Henry Ford - - Biography.com Henry Ford One of America's foremost industrialists, Henry Ford revolutionized assembly-line modes of production for the automobile. IN THESE GROUPS “The only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today.” “Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again; this time more intelligently.” “The only real mistake is one from which we learn nothing.” “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said, 'Faster horses.'” “Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars.” “Vision without execution is just hallucination.” “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” “You don't have to hold a position in order to be a leader.” “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” “Don't find fault, find a remedy.” “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right.” Henry Ford Henry Ford - Full Episode (TV-PG; 44:28) A full biography on the man who created the assembly line and made "motorcars" what they are today.

Synopsis Born on July 30, 1863, near Dearborn, Michigan, Henry Ford created the Ford Model T car in 1908 and went on to develop the assembly line mode of production, which revolutionized the industry. As a result, Ford sold millions of cars and became a world-famous company head. The company lost its market dominance but had a lasting impact on other technological development and U.S. infrastructure. Early Life Famed automobile manufacturer Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, on his family's farm in Wayne County, near Dearborn, Michigan. When Ford was 13 years old, his father gifted him a pocket watch, which the young boy promptly took apart and reassembled. Friends and neighbors were impressed, and requested that he fix their timepieces too. Unsatistfied with farm work, Ford left home the following year, at the age of 16, to take an apprenticeship as a machinist at a shipbuilding firm in Detroit. In the years that followed, he would learn to skillfully operate and service steam engines, and would also study bookkeeping.

Early Career In 1888, Ford married Clara Ala Bryant and briefly returned to farming to support his wife and son, Edsel. But three years later, he was hired as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company. In 1893, his natural talents earned him a promotion to chief engineer. All the while, Ford developed his plans for a horseless carriage, and in 1896, he constructed his first model, the Ford Quadricycle. Within the same year, he attended a meeting with Edison executives and found himself presenting his automobile plans to Thomas Edison. The lighting genius encouraged Ford to build a second, better model. Ford Motor Company After a few trials building cars and companies, in 1903, Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company. Ford introduced the Model T in October of 1908, and for several years, the company posted 100 percent gains. However, more than for his profits, Ford became renowned for his revolutionary vision: the manufacture of an inexpensive automobile made by skilled workers who earn steady wages. In 1914, he sponsored the development of the moving assembly line technique of mass production.

Simultaneously, he introduced the $5-per-day wage ($110 in 2011) as a method of keeping the best workers loyal to his company. Simple to drive and cheap to repair, half of all cars in America in 1918 were Model T's. Philosophy, Philanthropy and Anti-Semitism From a social perspective, Henry Ford's was marked by seemingly contradictory viewpoints. In business, Ford offered profit sharing to select employees who stayed with the company for six months and, most important, who conducted their lives in a respectable manner. The company's "Social Department" looked into an employee’s drinking, gambling and otherwise uncouth activities to determine eligibility for participation. Ford was also an ardent pacifist and opposed World War I, even funding a peace ship to Europe. Later, in 1936, Ford and his family established the Ford Foundation to provide ongoing grants for research, education and development. But despite these philanthropic leanings, Ford was also a committed anti-Semite, going as far as to support a weekly newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, which furthered such views.

Henry Ford died of a cerebral hemorrhage on April 7, 1947, at the age of 83, near his Dearborn estate, Fair Lane. Ford, considered one of America's leading businessmen , is credited today for helping to build America's economy during the nation's vulnerable early years. His legacy will live on for decades to come. Videos Henry Ford - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Google Henry Ford: Early Life & Engineering Career Born in 1863, Henry Ford was the first surviving son of William and Mary Ford, who owned a prosperous farm in Dearborn, Michigan . At 16, he left home for the nearby city of Detroit, where he found apprentice work as a machinist. He returned to Dearborn and work on the family farm after three years, but continued to operate and service steam engines and work occasional stints in Detroit factories. In 1888, he married Clara Bryant, who had grown up on a nearby farm. Did You Know? The mass production techniques Henry Ford championed eventually allowed Ford Motor Company to turn out one Model T every 24 seconds. In the first several years of their marriage, Ford supported himself and his new wife by running a sawmill.

In 1891, he returned with Clara to Detroit, where he was hired as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company. Rising quickly through the ranks, he was promoted to chief engineer two years later. Around the same time, Clara gave birth to the couple’s only son, Edsel Bryant Ford. On call 24 hours a day for his job at Edison, Ford spent his irregular hours on his efforts to build a gasoline-powered horseless carriage, or automobile. In 1896, he completed what he called the “Quadricycle,” which consisted of a light metal frame fitted with four bicycle wheels and powered by a two-cylinder, four-horsepower gasoline engine. Henry Ford: Birth of Ford Motor Company and the Model T Determined to improve upon his prototype, Ford sold the Quadricycle in order to continue building other vehicles. He received backing from various investors over the next seven years, some of whom formed the Detroit Automobile Company (later the Henry Ford Company) in 1899. His partners, eager to put a passenger car on the market, grew frustrated with Ford’s constant need to improve, and Ford left his namesake company in 1902.

(After his departure, it was reorganized as the Cadillac Motor Car Company.) The following year, Ford established the Ford Motor Company. A month after the Ford Motor Company was established, the first Ford car—the two-cylinder, eight-horsepower Model A—was assembled at a plant on Mack Avenue in Detroit. At the time, only a few cars were assembled per day, and groups of two or three workers built them by hand from parts that were ordered from other companies. Ford was dedicated to the production of an efficient and reliable automobile that would be affordable for everyone; the result was the Model T , which made its debut in October 1908. Henry Ford: Production & Labor Innovations The “Tin Lizzie,” as the Model T was known, was an immediate success, and Ford soon had more orders than the company could satisfy. As a result, he put into practice techniques of mass production that would revolutionize American industry, including the use of large production plants; standardized, interchangeable parts; and the moving assembly line. Mass production significantly cut down on the time required to produce an automobile, which allowed costs to stay low.

In 1914, Ford also increased the daily wage for an eight-hour day for his workers to $5 (up from $2.34 for nine hours), setting a standard for the industry. Even as production went up, demand for the Tin Lizzie remained high, and by 1918, half of all cars in America were Model Ts. In 1919, Ford named his son Edsel as president of Ford Motor Company, but he retained full control of the company’s operations. After a court battle with his stockholders, led by brothers Horace and John Dodge, Henry Ford bought out all minority stockholders by 1920. In 1927, Ford moved production to a massive industrial complex he had built along the banks of the River Rouge in Dearborn, Michigan. The plant included a glass factory, steel mill, assembly line and all other necessary components of automotive production. That same year, Ford ceased production of the Model T, and introduced the new Model A, which featured better horsepower and brakes, among other improvements. By that time, the company had produced some 15 million Model Ts, and Ford Motor Company was the largest automotive manufacturer in the world.

Ford opened plants and operations throughout the world. Henry Ford: Later Career & Controversial Views The Model A proved to be a relative disappointment, and was outsold by both Chevrolet (made by General Motors) and Plymouth (made by Chrysler); it was discontinued in 1931. In 1932, Ford introduced the first V-8 engine, but by 1936 the company had dropped to number three in sales in the automotive industry. Despite his progressive policies regarding the minimum wage, Ford waged a long battle against unionization of labor, refusing to come to terms with the United Automobile Workers (UAW) even after his competitors did so. In 1937, Ford security staff clashed with UAW organizers in the so-called “Battle of the Overpass,” at the Rouge plant, after which the National Labor Relations Board ordered Ford to stop interfering with union organization. Ford Motor Company signed its first contract with UAW in 1941, but not before Henry Ford considered shutting down the company to avoid it. Ford’s political views earned him widespread criticism over the years, beginning with his campaign against U.S. involvement in World War I . He made a failed bid for a U.S.

