Ford

Ford is the world's third largest car maker when measured by vehicle sales. Other than Ford's own-branded businesses, the company owns one other major brand - Volvo, though it also owns one-third interest in Mazda and a small holding share in the former subsidiary Aston Martin.

Its former UK subsidiaries (Land Rover and Jaguar) were bought by Tata Motors of India in March 2008. In 2007, Ford became the third-ranked car-maker in US sales (being beaten by General Motors and Toyota). It was Ford's first decline from second position in 56 years.

FORD HISTORY

Ford was launched in 1903. Henry Ford, the company's founder, revolutionized mass production by introducing methods for manufacturing cars on a large-scale using highly engineered manufacturing along travelling assembly lines.

In 1908, Ford introduced the legendary Model T and by 1920 production was over one million cars a year. In the 1950s, Ford introduced the legendary Thunderbird and in 1955 the disastrous Edsel. But Ford bounced back introducing its compact Ford Falcon in 1960 and the Mustang in 1964. By 1967, Ford of Europe was established, which builds some of the UK's most popular cars.