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Ford

Ford Motor Company was incorporated on 16 June 1903 with Henry Ford as its designer and driving force, and began in a former wagon factory on Detroit's Mack Avenue. It introduced the moving assembly line at Highland Park in 1913 and became a publicly traded corporation in 1956.1,2,3

Ford Anglia 105E flying car (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) (1959–1967 (film 2002))
Ford Anglia 105E flying car (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) (1959–1967 (film 2002))
Photo: sv1ambo · CC BY 2.0
245Cars documented
14Individual chassissee each car
1903Founded

Model lines

Rare versions grouped by model line. Open a line to see every version and rare factory colour by generation and model year.

Mustang 71 rare versions · 5 colour variants · 1961–2026

All Mustang versions →

GT40 and Ford GT 25 rare versions · 1964–2022

All GT40 and Ford GT versions →

Escort 15 rare versions · 1968–1994

All Escort versions →

Fairlane and Torino 14 rare versions · 1955–1976

All Fairlane and Torino versions →

Thunderbird 11 rare versions · 1957–2005

All Thunderbird versions →

Falcon 9 rare versions · 1963–1965

All Falcon versions →

Sierra and Capri 8 rare versions · 1970–1987

All Sierra and Capri versions →

Focus 5 rare versions · 2002–2010

All Focus versions →

Ford 5 rare versions · 1904–1998

All Ford versions →

Galaxie 5 rare versions · 1962–1973

All Galaxie versions →

Ranger 4 rare versions · 1989–2023

All Ranger versions →

Cortina 3 rare versions · 1967

All Cortina versions →

Fiesta 3 rare versions ·

All Fiesta versions →

RS200 3 rare versions · 1986

All RS200 versions →

F-Series 1 rare version · 3 colour variants · 1993–2021

All F-Series versions →

Other cars

Open a car to see its production figures, specifications and individual chassis.

Factories around the world

Cars built by Ford’s own regional factories and subsidiaries.

Australia Ford Australia

Read the history and more details about Ford Australia →

France Ford France

Read the history and more details about Ford France →

South Africa Ford South Africa

Read the history and more details about Ford South Africa →

Specialists building on Ford

Independent manufacturers and tuners whose rare cars are based on Fords. Each keeps its own page with its history.

United States Saleen

Read the history and more details about Saleen →

Key facts

Founded
16 June 1903 (Ford Motor Company incorporated, Detroit)1,4 Independently researched
Founder
Henry Ford (with a group of investors)4,1 Independently researched
Headquarters
Dearborn, Michigan (world headquarters built 1953–1956); first plant on Mack Avenue, Detroit1 Independently researched

History

Investors filed articles of incorporation for the Ford Motor Company on 16 June 1903, with Henry Ford as designer, and the first product, the two-cylinder Model A, was assembled in a former wagon factory on Detroit's Mack Avenue. The Model T sold for $825 in 1908. In 1913 Ford began using the moving assembly line at its Highland Park plant, and the Model T's price later fell to $260 by 1925. In 1919 Henry Ford bought out the other stockholders, giving the family full control, and the company became publicly traded in 1956. Under Henry Ford II the company pursued the GT40 racing programme, and by 1966 the Shelby American Ford GT programme was dominant at Le Mans.

1,2,3

Milestones

  1. 1903
    Ford Motor Company was incorporated and assembled its first product, the Model A, on Detroit's Mack Avenue.1
  2. 1908
    The Model T was on sale for $825.2
  3. 1913
    Ford began using the moving assembly line at its Highland Park plant.2
  4. 1919
    Henry Ford bought out the other stockholders, giving the Ford family full control.1
  5. 1956
    Ford became a publicly traded corporation, the same year its Dearborn world headquarters was completed.1
  6. 1966
    The Shelby American-run Ford GT programme dominated at Le Mans.3

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    K-12 Research Guide: Ford Motor Company Level B The Henry Ford (Benson Ford Research Center)
    • The new company's first product, the Model A
    • 1919: Ford resigned as president and bought out the stockholders (locator)
    • became a publicly traded corporation in 1956
    • filed articles of incorporation for the Ford Motor Company (June 16, 1903)
    • a "new group of investors" backed the company (locator)
    • built in Dearborn in 1953-1956 to house Ford's world headquarters
    • a former wagon factory on Detroit's Mack Avenue
    • filed articles of incorporation for the Ford Motor Company
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Assembly Line Revolution Level A Ford Motor Company
    • In 1908, the car sold for $825.
    • in 1913 Henry Ford and his employees successfully began using this innovation
    • began using this innovation at our Highland Park assembly plant
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  3. 3
    Shelby History Level A Shelby American
    • By 1966 the Shelby American Ford GT program was all conquering
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  4. 4
    Our History Level A Ford Motor Company
    • Since 1903, Ford Motor Company has put the world on wheels.
    • Our founder was a champion of innovation.
    Accessed 2026-11-11

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