Senate seat in 1918, narrowly losing in a campaign marked by personal attacks from his opponent. In the Dearborn Independent, a local newspaper he bought in 1918, Ford published a number of anti-Semitic writings that were collected and published as a four volume set called The International Jew. Though he later renounced the writings and sold the paper, he expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and Germany, and in 1938 accepted the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, the Nazi regime’s highest medal for a foreigner. Edsel Ford died in 1943, and Henry Ford returned to the presidency of Ford Motor Company briefly before handing it over to his grandson, Henry Ford II, in 1945. He died two years later at his Dearborn home, at the age of 83. Tags Ford Motor Company Timeline | Ford.com 1896 Henry Ford builds the Quadricycle. Henry Ford's first vehicle rode on four bicycle wheels and was powered by a four-horsepower engine. Instead of a steering wheel, the Quadricycle had a tiller. The gearbox had only two forward gears with no reverse.

1899 Henry Ford joins a group that founds the Detroit Automobile Company. Ford leaves company within one year. 1901 Henry Ford defeats the top racecar driver of the era. Ford designed the 26-horsepower Sweepstakes and defeated Alexander Winton's 70-horsepower Bullet in 10 laps around the one-mile oval of the Detroit Driving Club. The victory lead to Henry Ford's second short-lived attempt at auto manufacture, the Henry Ford Company. 1903 The Ford Motor Company is incorporated. With 12 investors and 1,000 shares, the company had spent almost all of its $28,000 cash investment by the time it sold the first Ford Model A on July 23, 1903. But by October 1, 1903 Ford Motor Company had turned a profit of $37,000. 1904 Ford Motor Company of Canada is founded. Ford’s first international plant was built in Walkerville (now Windsor), Ontario, right across the Detroit River from Ford’s existing facilities. The company was a separate organization with its own set of shareholders.

It was created to sell vehicles not just in Canada, but also all across the then-current British Empire. 1907 Ford introduces the scripted typeface of its trademark. Childe Harold Wills designed the Ford logo. He used his grandfather’s stencil set, which was based on the style of writing taught in schools when Ford and Wills were children. However, the Ford oval would not be featured on a car until the 1927 Model A. 1908 Ford Introduces the Model T. Henry Ford’s Model T put the world on wheels with a simple, affordable, durable automobile. Ford sold 15 million Model Ts before ceasing production in May 1927, making it one of the best-selling vehicles of all time, and arguably the most famous car in the world. In 1908, there were only about 18,000 miles of paved roads in the US. To deal with the primitive roads, Ford used light and strong vanadium steel alloy for critical parts. At the time, most of the automobiles in existence were luxurious novelties rather than affordable transport. But to appeal to the mass market, Ford’s vehicle also had to be reliable and easy to maintain.

Fortunately for millions of new drivers, it was. 1908 Ford opens its first overseas sales branch in Paris. 1913 Ford introduces the integrated moving assembly line to auto production. Ford's innovation eventually reduced the Model T's chassis assembly line from 12.5 to 1.5 hours, and in doing so precipitated a revolution in manufacturing. The accelerating speed with which Ford could produce cars helped him continue to lower the price of the Model T. 1914 Ford institutes the famous "$5 Day". In 1914, $5 per day was double the existing pay rate for factory workers, and on top of that, Ford reduced the workday from nine to eight hours. The day after the “$5 Day” was announced, an estimated 10,000 people lined up outside Ford’s employment office hoping to be hired. Ford’s increased pay greatly improved employee retention since the monotonous and strenuous work of the moving assembly line was causing high turnover. The increased wage had the added effect of allowing many of Ford’s employees to purchase the cars they produced, and the eight hour workday allowed Ford to run 3 shifts a day instead of 2.

The increased pay, increased leisure time, and even increased the personal mobility of car ownership were all critical factors in the creation of an American middle class. 1917 Ford begins construction of the River Rouge Complex. It would become the largest integrated factory in the world by the following decade. Throughout its history, the self-contained Rouge Complex has contained a wide array of industries necessary to produce cars, including steel mills, a tire factory, a glass factory, a power plant and a reception depot for coal, iron ore, rubber and lumber. In the 1930s the complex employed over 100,000 workers. Today the River Rouge Complex continues to evolve to meet the needs of modern manufacturing processes. 1917 Ford Motor Company produces its first ever truck. The Ford Model TT was a truck based on the Model T car, but with a reinforced chassis and rear axle. This early pickup was rated at one ton. 1918 Ford’s River Rouge Complex begins manufacturing antisubmarine patrol boats. These 42 Eagle-class boats were the first product manufactured at the Rouge.

In its efforts to aid the Allies in WWI, Ford also produced more than 38,000 Model T cars, ambulances, and trucks, 7,000 Fordson tractors, two types of armored tanks, and 4,000 Liberty airplane engines for the Allies. Afterward, Ford hired disabled veterans returning from the war, making the automaker one of the first companies to hire people with disabilities and to adapt work environments to their specific needs. 1919 Edsel Ford succeeds Henry Ford as president of the company. On the same day, Henry Ford put a plan in place to buy out his investors and make himself, Clara Ford, and Edsel the sole owners of the business. Edsel’s interest in aesthetic automotive design brought a new dimension to Ford Motor Company, pushing the company to begin producing cars that were beautiful as well as practical. Edsel was also an extremely important art benefactor in Detroit, and one of the best-known paintings he commissioned was Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry mural. His aesthetic legacy lives on in the original Lincoln Continental. 1922 Ford acquires the Lincoln Motor Company. Ford purchased Lincoln from Henry Leland, his former business associate from the Detroit Automobile Company.

Since then, Lincoln has produced many luxury cars of historical and aesthetic note, including the 1931-1939 K-Series, 1936 Zephyr, Edsel Ford’s original Continental, the ensuing first-generation Lincoln Continental and the classic 1956-1957 Continental Mk. II. 1925 Ford begins production of Ford Tri-Motor airplanes. Ford’s plane was nicknamed the “Tin Goose,” a reference to the Model T’s nickname as the “Tin Lizzie.” The Tin Goose was one of the first airplanes used by America’s early commercial airlines. Combined with Ford’s reputation, application of assembly-line techniques and investment in Ford Airlines, the plane helped spur the creation of the commercial airline industry. And to further accelerate the industry’s development, Ford offered the plane’s 35 patents free of royalties, including his patent for the navigational radio beam. 1927 Ford begins selling the 1928 Model A. While the Model T dominated the auto industry from 1908 to the early 1920s, by the middle of the decade there was fierce competition from other automakers.

After the 15 millionth Model T drove off the assembly line on May 26, 1927, Ford closed plants all over the world to spend six months retooling factories and perfecting the design of a new car. Ford called the new car the Model A, commemorating Ford Motor Company’s first car, the 1903 Model A. The car was the first vehicle to sport the iconic Blue Oval logo, and it included innovative features like a Safety Glass windshield. By 1931 Ford had sold over five million Model As despite the difficulties of the Great Depression. 1932 Ford introduces the flathead V8 engine. As with the new Model A, Henry Ford shut down all other production operations to work on this innovative project. At great effort and expense, the company engineered a way to cast the first commercially successful V8 engine. The flathead was a hit. It was affordable, versatile, and introduced just as the American market was becoming fascinated with ever-more powerful engines. It remained in production for over 22 years. To this day the flathead remains extremely popular with hot rodders. 1936 Ford begins selling the Lincoln Zephyr line.

