23 Facts About Ford

1. In October 2017, Ford announced its Team Edison battery-electric vehicle group to lead the company's renewed efforts into the EV market, in which it currently offers only the Focus subcompact and has plans for a small 300-mile SUV by 2020.

2. Ford Focus Electric is based on the next generation Focus internal combustion vehicle, converted to an all-electric propulsion system as a production electric car by Magna International, and retail sales began in the US in December 2011.

3. In March 2009, Ford launched hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Mercury Milan Hybrid in the United States, both as 2010 models.

4. In September 2007, Ford announced a partnership with Southern California Edison to examine how plug-in hybrids will work with the electrical grid.

5. In 2007, Ford added a victory in the GT4 European Championship.

6. In 2005 the Ford Mustang FR500C took the championship in the Rolex Koni Challenge Series in its first year on the circuit.

7. Since the 1999 season, Ford has used various versions of the Ford Focus WRC to much success.

8. In 1986, Ford expanded its tractor business when it purchased the Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implement company from Sperry Corporation and formed Ford-New Holland which bought out Versatile tractors in 1988.

9. In 1936, Ford introduced the Ford Transit Bus, a series of small transit buses with bodies built by a second party.

10. In 1958, Ford introduced the Edsel brand, but poor sales led to its discontinuation in 1960.

11. In 2004, Ford sold 30,000 units in the region, falling far short of General Motors' 88,852 units and Nissan Motors' 75,000 units.

12. On October 24, 2012, Ford announced that it would be closing its Genk assembly plant in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014.

13. In 2008, Ford acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova, Romania.

14. Development of European Ford is broadly split between Dunton in Essex and Cologne (body, chassis, electrical, Focus, Mondeo) in Germany.

15. In February 2002, Ford ended car production in the UK.

16. In May 2017, Ford announced cuts to its global workforce amid efforts to address the company's declining share price and to improve profits.

17. The Ford Focus will now be manufactured in the existing plant in Mexico.

18. On November 1, 2012, Ford announced that CEO Alan Mulally will stay with the company until 2014.

19. In 1990 and 1994 respectively, Ford acquired Jaguar Cars and Aston Martin.

20. In late 1955, Ford established the Continental division as a separate luxury car division.

21. In 1929, Ford was contracted by the government of the Soviet Union to set up the Gorky Automobile Plant in Russia initially producing Ford Model A and AAs thereby playing an important role in the industrialisation of that country.

22. In 1908, Ford introduced the mass-produced Model T, which totalled millions sold over nearly 20 years.

23. In 2011, Ford discontinued the Mercury brand, under which it had marketed entry-level luxury cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East since 1938.