Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. A full list of ford company timeline from 1899 to 2008 is available here. Henry Ford builds his first vehicle / car (Ford Quadracycle) on 1896 before the company was formed.

During August 5, 1899, Henry Ford creates Detroit Automobile Company but it has been dissolved in 1901.

June 16, 1903: Henry Ford incorporated with 11 original investors to sign articles of incorporation for Ford Motor Company in Michigan. From there, 1,708 Ford cars are produced.

Year 1906: 8,729 Ford cars are produced and it becomes top selling brand in United States.

Oct. 1, 1908: Ford introduces “Model T”, which is one of the most popular cars in the world. Ford Model T production ended in May 1927 and the total production was 15,458,781.

During Year 1909: Ford Motor Company was established in England, referred as Ford of Britain. The first factory was opened in Manchester England during 1911.

Oct. 7, 1913: The Highland Park plant in Michigan begins operations as the first moving assembly line and making Model T production 8 times faster.

Jan. 5, 1914: Ford introduces $5 (the inflation equivalent to $108 in year 2009) per day for eight-hour work. The previous wage was $2.34 per day which is almost half of it.

Year 1919: Son of Henry Ford, Edsel Ford succeeded Henry Ford as president for Ford Motor Company.

Year 1921: Ford production exceeds 1 million cars per year (which Mini has exceeds it during Mini MK1 generation) and it has become next biggest selling brand.

Year 1925: It is a big explore year that Ford introduces Ford Tri-Motor airplane for airline services.

Year 1927: Ford Model T production officially ends and Ford introduces Model A.

Year 1932: Ford introduces the one-piece cast V8 block which makes the automobile industry a big changes until today it has used in a Ford Mustang.

March 1, 1941: Ford begins to manufacture general-purpose “jeeps” for the U.S. military.

In 1943, Edsel Ford dies of cancer and Henry Ford resumes the presidency for Ford Motor Company.

1949: Ford introduces the “Woody” station wagon.

Jan. 17, 1956: Ford goes public with common stock. 10.2 million shares sold in the first day, representing 22% of the company.

1964: Ford Mustang and Ford GT40 was introduced as super cars.

1968: Ford Lincoln Mark Series was introduced as Ford’s luxury cars.

1974: Ford Mustang II / second generation of Ford Mustang were introduced as a smaller and more economical colt car.

1975: The famous Ford F150 was introduced. (Ford f150 repair manual online)

1979: Ford successfully acquires 25% of stake in Mazda.

Sept. 7, 1987: Ford acquires 75% of Aston Martin Lagonda.

Ford Motor Company Timeline

Dec. 31, 1988: Ford’s worldwide earnings were $5.3 billion, the highest of any auto company to date.

Dec. 1, 1989: Ford spends $2.5 billion to acquire Jaguar Cars. Maza MX-5 Miata is unveiled.

March 15, 1990: Ford Explorer was introduced as sport utility vehicle, and it has become the nation’s best-selling SUV model.

July 1, 1992: Ford buys 50 percent of Mazda Motor Manufacturing and changes that company’s name to AutoAlliance International.

June 20, 1993: Ford opens its first dealerships in China. Its brand sales in China increased 46 percent in 2005. By the end of 2005, the number of Ford dealers in China totaled 150, up from 100 in 2004.

1994: Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz are discontinued – replaced by Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

1995: Ford’s first front wheel drive V8 sedan is introduced, the 4.6L V8-powered Lincoln Continental.

1996: Ford increases investment stake in Mazda Corporation to a controlling interest of 33.4%.

Aug. 21, 1997: Ford sells the first taxicabs run on natural gas to New York City.

1998: Ford Focus was introduced in Europe and 2002.

1999: A smaller sporty Mercury Cougar is reintroduced with front wheel drive.

2000: Ford purchases Land Rover brand from BMW. Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type are introduced, along with a refreshed Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. The Lincoln LS becomes the 2000 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

May 2001: Ford Motor Company recalls 13 million tires and Bridgestone/Firestone dumps Ford as a customer, saying Ford was using the tire maker as a scapegoat to deflect attention from problems with the Ford Explorer.

2002: Lincoln Continental is discontinued after a roughly fifty year run. Jaguar X-Type is introduced (first AWD Jaguar).

Year 2003, it is Ford Motor Company’s 100^th Anniversary. The new Ford GT is released along with limited Centennial editions.

July 11, 2005: Ford’s new gas-electric hybrid SUV, the Mercury Mariner, goes on sale.

Dec. 23, 2005: Ford announces it will transfer $2 billion to shore up Jaguar Cars, which it bought in 1989 for almost $3 billion in today’s prices.

2005: Ford loses market share for the 10th year in a row, and also loses its place as America’s best-selling brand to GM’s Chevrolet. Ford sold around 2.9 million vehicles in 2005 for a 17.4 percent market share — down from a market share of 18.3 percent in 2004 and of 24 percent in 1990.

Jan. 23, 2006: Ford announces it will cut up to 30,000 jobs and idle 14 plants by the year 2012.

2007: Ford reports losses of $12.7 billion for 2006. Ford Edge (Ford edge commercial song) and Lincoln MKX introduced.

2008: Ford sells Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors.

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