Much like the Mercury brand, Lincoln-Zephyr was designed to sell at a price point between the Ford V8 De Luxe and the high-end luxury cars offered by Lincoln. Lincoln-Zephyr’s sleek, aerodynamic shapes helped make the brand a sales success, but when auto production ceased during WWII, the Zephyr name was dropped as well. 1938 Ford unveils the medium-priced Mercury brand. Edsel Ford created Mercury cars to bridge the gap between affordable Fords and luxurious Lincoln cars. The first Mercury was the 1939 Mercury 8, which had a V8 engine and a stylish body characteristic of Edsel Ford's design sense. 1941 Ford begins producing Jeeps for the U.S. military. The vehicles were nicknamed for their "GP," or general-purpose designation. 1941 Ford signs its first contract with the UAW-CIO. After years of struggle between management and labor at Detroit's major automakers, Ford signed a contract guaranteeing better pay, benefits and working conditions for employees. 1942 Ford halts civilian auto production in the United States to produce military equipment.

Through its manufacturing expertise, Ford facilities built a staggering number of automobiles, planes, tanks, aircraft engines and other materiel for the war effort. By the end of WWII, Ford had produced more than 8,000 B-24 Liberator bombers. Charles Lindbergh, the famous trans-Atlantic pilot, worked as an advisor for the construction of bombers at Ford’s Willow Run plant. In 1944, Rose Will Monroe was working at Willow Run as a rivet gun operator when she was chosen to appear in a promotional film for war bonds. Rose became the personification of the fictional “Rosie the Riveter” character as depicted in the iconic “We Can Do It!” posters. 1943 Edsel Ford dies. Edsel was the only child of Henry and Clara Ford. After his death, Henry Ford returned to his former position as president of Ford Motor Company. Today, Edsel's legacy lives on in his contributions to the design of Lincoln cars and his generous backing of art in Detroit. 1945 Henry Ford II becomes president of Ford Motor Company.

The son of Edsel and the grandson of Henry Ford, Henry Ford II, served as president from 1945 to 1960 and as chairman and CEO from 1960 to 1979. When Henry II took over, the company and its bookkeeping practices were in disarray. With the help of ten former U.S. Army Air Force officers nicknamed the “Whiz Kids,” Henry II transformed the organization into a disciplined company with modern management systems – prepared for the global challenges of the post-war world. 1948 Ford introduces the F-Series line of trucks. With its first postwar truck design, Ford ceased building trucks on car platforms and used a purpose-built truck platform instead. The truck was available in eight sizes and weight ratings, from the ½ ton capacity F-1 to the three-ton capacity F-8. In 1953, Ford replaced the F-1 with the ½ ton F-100, along with the F-250 ¾ ton trucks and the F-350 one-ton trucks. In 1984, the F-100 was replaced by the F-150 line of trucks.

Since 1982, F-series has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. View slideshow 1948 Ford introduces the 1949 Ford. The 1949 Ford was the first all-new American car design to come out of Detroit after WWII. With its wind tunnel-tested aerodynamic shape, integrated pontoon fenders, airplane-inspired spinner grille and an updated V8, the new car was as radical a change as the 1928 Model A. 1954 Ford introduces the Thunderbird. The T-Bird emphasized comfort and convenience over sportiness. With its performance, design and distinctive porthole windows, the car would become a classic. 1954 Ford begins crash testing its vehicles. In the 60 years since then, Ford has performed more than 31,000 crash tests around the world. In recent years Ford has also used virtual crash testing to maximize the quantity and availability of crash data. In tandem with physical testing, the crash simulations help Ford gather more data than ever before. 1956 Ford becomes a publicly traded company. At the time, Ford's initial public offering (IPO) of common stock shares was the largest IPO in history.

1956 The Continental Division of the Ford Motor Company introduces the Continental Mk II. Under Henry Ford's grandson, William Clay Ford, the 1956 Mk. II was a revival of the 1941 Continental that grew out of a custom car designed for Edsel Ford's private use. Edsel and designer E.T. Gregorie named these stylish and elegant cars for the inspiration they drew from the "continental" cars they saw in Europe. 1957 Ford introduces the Edsel. Introduced as a recession was beginning in the United States, the Edsel was simply the wrong car for the wrong time. However, the car's highly unique styling makes it a valuable collector's car to this day. 1959 Ford Credit is founded. The full name of Ford's financial services arm is Ford Motor Credit Company LLC, and today the company offers loans and leases to car buyers, in addition to loans and lines of credit for Ford and other dealerships. 1964 The Ford Mustang goes on sale. The Mustang came to define the pony car class with its combination of a long hood, short deck, affordable price and customization options.

The Mustang was a huge success, and today it remains one of the fastest-selling vehicles in history. With its role in movies like Bullitt and songs like "Mustang Sally," the car quickly became a cultural icon as well. 1965 Ford-Philco engineers unveil the Mission Control Center used to put a man on the moon. Ford owned Philco from 1961 to 1974, during which the company produced consumer electronics, computer systems, and military projects. In addition to designing, building, equipping and staffing Mission Control, Ford’s Philco electronics subsidiary performed support work for NASA’s Apollo and Gemini space programs thanks to Philco’s capabilities in transistors, solid-state devices, and microelectronics. Later, Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation evolved out of Philco. In 1976 the company built seven INTELSAT V satellites for the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization. These satellites are still used today to send television transmissions and telephone calls between continents. 1965 Ford Germany and Ford U.K. collaborate to release the Transit in Europe. 1966 Three Ford GT40 Mk. IIs sweep the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Ford broke Ferrari's six-year winning streak at Le Mans to become the first American manufacturer to ever win the race. 1966 was the first of four consecutive victories for Ford, which won the 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans with various generations of the GT40. 1970 Ford introduces three-point, self-adjusting and retracting front outboard lap and shoulder belts. 1976 Ford of Europe introduces the Ford Fiesta. The subcompact hatchback became the company’s first internationally successful front-wheel drive model. At $870 million, its development budget was also the largest in Ford’s history. Moreover, Ford built a massive plant in Almusafes, Spain, near Valencia, to manufacture the car. The investments paid off, and the Fiesta broke the one-year sales record of the 1965 Mustang. From 1978 to 1981, Ford also sold the European Fiesta in North America. However, it wasn’t until 2009 that Ford would begin selling the Fiesta in the U.S. again. 1978 Ford introduces the downsized Panther platform.

The smaller platform debuted in response to rising oil prices and new fuel economy regulations. 1980 Phillip Caldwell succeeds Henry Ford II. Caldwell was the first non Ford-family member to become chairman and CEO of Ford. 1981 Ford begins selling the fifth-generation Escort world car. When the Ford Escort was first sold in North America, the car was designed to share components with the European Escort. As such, in its first year the North American car featured a badge with the name “Escort” superimposed over a globe instead of a blue oval. The car was one of Ford’s best-selling vehicles in the ‘80s. 1985 Ford revolutionizes automotive design with the Taurus. The Taurus’ aerodynamic “jelly bean” body style broke tradition with the boxy sedan shapes of the time, helping the car become one of Ford’s most popular vehicles ever. The car was an important part of a worldwide shift in automotive design. Within Ford, the car represented a shift toward increased quality standards and front-wheel drive designs. 1986 Ford introduces the modular assembly line at its St. Louis assembly plant. The modular assembly line made use of automated ancillary assembly lines to produce vehicle sub-assemblies.

