13 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Ford Motor Company

Ford is one of the finest motor companies in the world. The Blue Oval has given us excellent vehicles such as the Model T, the GT, and more. It has also provided America with one of the best utility vehicles, the F-150 pickup truck.

As one of the biggest automotive manufacturers in the world, there are plenty of interesting facts about Ford that you may not know about.

Ford Model T

The Ford Model T became famous as the world’s first mass-produced automobile, cementing its legacy as one of the best cars ever made. But there was so much more to it than that. It was also the first car to use an engine in which the block and crankcase were cast as a single unit.

Over its nearly 20-year production run, Ford produced over 15 million units of the Model T, making it the most-sold car in history until the VW Beetle surpassed it in 1972. In the 1999 Car of the Century competition, it was also called the most influential car of the 20th century.

The First Presidential Ford Cars

When the President of the United States chooses your car as his ride, you know you have produced something special. Several presidents have had Fords in their collection, with John F. Kennedy owning a 1961 Ford Thunderbird convertible and a 1963 Thunderbird hardtop before his assassination. Bill Clinton owned a couple of Mustang convertibles, including a 1967 Mustang.

When Obama became President in 2008, he chose the Ford Escape hybrid, a more conventional vehicle. Proving that presidents don’t always want the best and fastest car as their personal ride.

Ford Assembly Line Production

 

Ford is one of the pioneers of mass production, thanks to the Model T. However, after it launched, it took until 1913 for the company to create its first moving assembly line. This line saw the time needed to build a car cut dramatically from more than 12 hours to just over two hours and 30 minutes.

This was a game-changer for the automotive industry. This meant that cars could be manufactured more cheaply and quickly. Plus, it had the knock-on effect of making them cheaper for Ford’s customers. This opened up vehicles to the working class, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Ford Produced Bombers In WWII

During the Second World War, manufacturing changed dramatically for some companies. They no longer made their own products but would also build for the war effort, and Ford was no exception.

Ford retooled its factories during the war to produce bombers, most notably the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, one of the most successful aircraft of the war. Ford’s contribution to the war effort via this was massive, allowing the United States to flex all of its might against its enemies in Germany and Japan.

Ford’s First Vehicle Was A Quadricycle

While many might think the Ford Model T was the company’s first car, it was much more straightforward. Ford’s first vehicle was a quadricycle, built-in 1896. It was a simple frame with a gasoline engine, and Henry Ford worked as Thomas Edison’s chief technical engineer in his free time.

This led to the creation of the quadricycle, and following this, Henry Ford wondered if he could make a successful career out of building road-going vehicles. The answer to that question was a resounding yes.

Ford Had A Peace Ship

Henry Ford II once remarked that his company helped beat Hitler in the Second World War. While that is true, Mr Ford was a big fan of keeping the peace, and in 1915, he chartered a ship for a peace mission to Europe for a staggering $5 million. This was the Peace Ship, the Scandinavian-American Line steamship SS Oscar II.

The ship was part of an effort to help end World War I through a private diplomatic mission. Had it worked, it would have saved countless lives and prevented the United States from entering the conflict. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but the mission spoke volumes about Ford and the values they held at the time.

First Blue Oval Was In 1907

Nowadays, we are all used to associating the Ford name with the iconic Blue Oval logo. The logo’s roots go back to 1907 when Childe Hardol Wills designed it using a stencil set that belonged to his grandfather. Coincidentally, his grandfather was also Ford’s first chief engineer and designer.

It was another 20 years before the new logo appeared on Ford’s automobiles with the release of the Model A. However, a different logo was used before this, with a black/white color and a lavish art border. Ford’s full name and address are featured in a beautifully stylized script. However, that logo is largely forgotten, thanks to the Blue Oval that replaced it.

The Lola Mk6

It is easily forgotten that the Ford GT40 would only have had the success it did with the Lola Mk6. Lola built the Mk6 in the early 1960s and only ever built three of them. Across the 12 races it entered, the Mk6 won just a single event, but had the British manufacturer had more time and resources to throw at the Mk6, it could have been even more successful.

Under the hood was a 4.7-liter Ford V8 engine, and the Mk6 was the world’s first mid-mounted high displacement V8 grand touring car. Laying the foundations for the Ford GT40 and the car’s incredible success at Le Mans. Ford bought a Lola Mk6 to test its capabilities, which would then kickstart Ford’s GT40 program.

Ford Is An Early EV Adopter

While it is only now getting into its stride with EVs, Ford was initially an early adopter of electric vehicles. Enter the Ford Comuta, a radical EV prototype that the Blue Oval debuted in 1966.

The Comuta was a small commuter car with a range of just 37 miles and a top speed of only 37 mph. So, if you worked out of town or needed to go on the highway or interstate, it wasn’t the car for you. Thankfully, the Comuta never made it beyond the prototype stage. But it at least gave Ford an idea of where to begin with future electric endeavors.

Ford Has Led Various Environmental Initiatives

Ford is one of the few car manufacturers that has tried to tackle climate change early. It was the first American automobile manufacturer to join the Chicago Climate Exchange before it folded in 2010. However, Ford did commit to reducing greenhouse gases by six percent by 2010.

Ford is, of course, gearing up for a fully electric future. It has already introduced an electric crossover SUV with the Mustang Mach-E, and we now have an electric F-150 pickup truck thanks to the F-150 Lightning. We also have an electric Ford Transit van, and Europe will soon recieve the new Explorer electric SUV.

Ford Is A Safety Pioneer

Ford is a pioneer in so many fields, and safety is one of the most important ones it has done so in. The Blue Oval was the first major automotive manufacturer to introduce factory-fitted seatbelts in 1956. This was part of the Lifeguard Design campaign, although Saab would be the first to make it a standard feature with the Saab GT750 of 1958.

Ford’s safety initiatives paved the way for other manufacturers to follow suit. Volvo would become another significant manufacturer for adopting seatbelts, with engineer Nils Bohlin developing the three-point seatbelt in 1959. Ford would also add a padded dashboard and recessed steering wheel to improve its vehicles’ safety further.

The Only Production Muscle Car

While this is a more modern fact, the Ford Mustang is the only muscle car currently in production. Ford launched a new generation for 2024, while Dodge recently ceased production of both the Challenger and the Charger.

Even Chevrolet has killed off its muscle car. The Bow Tie has also ceased production of the Camaro, leaving Ford the only muscle car producer in America. Dodge is set to introduce the electric Charger Daytona in 2025, but Ford will still have the only internal combustion-powered muscle car in production.

Ford Transported A Mustang To The Empire State Building

Ford isn’t afraid to push the boundaries in more ways than one. In 1965, the manufacturer took one of its new Ford Mustangs on a whirlwind promotional tour. They took the muscle car to the famous observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building.

Ford broke the Mustang into four pieces and took it up the tower using the elevators. Ford then rebuilt the Mustang in situ and hired a helicopter to photograph it. Five months after being displayed in the building, it was taken apart and returned to Ford.