years now, Ford Motor Company has been selling mass-produced automobiles in the United States and around the globe. Known as one of the Big Three American manufacturers, Ford has attracted millions of loyal customers with a wide range of vehicles that offer considerable value. The automaker's trucks and SUVs have been especially popular. For decades, Ford's F-Series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in America.
The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford dreamed of building a car for the masses, and that's precisely what he did, most notably with the immortal Model T of 1908-'27. The latter was bought by 16.5 million Americans during its 20-year lifespan and was affordable enough for Ford's own factory workers to purchase. Ford's early years were also distinguished by its introduction of the moving assembly line. It was the first to utilize this more cost-effective method of production, and its innovation became a mainstay of the manufacturing process.
Ford expanded into the luxury-car market with its purchase of Lincoln Motor Company in 1925. Over the next few years, the company broadened its focus even further by creating the Mercury division to produce mid-priced cars. By the late '30s, Ford had unveiled the stylish Lincoln Zephyr, introduced a low-priced V8 engine and built more than 25 million vehicles.
The 1950s saw the introduction of the legendary Thunderbird. Offering sleek styling and spirited performance wedded to available luxury features like power windows and a signal-seeking radio, the car was a huge hit. Another model of that decade, the Edsel, met with a somewhat less enthusiastic reception. In the wake of abysmal sales, the Edsel was discontinued just a few months into its third model year.
Ford regained its footing in the early 1960s with the introduction of the compact Falcon, a model that was warmly received by the public. By the middle of the decade the automaker had given enthusiasts something to cheer about with the launch of the sporty Mustang, a car that went on to become one of the biggest sellers of its day. Buyers adored the Mustang's low price, available powerful V8 engines and sporty styling. The Mustang even created a brand-new vehicle category: the pony car.
By the 1970s, Ford, like other domestic automakers, was starting to suffer the effects of changing consumer tastes and new government regulations. Many of its cars became shadows of their former selves. But the seeds of rebirth were planted in this decade. In 1979, the company acquired a stake in Mazda; this move would later aid Ford significantly in co-development projects. The company also emerged with a new mindset of global competitiveness.
By the mid-to-late '80s, Ford was showing new strength with its popular Escort and Taurus models while further expanding its empire with the purchase of the Aston Martin and Jaguar brands. Meanwhile, its full-size LTD sedan (later renamed the Crown Victoria) remained a staple of taxi companies and police forces throughout America.
Ford rode a wave of popularity in the 1990s, thanks in part to the huge success of its Explorer midsize SUV. The truck played a huge role in ushering in the era of the SUV. In 1999, Ford expanded its family yet again with the purchase of Volvo's car division, and, in 2000, it acquired Land Rover. For awhile, there was talk of Ford even taking General Motors' spot as the No. 1 automaker in the world.
But the new millennium initially saw a downturn for Ford. Increased competition, a continuing operating loss for Jaguar, legacy costs and a reliance on SUVs for profit took their toll. To compensate, the company sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo and introduced a wave of successful new products. Models like the F-150, Fusion, Fiesta, Focus, Flex and Mustang have allowed Ford to regain its health and standing as a very competitive manufacturer.
User Reviews:
Showing 9111 through 9120 of 30,482.00-
great price - 2004 Ford F-150
By ckeith4113 - March 16 - 10:00 amhandles extremely well and quiet inside. smooth ride on bumpy concrete interstates and pulls large boat well plus got 10,000 off sticker
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wonderful truck - 2004 Ford F-150
By Justin&Hope - March 16 - 10:00 amLooks better, tows more, rides better, built better than other competitors trucks. I test-drove all others, Titan close second. Has more power but does not match looks or build quality!! Test drive them, it should be an easy choice unless you just want a faster truck(Titan), or if you want to support your fav auto maker(those other 3 guys) p.s. this truck is not underpowered, it will smoke tires! Just test drive them, youll see!
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F150 review - 2004 Ford F-150
By Cycle Man - March 16 - 10:00 amHandles well on the open road. I have put nearly 12,000 miles on since the first of June.
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F 150 Lariat - 2004 Ford F-150
By Ed in Austin - March 16 - 10:00 amI love the looks, comfort, power, and the ride and handling of this vehicle. I almost bought the 2004 Ram. After driving both vehicles I am confident that I made the right decision.
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Perfect for people who dont race - 2008 Ford Escape
By Nikhil - March 16 - 2:30 amThe interior is very slick with good utilities. Smooth ride. It is a family car with higher importance to safety rather than speed. Not to be used for street light racing. Fuel economy - 25 MPG which is not very good as compared to foreign models. Price - compitative to most foreign cars and almost $5,000 less than a CR-V
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AWESOME - 2005 Ford Mustang
By Ryan - March 15 - 7:53 pmGot a GT yesterday, and its awesome. The best ride and feel i have ever experienced in anything.
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The best car Ive ever owned - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
By JACK MELVIN - March 15 - 12:04 amIf you like the ride of a larger car and the fun of a convertible, this is the car for you. Every detail of fit and finish has exceeded my expectations. I have driven this car approximately 3,000 miles and with every mile I like it more. I cannot think of anything else that I have purchased recently that I can say that about. The engine performance is more than adequate. The handling is unbelieveable the car is so flat in the curves, no diving. The braking is superb. The acceleration is surprising. To put this car in perspective, I drove several other cars in the weeks leading up to this decision. The difference was so night and day against any other car that I drove, including an S-2000, MX-5, Z-4,
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Great Truck - 2005 Ford Excursion
By David - March 14 - 10:16 pmSolid, very fast, great diesel mileage. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Great for family trips.
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Fun and practical - 2003 Ford Focus
By rbsjrx - March 14 - 8:30 pmI bought this so I could send my beloved 96 Contour into semi-retirement. Its been a lot of fun to drive, although driving is more work than the Contour. Overall, Im quite satisfied. It can blow away most unmodified Minis which is good enough for me. Handling is excellent, but surprisingly not that much better than my Contour. It feels better, but thats just because of the better support from the Recaro seats. As noted in my Contour review, the Contour is both lower and wider than the Focus, which shows on twisty roads.
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AWESOME - 2012 Ford Focus
By howard45 - March 14 - 6:10 pmWe traded my wifes Escape, which she dearly loved, for the Focus Titanium. She wanted more fuel mileage and a more sporty vehicle and she definitely got it with the Focus. We took our first trip and got 37.4 MPG driving the speed limits on the Interstates. Ride and handling are superb. This is a winner. Our local Ford dealer was one reason we bought. We had recieved excellent service on the Escape since moving here.
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