The sub-assemblies were then added into the main assembly line. The trial run at St. Louis was a success, and today most Ford plants use modular assembly lines. 1990 Ford introduces the Explorer. In doing so, Ford helped launch the domestic SUV market. As SUVs became popular substitutes for family sedans, station wagons and vans, the Explorer became one of Ford’s most successful vehicles. The Explorer was a more comfortable and better-handling replacement for the Ford Bronco, which was discontinued in 1996. 1993 Ford introduces the Mondeo as its new global sedan. Though it was first introduced in Europe, the Mondeo was sold as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the United States until 2000. Today the Mondeo is known as the Fusion in the United States. 1996 Ford produces the Ford Ranger Electric Vehicle. With lead acid batteries, regenerative braking, and a 700 lb. payload rating, the Ranger EV was a forerunner to today’s electric vehicles and hybrid energy systems. 1998 The introduction of the Lincoln Navigator spurs rapid growth in the luxury SUV segment.

2001 Ford's board of directors names Bill Ford to replace Jacques Nasser as CEO. The change helped the company return its focus to its core operations -- building cars -- and it realigned the company's values to emphasize its employees and the quality of its products. 2003 Ford celebrates its 100th anniversary. To commemorate the centennial of the company that put the world on wheels, Ford offered limited production centennial editions of five of the vehicles in its lineup at the time. Like the early Model T, the vehicles were offered in “any color so long as it is black.” 2004 Ford introduces the GT as its premium sports car. The mid-engine, 550 horsepower Ford GT was inspired by the legendary GT40 race cars that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969. 2006 Alan Mullaly becomes Ford's President and CEO. Under Mullaly, Ford didn’t just weather the financial crisis of 2008 as the only American auto manufacturer to avoid receiving a government bailout loan.

Instead of waiting out the crisis, Ford continued to aggressively invest in product development so that when the economy recovered Ford products would be some of the best vehicles on the market. A key part of Mullaly’s leadership was the One Ford plan. One Ford envisioned every person in every part of the global enterprise as part of a single team united by a common culture and a shared goal to deliver outstanding products. 2007 Ford begins offering SYNC in vehicles sold as 2008 models. Created from a partnership between Ford and Microsoft, SYNC offers a hands-free, voice-activated connectivity system with mobile phone integration, navigation and voice-activated access to entertainment. Ford has continuously updated SYNC since its introduction in order to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road while remaining connected to their technology. 2009 Ford begins offering its turbocharged EcoBoost line of engines. Delivering better fuel economy and more power than a naturally aspirated engine of the same size, Ford’s EcoBoost engines quickly became a popular choice in the U.S. and abroad.

2011 Edsel Bryant Ford Condensed from several articles in 1989, by Edsel owner Ron Osborn Drawings by Harry Bradley I have prepared a short story on the life of Edsel Ford. As most of us know, Edsel died in May, 1943, so it seemed fitting to honor the man on the 46th anniversary of his death, who's car and club are named after him. The story deals with his youth, his fascination with car design and development, his Presidency of Ford Motor Company and his untimely death at age 49. Let me say that finding articles on Edsel Ford was no easy task. Edsel lived in the shadow of his father so much that very little is known about him even today. Even as President of Ford, he made very few major decisions. It was usually Henry that made the final decisions for the Company. However, Edsel enjoyed cars; especially car design. It was his hobby as well as his specialty. Edsel had other hobbies, like photography, fast boats, painting and sports, but cars remained his lifelong favorite. During his early childhood, Edsel and his father worked side by side on cars.

Later on, Edsel became more fascinated by the shapes of automobiles than by their inner workings. As ateenager, he built several speedsters, mostly T-based. Edsel was indulging in a common pastime of the day, one shared by quite a few young men with money, the difference being that Edsel had an unlimited supply of parts. This love of styling and building cars would come in very handy as time went on. I found a statement by Edsel which was dated in 1922 - "Father makes the most popular car in the world. I would like to make the best car in the world - Lincoln". In the late '20's, it was Edsel who guided the styling of the Model A, and gave it the mini-Lincoln look. At the time Henry was too busy straightening out the innards to worry about the A's outlines. He didn't care what the car looked like as long as it did what he wanted it to do, and it was painted black (REMEMBER?). Edsel regularly had cars built for his personal use. Two of his personal favorites were his 1932 and 1934 speedsters.

The 1932 was a V-8 Boat-tail speedster, and was built with the help of stylist-designer E.T. Gregorie. The '32 was a beautiful car with quite a number of radical features for its time. All aluminum body, pantalooned fenders, bullet headlights, no running boards, split windshield and V'd grille shell. Two years later in 1934, Edsel again called on Gregorie to build him another speedster. It again had an aluminum body, but this model was lower than the '32, and the headlights were mounted at the axle height. There were twin-windscreens, no doors, and the overall effect was that of a pure racing car. Edsel has no intention of producing any of these cars in quantity, and for the most part he kept them out of his father's sight. Seems Edsel kept his speedsters inside a gardener's shed at his home. Edsel became the guiding light behind Ford's styling section, and as mentioned before, the Lincoln became Edsel's crowning acheivement. But he also saw the Zephyr and most other pre-war Fords through their various stages of body design.

As one can see, these were very happy times for Edsel. Unfortunately, there would be fewer of these happier times as the pressures of running the Ford Motor Company, an over-demanding father, and America's entry into the Second World War would begin to take its toll on Edsel. After Edsel's death, both speedsters were sold. (For the latest news on both vehicles, see the update at the end of this article.) Edsel was twenty-five years of age when he became President of Ford, but the appointment was no more than a cruel hoax. Foxy old Henry had redesigned the Presidency and was making noises about organizing a rival firm to build a better and cheaper car than the Model "T". Henry had no intention of relinquishing control of the Ford Motor Company, nor did he plan to organize another company. He was simply diluting and very effectively the value of Ford's stock, preparing to buy out the small minority stockholders and assume total control. Edsel was being manipulated, and he would be manipulated, harassed, tormented and humiliated all the remaining days of his life.

Once, when all the Ford brass, including Henry, were attending a luncheon, Henry rose from the table and yelled at Edsel to "shut up", and stormed out of the room. Apparently Henry had overheard Edsel remarking that there was some merit in placing hydraulic braking systems on all Ford products, which were being done on virtually all of Ford's competitors. It didn't pay to criticize Ford cars - not in Henry's presence at least - and this included Edsel. One side note on the subject; Edsel's brother-in-law and closest confidant, Ernest Kanzler, had learned that in 1926. Kanzler, a second Vice President at Ford, composed a six-page letter in January of that year, pointing out that Chevrolet sales were rapidly gaining, while Ford's were in sharp decline. Kanzler, while delicately refraining from direct criticism of Henry's beloved Model "T", called for a more competitive six cylinder car. "With every additional car our competitors sell, they get stronger and we get weaker." It backfired, and Henry was furious. Thereafter, Ernest Kanzler found himself ignored, ridiculed, and victimized in every conceivable way.

Ultimately, while Edsel was out of the country, Henry had Kanzler fired. On one occasion, Edsel had contracted for the construction of a new office building. It seems both Accounting and especially the Sales department had long since outgrown their quarters. Henry was out of town at the time that the plans were made and the contracts let. (One suspects that this may not have been coincidental!) Upon his return, the elder Ford took note of the excavation that was underway and demanded to know what was going on. Edsel, doubtless with a mixture of pride and dread, described the new building which would supply Company with badly needed office space. Henry wanted to know for whom? This should have been Edsel's cue to pitch for the needs of the Sales department - something Henry could understand. Instead, however, the younger Ford mentioned first the accountants. Without waiting to hear another word, Henry turned and marched out of Edsel's office. The next morning, when the accountants reported for work, they found their offices stripped. No desks, chairs, files or telephones. Even the carpeting was gone, and they were out of a job.

Henry had abolished the Accounting department with which he had never had any patience with anyway, and overnight had seen to the removal of its furniture and equipment. He then informed Edsel that there was now plenty of room for the Sales staff. People wondered then, and still wonder, why Edsel put up with such treatment. A few reasons I found were: Some said it was out of love for his father. Edsel had three sons. Perhaps he was simply hanging on until the day that they could take over. Doubtless there was the factor of family loyalty. For Edsel to have left the Company would almost certainly have depressed the value of Ford stock, all of which was held by family members. Others, more cynical, pointed out that Edsel derived a very handsome income from the Ford Motor Company. Most importantly, from all the evidence, Edsel Ford was simply not a combative individual. Confrontation and conflict were totally foreign to his nature. In ant event, Edsel mostly kept his torment to himself. Only rarely did he reveal his inner emotions to anyone - some perhaps to his wife Eleanor, and to Ernest Kanzler before he was fired by Henry. Frustration and suppressed rage make a poor recipe for good health and long life.

Not surprisingly, Edsel fell victim to ulcers. In time, the ulcers led to something far worse. Early in 1942, he underwent abdominal surgery. Ten months later, he was hospitalized again, this time for something called Undulant Fever. (My medical book describes this as a persistent form of Brucellosis transmitted to humans from lower domestic animals, or by their by-products, and characterized by a recurrent fever, sweating and pain in the joints). As part of a bland diet, Edsel had been drinking milk from his father's dairy, and of course old Henry would not permit the testing of his herd, much less the pasteurization of the milk. But the doctors found something far worse than undulant fever, as bad as that was. Edsel's ulcers had become cancerous, and his condition was deemed inoperable. He was sent home to die. Henry Ford refused to admit the truth about his son's condition. "It was all due to Edsel's high flying lifestyle", he said. "If Edsel would stop smoking or eat a proper diet, or go see other doctors, his health would improve".

But early in the morning of May 26th, 1943, death came for Edsel Ford. As I mentioned earlier, he was only 49. This story might have had a different ending if Edsel had been able to stand up to his stubborn father, demanding that he be allowed to run the Company without interference. But Edsel was Edsel, putting the feelings of others before his own. Edsel did make an impact during his short life, though: On his community. For years Edsel Ford was one of the largest donors to the Detroit Community Fund. On the Arts. A talented landscape artist in his own right, Edsel served for many years as President of the Detroit Arts Commission. On the product line. It was Edsel who influenced his father to take over the bankrupt Lincoln Motor Company, saving one great car from the fate of so many others during the '30's. On his family. Edsel was the kind of parent who always was there, sharing the joys and problems of his children. Edsel's final irony was the fact that the car that was intended by his family to do him honor turned out to be a dismal flop. And, yes, on his father.

In the end, it was Edsel who persuaded the old man to replace the Model "T", to mechanize his windshield wipers, to adopt - finally - hydraulic brakes, to engage in some semblence of long range planning and to make peace with organized labor. One has to wonder whether Henry Ford ever comprehended what he had done to his only son. It seems unlikely. Certainly he never even began to understand this complex gifted man, nor did he ever really try. Nevertheless, he was grief stricken at Edsel's death. Less than four years after Edsel's death, the old man himself was gone. In conclusion, I think a statement made in 1970 by Mr Henry Edmunds, Director of the Ford Archives, pretty well sums things up when he said: "Edsel was responsible for many good things in the Company's history - insistance on verve and dash in product styling, on a reliable and safer product, on fair and courteous relationships with dealers and the public. He posessed an unquenchable sense of fitness, an insistance on doing the right thing. A single instance amoung many would be his little-known acheivement in making Ford Overseas a strong segment in the Ford marketing empire.

He did all the essential things that Henry refused to do, and consequently held the Company together during several crisis periods in the 1930's. In true retrospect, he seems less a tragic figure than popularly supposed. Without him, the Company might never have attained the solid image it was today." HAPPY EDSELLING!!! UPDATES Edsel Ford's 1932 roadster was photographed by Brian Ritzow at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California in February 2007. He writes, "During the show I got to know the couple that just recently became the owners of this car. They apparently discovered this through a friend as it was about to be junked." Edsel's 1934 speedster was sold in Atlanta, Georgia for $1000 after Edsel Ford's death. It was next seen for sale in Road & Track magazine in 1948 for $2500, but did not find a buyer. It remained in storage until 1958, when it was purchased by John Pallasch of Deland, Florida for a tidy $603.

Under John's care, the car's gunmetal gray exterior was painted red and the upholstery was replaced with matching red leather. As of 1970, the car was reported belonging to Earl Pallasch of Deland, Florida. It was spotted in Amelia Island, Florida in January 1999, having been purchased by Bill Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours. On March 8, 2008, the car changed hands again, selling at an RM Auction for $1.74 million. Ford Motor Company Chronology - The Henry Ford Ford Motor Co. Chronology, 1903-2003 Jun 17, 1903 Ford Motor Company organized, with John S. Gray as President and Henry Ford as Vice President. Stockholders are: Henry Ford, Alexander Malcomson, John W. Anderson, C.H. Bennett, James Couzens, Horace E. Dodge, John F. Dodge, Vernon C. Fry, John S. Gray, Horace H. Rackham, Albert Strelow and Charles J. Woodall.

Jul 23, 1903 Company sells its first car, a two-cylinder Model A, assembled at Mack Avenue Plant in Detroit. Aug 17, 1904 FMC of Canada, LTD. incorporated near Windsor, Ontario. Dec 1904 Production begins at Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit. Oct 22, 1906 Henry Ford becomes President of Ford Motor Company. Oct 1, 1908 First Model T made available to the public. Continues until 1927. Jan 1, 1910 Manufacturing operations transferred to Highland Park, Michigan Plant. 1911 First overseas plant established in Trafford Park, Manchester, England. Apr 1, 1913 First experiments with assembly line begin at Highland Park Plant. Early trials with assembly of components like magnetos and transmissions are followed by development of chassis assembly line in August 1913. Jan 12, 1914 $5 daily wage for 8-hour day replaces $2.34 for 9-hour day for male factory workers. Adopted for women workers in Oct 1916.

Dec 10, 1915 1 millionth Ford car produced. April 1, 1917 Construction begins on Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Jul 2, 1917 First Ford truck introduced, powered by Model T engine. Oct 1, 1917 Fordson tractor production begins. Only produced in North America until Feb 1928, but continues in Ireland. Jan 1, 1919 Edsel Ford succeeds his father, Henry Ford, as President. The Fords become sole owners of the company by purchasing stock of the other shareholders. Feb 4, 1922 Ford Motor Company purchases Lincoln Motor Company for $8 million. Edsel Ford named President of Lincoln. Jan 15, 1926 Ford Airport dedicated in Dearborn. May 1, 1926 Five-day, 40-hour work week adopted for factory workers. Adopted for office workers on August 1, 1926. June 11, 1926 Ford Tri-Motor makes first flight from Ford Airport. Produced until 1933.

May 26, 1927 First jeep produced at Rouge Plant. Jun 20, 21, 1941 Ford Motor Company signs its first closed-shop contract with UAW-CIO, covering 123,000 employees. Feb 10, 1942 World War II halts civilian car production. Nov 28, 1942 First complete bomber, (B-24), built at Willow Run. Production continues through June 28, 1945. May 26, 1943 Edsel Ford dies at the age of 49. Henry Ford re-elected President of the company. Jul 3, 1945 Ford passenger car production resumes. Sep 21, 1945 Edsel Ford's son, Henry Ford II, named President of the company. Apr 7, 1947 Henry Ford dies at Fair Lane, his Dearborn, Michigan estate, at the age of 83. Jan 25, 1955 Ernest Breech appointed Chairman.

Jan 17, 1956 Ford Motor Company becomes a publicly-held company with public sale of common stock. Listed on NYSE on Mar 7, 1956. May 10, 1956 New Ford Motor Company subsidiary, Aeronutronics Systems, established, specializing in defense weapons and aerospace technology. August 24, 1959 Ford Motor Credit Company formed. Jul 13, 1960 Ernest Breech resigns as Chairman. Henry Ford II elected Chairman in addition to his Presidency. Nov 9, 1960 Henry Ford II resigns Presidency and becomes CEO, in addition to remaining Chairman. Robert McNamara becomes President. He resigns Jan 1, 1961 to become Secretary of Defense for John F. Kennedy. Jan 1, 1961 John Dykstra elected President. Oct 3, 1961 UAW call first company-wide strike against Ford Motor Company since the first contract was signed in 1941. Strike ends Oct 20 with 3-year agreement. Dec 11, 1961 Ford Motor Company acquires Philco Corp.

May 1, 1963 UAW calls company-wide strike. Continues until Oct 22, 1967. Feb 6, 1968 Semon "Bunky" Knudsen named President. Dec 10, 1970 Lee Iacocca named President. Leaves Ford Motor Company on Oct 15, 1978. Becomes President of Chrysler in Nov 1978. Oct 1, 1979 Henry Ford II retires as CEO. He retires as Chairman in 1980. Philip Caldwell promoted from Vice Chairman to CEO and President on Oct 1, 1979, and becomes Chairman in 1980. Donald Peterson replaces Caldwell as President and CEO in 1980. Feb 1, 1985 Philip Caldwell retires and Donald Peterson becomes Chairman. Harold "Red" Poling becomes President. 1986/1987 Ford Motor Company earnings exceed those of General Motors for the first time since 1926.

Sep 29, 1987 Ford Motor Company earns record profits, $4.63 billion. 1990 Donald Peterson retires. Harold Poling named new Chairman. Philip Benton named President. The Ford Motor Company acquires Jaguar for $2.5 billion. 1991 Ford Motor Company’s largest 1-year loss ever, $2.3 billion. Ford Motor Company’s QualityCare system is created to meet the diverse “aftersales” needs of private Ford owners and Ford Dealerships. Ford and Volkswagen embark upon a joint venture in “AutoEuropa,” an organization which will produce multipurpose vehicles at Setuba, Portugal. 1992 Ford’s F-Series pickup truck becomes the bestselling vehicle in the United States for its tenth consecutive year. Ford’s Taurus is the first car to have an environmentally friendly air-conditioning system [chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) are neither created nor released. Ford Motor Company acquires 50% of Mazda Motor Manufacturing, renaming it AutoAlliance International. 1993 Ford Motor Company is honored to claim five of the eight top selling vehicles in the United States. Ford President Philip Benton, Jr. retires.

Alex Trotman, a key player in establishing Ford of Europe, becomes Chairman and CEO of the Ford Motor Company. Almost immediately, Trotman begins efforts to “globalize” the corporation. The first formal Ford Dealerships are placed inside Mainland China. Later, Ford China Operations is created, securing the establishment of manufacturing and assembly centers inside China. Development begins on a marketable natural gas-powered vehicle. Ford Motor Company is the first auto maker to have dual airbags as standard equipment in most of its cars. 1994 The first Ford vehicle assembly begins in India. Ford acquires Hertz, the world’s largest car rental company. 1995 As part of Chairman and CEO Alex Trotman’s plans to “globalize” Ford Motor Company, Ford 2000 is initiated. Ford 2000 will “combine the power, resources, and reach of a world company with the immediacy, intimacy, agility, and spirit of a small one.” 1996 The Ford Motor Company, in keeping with its globalization goals, develops a new family-car designed to fit global needs.

In North America, it is marketed as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique, while in Europe, Taiwan, and the Middle East, the automobile is the Mondeo. Following the launch of Ford Dealerships inside Russia, a Sales and Marketing Office is sited in Moscow. Ford is the first and only Auto Company to certify all of its plants (140 plants in 26 different countries) under the provisions of ISO 14001—the world environmental standard. The 250 millionth Ford Vehicle is assembled. 1997 Research begun in 1993, leads to the first fleet of natural gas-powered cars to be sold commercially. These automobiles were then marketed to New York City as taxis. The Ford Motor Company creates Visteon Automotive Systems to design, develop, and deliver fully integrated systems for the world market. Ford announces plans to transfer ownership of Budget Rent-A-Car to Team Rental Group. 1998 Stemming from the successful Ford Schools Construction Program, Ford of Mexico’s Quality Education Program begins to provide a myriad of educational and developmental services to students, parents, and teachers. Ford Motor Company and the Mobil Corporation ally in the ongoing search for alternative, and cleaner, fuel sources.

Ford reports record $6.9 billion in earnings, thus allowing employees to earn record profit sharing at average of $6,000. Ford’s Taurus takes Winston Cup Victory. With the environment in mind, Ford rallies with Ballard and Daimler-Benz automotive groups to develop fuel-cell technology. Side impact airbags are introduced into Ford’s North American car lineup. The United States Postal Service awards a $206.4 million contract to Ford for 10, 000 “alternative fuel” delivery trucks. Ford teams with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into the automobile sector. The AI is designed to improve fuel economy by monitoring fuel combustion rates. 1999 Continuing its quest to globalize, The Ford Motor Company launches IKON, the first car specifically designed for India. Ford’s IKON is assembled at its “state-of-the-art” plant in Marimali Nagar. After six years at Ford, Alex Trotman retires and Jacques Nasser, formerly of Ford Australia and Ford of Europe, becomes President. The Ford Motor Company’s Board of Directors elects William Clay Ford, Jr., a great-grandson of Henry Ford, Chairman of the Board.

Internationally recognized for the highest of safety and quality standards, the Swedish carmaker Volvo becomes a member of the Ford Family for $6.45 billion. To start an automotive e-business integrated supply chain, Ford joins with the Oracle Corporation. Ford seeks the acquisition of 51% interest in Norway’s PIVCO Industries, the maker of TH!NK, a dual seat electric-powered “city car.” Ford Motor Company combines Aston Martin, Jaguar, Lincoln, and Volvo under the umbrella of the Premier Auto Group. As a companion to QualityCare, Ford purchases the British auto-service chain Kwik-Fit for $1.6 billion. In addition to the certification of its own plants as ISO 14001-friendly, Ford requires all suppliers with manufacturing facilities to adhere to that same standard. Ford produces the first production vehicle to comply with California’s strict LEV II Emissions Requirements. The Lincoln LS is named Motor Trends’ Car of the Year. The 1914 Ford Model T is named the Car of the Century at a gala event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2000 At the Oakville, Ontario Ford Facility, Ford of Canada opens the YMCA ChildCare Centre to offer “employees and community residents a state-of-the-art learning environment for preschool children." Ford of Mexico teams up with Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resource Ministry to save Lacandona, the last rainforest in the Northern Hemisphere. Visteon, created in 1998 by Ford Motor Company, becomes an independent organization. At the North American International Auto Show, Ford officially announces the development of a “family-sized, hybrid-electric vehicle” by 2003. The Ford Focus is named both the North American Car of the Year and European Car of the Year. Ford officially takes ownership of LandRover from BMW. The Ford Motor Company begins the massive re-development of the Rouge Center. Employees of the Ford Motor Company receive an average of $8,000 in profit sharing for the year of 1999, as well as a home computer, printer, and Internet access. The Ford Motor Company donates over $18 million to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Zoo, the Detroit Science Center, the Henry Ford Academy, Princeton University’s Environmental Institute, and the San Diego Environment Foundation.

To streamline global business, Ford, GM, and Daimler Chrysler combine efforts to form a “business to business integrated supplier exchange through a single global router”. Ford Division Teams with US Auto Dealers and J.D. Power to launch the “Blue Oval” certified program, “the most comprehensive customer satisfaction initiative in automotive retailing”. Approximately 15,000 “bi-fuel” vehicles roll off of Ford Motor Company’s assembly lines. 2001 Jacques Nasser retires from his position at the Ford Motor Company, leaving William Clay Ford, Jr., the President and CEO. Ford Motor Company reports 7,424 million vehicles sold with $107, 064 Million in total revenue. Ford announces the construction of 6 2003 Model T-100’s (1914 Model T Replicas) for use an April 2003 exhibit at The Henry Ford. Motor Trend’s names Ford Thunderbird “Car of the Year” for an unprecedented fourth time. Continuing a trend of increased auto-safety measures, Ford launches “Boost America,” a program which gives away 100,000 booster seats and education on booster seat safety.

The Pacific Basin Economic Council recognizes The Ford Motor Company for its contributions to environment conservation. 2002 The Ford Motor Company announces plans to sponsor the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (E.A.A.) “Countdown to Kitty Hawk,” a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brother’s first powered flight. 2003 In October, Ford unveils a hybridized fuel cell-powered automobile built into the frame of the wildly popular Ford Focus. The Ford Motor Company celebrates its 100th Anniversary on June 16. Related Content Henry Ford, 1863-1947: Life After the Model T Henry Ford, 1863-1947: Life After the Model T January 15, 2012 Henry Ford with a Model T in Buffalo, New York, in 1921. About one million Model Ts were produced that year. The car was introduced on October 1, 1908. Share Download this story as a PDF PEOPLE IN AMERICA, a program in Special English on the Voice of America. Every week at this time, we tell the story of a person important in the history of the United States.

Today, Steve Ember and Frank Oliver complete the story of industrialist Henry Ford. (MUSIC) STEVE EMBER: In nineteen three, a doctor in Detroit, Michigan, bought the first car from the Ford Motor Company. That sale was the beginning of Henry Ford's dream. He wanted to build good, low-priced cars for the general public. As he said many times: "I want to make a car that anybody can buy." To keep prices low, Henry Ford decided that he would build just one kind of car. He called it the Model T. FRANK OLIVER: The Model T was ready for sale in October nineteen eight. The Model T cost eight hundred fifty dollars. It was a simple machine that drivers could depend on. Doctors bought the Model T. So did farmers. Even criminals. They considered it the fastest and surest form of transportation. Americans loved the Model T. They wrote stories and songs about it. Thousands of Model Ts were built in the first few years. The public wanted the car. And Henry Ford made more and more. STEVE EMBER: To Make the Model T, Ford built the largest factory of its time. Inside the factory, car parts moved to the workers exactly when they needed them.

Other factories moved some parts to the workers. But Ford was the first to design his factory completely around this system. Production rose sharply. As production rose, Ford lowered prices. By nineteen sixteen, the price had dropped to three hundred forty-five dollars. The last step in Ford's production success was to raise his workers' pay. His workers had always earned about two dollars for ten hours of work. That was the same daily rate as at other factories. With wages the same everywhere, factory workers often changed jobs. Henry Ford wanted loyal workers who would remain. He raised wages to five dollars a day. FRANK OLIVER: That made Henry Ford popular with working men. He became popular with car buyers in nineteen thirteen when he gave back fifty dollars to each person who had bought a Ford car. Henry Ford was demonstrating his idea that if workers received good wages, they became better buyers. And if manufacturers sold more products, they could lower prices and still earn money. This system worked for Ford because people continued to demand his Model T. And they had the money to buy it. But what would happen when people no longer wanted the Model T, or did not have the money?

STEVE EMBER: In nineteen nineteen, Henry was involved in a dispute with the other people who owned stock in the Ford Motor Company. In the end, Henry bought the stock of the other investors. He gained complete control of the company. The investors did not do badly, however. An investment of ten thousand dollars when the company was first established produced a return of twenty-five million dollars. A few years later, another group of investors offered Ford one thousand million dollars for the company. But he was not interested in selling. He wanted complete control of the company that had his name. In a sense, Henry Ford was the company. FRANK OLIVER: Henry's son, Edsel, was named president of the company before nineteen twenty. No one truly believed that Edsel was running the company. Whatever Edsel said, people believed he was speaking for his father. In nineteen twenty-three, fifty-seven percent of the cars produced in America were Model T Fords. About half the cars produced in the world were Fords. Taxicabs in Hong Kong. Most of the cars in South America. Never before -- or since -- has one car company so controlled world car production.

STEVE EMBER: The success of the Ford Motor Company permitted Henry Ford to work on other projects. He became a newspaper publisher. He bought a railway. He built airplanes. He helped build a hospital. He even ran for the United States Senate. German diplomats award Henry Ford, center, Nazi Germany's highest honor for foreigners, the Grand Cross of the German Eagle, in Detroit on July 30, 1938 Some of Henry's projects were almost unbelievable. For example, he tried to end World War One by sailing to Europe with a group of peace supporters. FRANK OLIVER: While Henry Ford enjoyed his success, a dangerous situation was developing. Other companies began to sell what only Ford had been selling: good, low-priced cars. Ford's biggest competitor was the General Motors Company. General Motors produced the Chevrolet automobile. Ford's Model T was still a dependable car. But it had not changed in years. People said the Model T engine was too loud. They said it was too slow. The Chevrolet, however, had a different look every year. And you could pay for one over a long period of time. Ford demanded full payment at the time of sale. Ford's share of the car market began to fall.

STEVE EMBER: Everyone at Ford agreed that the Model T must go. Henry Ford disagreed. And it was his decision that mattered. Finally, in nineteen twenty-six, even Henry admitted that the age of the Model T was over. A new Ford was needed. A year later, the Model T was gone. Strangely enough, people mourned its end. They did not want to buy it anymore. But they recognized that the Model T was the last of the first cars in the brave new world of automobile development. The success of Ford's new cars did not last long. After nineteen thirty, Ford would always be second to General Motors. FRANK OLIVER: In nineteen twenty-nine, the United States suffered a great economic recession. Many businesses failed. Millions of people lost their jobs. In nineteen thirty-one, the Ford Motor Company sold only half as many cars as it had the year before. It lost thirty-seven million dollars. Working conditions at Ford grew worse. In nineteen thirty-two, hungry, unemployed men marched near the Ford factory. Police, firefighters and Ford security guards tried to stop them with sticks, high-pressure water and guns. Four of the marchers died, and twenty were wounded.

Newspapers all over the United States condemned the police, firefighters and security guards for attacking unarmed men. And to make a bad situation worse, Ford dismissed all workers who attended funeral services for the dead. STEVE EMBER: More violence was to come. For several years, automobile workers had been attempting to form a labor union. Union leaders negotiated first with America's two other major automobile makers: the Chrysler company and General Motors. Those companies quickly agreed to permit a union in their factories. That left Ford alone to fight against the union. And fight he did. FRANK OLIVER: In nineteen thirty-seven, union organizers were passing out pamphlets to workers at the Ford factory. Company security guards struck. They were led by the chief of security, Harry Bennett. Harry Bennett knew nothing about cars. But he did know what Henry Ford wanted done. And he did it. Bennett's power came from Henry. The only person who might have had the power to stop Bennett was Henry's son, Edsel, who was president of the company. But Edsel himself was fighting Henry and his unwillingness to change. Bennett's power in the company continued to grow. His violence against the union of automobile workers also grew.

The Ford Motor Company did not agree to negotiate with the union until nineteen forty-one. Henry Ford accepted an agreement. If he had not, his company would have lost millions of dollars in government business. STEVE EMBER: In nineteen forty-three, Edsel Ford died. With Edsel gone, Henry again became president of the Ford Motor Company. It was difficult to know if Henry or Harry Bennett was running the company. America was at war. And Henry was eighty years old -- too old to deal with the problems of wartime production. And Bennett knew nothing at all about production. So Henry's grandson, also Henry Ford, was recalled from the Navy to run the company. Young Henry's first act was to dismiss Harry Bennett. FRANK OLIVER: Old Henry Ford retired from business. His thoughts were in the past. He died in his sleep in nineteen forty-seven, at the age of eighty-three. Henry Ford was not the first man whose name was given to an automobile. But his name -- more than any other -- was linked to that machine. And his dream changed the lives of millions of people. Some still wonder if Henry Ford was a simple man who seemed difficult -- or a difficult man who seemed simple.

No one, however, questions the fact that he made the automobile industry one of the great industries in the world. (MUSIC) FRANK OLIVER: You have been listening to the Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Your narrators were Steve Ember and Frank Oliver. Our program was written by Richard Thorman. I’m Ray Freeman. How did the Edsel get its name and Where did the Edsel come from? How did the Edsel get its name and Where did the Edsel come from? 2013.02.11 | Filed Under: Odds Leave a Comment The Edsel was named after Edsel Ford, the son of Henry, of course, but only after a long, convoluted, and expensive chain of experiments, arguments, marketing research, and trial and error. And after all that, the adventuresome car for the upwardly mobile family was branded with an old-fashioned, grandfatherly name, scarcely well suited for a stylish new car, with its horse-collar-shaped radiator grille, wide wings on the rear, and steering wheel bedecked with push buttons—epitomizing right there the spirit of a new era.

While the initial idea for a brand-new medium-priced car dates to 1948, when Henry Ford II suggested it to Ernest R. Breech, executive vice-president, a firm decision to launch such a car was not made until 1955. And in that year car manufacturers had no cause for trepidation. The American public, now fully recovered from the Korean War, discovered unprecedented prosperity and the big car became an outward symbol for that affluence. Chevrolets and Plymouths were getting bigger and more varied. They were being equipped with power steering, power brakes, pushbutton-controlled windows, and the competition was on for increasingly higher engine power. Everyone wanted a car and a buying record-7 million units—was set that year. As head of the special products division at Ford, R. E. Krafve oversaw the birth of the new car. For a long time it was referred to as the E-Car, E standing for experimental, though quite early on Krafve suggested it be called the Edsel. Edsel’s three sons—Henry II, Benson, and William Clay—thought otherwise, however, rejecting out of hand the blatant commercialization of their late father’s name.

Little more was said as Roy A. Brown, put in charge of design, went to work in celebrated secrecy, with security guards at the doors 24 hours a day. Brown had no guiding flashes of intuition, but plodded along, part by part. Meanwhile, David Wallace, director of planning for market research, set out to determine just what image the public was after and and just what name would encapsulate it. “. . . Cars are the means to a sort of dream fulfillment,” said Wallace. “There’s some irrational factor in people that makes them want one kind of car rather than another, something that has nothing to do with the mechanism at all but with the car’s personality, as the customer imagines it.” What was to be the personality of the new car? From interviews of 800 recent car buyers in Peoria, Illinois, and 800 more in San Bernardino, California, Wallace learned that Ford’s only medium-priced car, the Mercury, was considered virtually a hot rod, something young, fast, and male—and for the low-income bracket, though in reality it was not. Thus as people moved to higher incomes, they turned to a non-Ford car for something more respectable.

The E-Car had to catch the eye of people on the rise, not too old or too young, and not exclusively male, though the car’s appearance should in no way be feminine. Wallace outlined the desired image as follows: The most advantageous personality for the E-Car might well be THE SMART CAR FOR THE YOUNGER EXECUTIVE OR PROFESSIONAL FAMILY ON ITS WAY UP. Smart car: recognition by others of the owner’s good style and taste. Younger: appealing to the spirited but responsible adventurers. Executive or professional: millions pretend to this status, whether they can attain it or not. Family: not exclusively masculine; a wholesome “good” role. On Its Way Up: “The E-Car has faith in you, son; we’ll help you make it!” Wallace then sent researchers out onto the streets of Chicago, New York, and Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. Armed with 2,000 potential names for the car, the interviewers asked people not only what they thought of the name, but what free associations each evoked, and what they considered the opposite to be. The research accumulated masses of material, but nothing conclusive.

Day after day, Krafve and other Ford executives sat in a dark room reacting to flash cards with such suggested names as Altair, Ariel, Dart, Mars, Jupiter, and Phoenix. But no agreement could be reached. There followed one of the most unusual twists in the history of commercial marketing. The wife of one of Ford’s junior assistants had recently graduated from Mount Holyoke College, where she had heard and been duly impressed by the poet Marianne Moore. The young graduate suggested that Wallace ask Miss Moore what she would call the car and Wallace took her up on it. “We should like this name,” wrote Wallace to the distinguished poet, “. . . to convey, through association or other conjuration, some visceral feeling of elegance, fleetness, advanced features and design.” Moore responded with such lofty titles as Intelligent Bullet, Andante con Moto, Utopian Turtletop, Pastelogram, and Bullet Cloisonné. Somehow, Ford didn’t bite. Next, the prominent Madison Avenue advertising agency Foote, Cone, and Belding was hired to solve the problem. They conducted a competition in their New York, London, and Chicago offices to name the car, inciting their employees with the prospect of winning a car.

The agency soon had a dizzying list of 18,000 names, which they cut by two thirds before presenting it to Ford. But the irate executives at Ford did not wish to cope with 6,000, they wanted only 1, and asked Foote, Cone to cut the list to 10. During a crash program over one weekend, the New York and Chicago offices of Foote, Cone independently trimmed the list and amazingly enough came up with four of the same names on their lists of ten: Corsair was the leading contender, followed by Citation, Pacer, and Ranger. Wallace liked Corsair, too, and noted that it had rated high on the street interviews, sparking such free-spirited associations as “pirate” and “swashbuckler. The Ford executive committee met to make the final choice. All three brothers were away. Ernest Breech took one look at the top ten and announced he didn’t like any of them. The group turned to some of the past rejects and the brusque, impatient Breech lighted on Edsel.

That was the one he wanted and he got a majority to agree, with Corsair and the other three favorites on hand as subnames for variations of the E-Car. Breech called Henry II down in Nassau and obtained his approval of the choice, and he in turn got his brothers to concede. Whether because of its name, the recession of 1958, the crowded market of middle-priced cars, the time gap between the car’s design and its presentation to the public, or its “lemon-sucking” grille, the Edsel was a disaster. It was launched in 1957 to the accompaniment of unprecedented advertising and publicity campaigns. Two years later only 100,000 cars had been sold. Ford discontinued the line in November 1959 having lost, reported John Brooks in The New Yorker, a staggering $350 million. Read More

Question: Which model of car did Henry Ford name after his son?
Answer: EDSEL