Ford Europe - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

History

Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 on the merger of the British

Ford of Britain

Ford of Britain is a British wholly owned subsidiary of Ford of Europe, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. Its business started in 1909 and has its registered office in Brentwood, Essex...

and German

Ford Germany

-Ford Motor Co. AG:Until 27 January 1950 all Ford's European operations other than in the USSR were run from Dagenham and owned by Ford Motor Company Limited, Dearborn's 55% owned subsidiary...

divisions of the Ford Motor Company. The original Ford Transit

Ford Transit

The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...

range of panel van

Panel van

A panel van is a form of solid van, smaller than a lorry or truck, without rear side windows...

s launched in 1965, was the first formal co-operation between the two entities, simultaneously developed to replace the German Ford Taunus Transit

Ford Taunus

The Ford Taunus is a family car sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom...

and the British Ford Thames 400E. Prior to this, the two companies had been direct competitors with totally separate product lines, despite being owned by by the same American parent, in a similar manner to General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

’ Opel

Opel

Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...

and Vauxhall

Vauxhall

-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...

subsidiaries at the same time.

1967-1973: Cortina and Escort

The first new model launched after the creation of Ford of Europe was the Escort built in England from October 1967, and launched to market later that year. The Escort was a rear-wheel drive small family saloon that took the place of the British Anglia

Ford Anglia

The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....

range and was built in both Britain and, from 1970, Germany. It was first available as a two-door saloon and later in estate, van and four-door saloon bodystyles. Power came from 950 cc, 1100 cc and 1300 cc petrol engines. Later there was also a 2000 cc unit which came in the RS2000 performance version and was capable of 110 mi/h. It quickly became popular with buyers, outselling in the UK key competitors from BMC (later British Leyland), Vauxhall (Opel in Germany) and the Rootes Group. The Escort would never achieve such dominance in Europe's largest auto market, but nevertheless took significant market share from the Opel

Opel Kadett

The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel between 1937 and 1940, and then again from 1962 until 1991 , when it was replaced by the Opel Astra.-Original model :...

and Volkswagen

Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...

competitors of the time.

Ford Europe's second new car launch was the Capri

Ford Capri

Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...

sporting coupe in 1969. Loosely based upon the rear-wheel drive Mk I Escort platform, it came with engines ranging from 1300 cc to 3000 cc and was made in Britain and Germany (with a different range of German V4 and V6 engines), and quickly became popular with buyers who wanted something different from BMC's MGB GT and the Rootes Group's Sunbeam Alpine.

August 1970 saw the launch of the British Mk III Cortina

Ford Cortina

As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...

and its German cousin the Taunus

Ford Taunus

The Ford Taunus is a family car sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom...

(replacing the 12M & 15M). The British and German models were based on the same platform, but had different sheet metal and used engines from their home countries, though both models could be had with the new German-built 2000cc OHC petrol engine. By 1972 the Cortina was the best-selling car in Britain.

In the Spring of 1972, Ford Europe replaced their top of the range models from Britain (Zephyr/Zodiac

Ford Zephyr

The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...

) and Germany (17M/20M/26M) with the Consul

Ford Consul

The Ford Consul is a car manufactured by Ford in Britain.Between 1951 and 1962 the Consul was the four-cylinder base model of the three-model Ford Zephyr range, comprising Consul, Zephyr and Zephyr Zodiac...

and Granada

Ford Granada (Europe)

The March 1972 released Granada succeeded the British Ford Zephyr, and the German P7-series as Ford's European executive car offering. At first, lower models in the range were called the Ford Consul, but from 1975 on they were all called Granadas. The car soon became popular for taxi, fleet and...

(large sedan, estate and coupe) which was aimed directly at the Rover P6, Audi 100 and Triumph 2000. It quickly outsold its rivals in many countries and in 1973 was the tenth best-selling car in Britain. Like the Capri and Cortina/Taunus, the early Consuls and Granadas were built in both Britain and Germany, each with a unique range of national engines.

1974-1980: MK 2 Escort and New Fiesta

A revised Capri II arrived in early 1974, which saw a hatchback replacing the traditional "boot".

Ford launched a MK2 Escort at the start of 1975, with a heavily restyled exterior but an almost identical mechanical design. The entry-level 950 cc engine, which was rare in any country, was discontinued.

In 1975, Ford overtook British Leyland (the combine which included Austin

Austin Motor Company

The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...

, Morris

Morris Motor Company

The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company. After the incorporation of the company into larger corporations, the Morris name remained in use as a marque until 1984 when British Leyland's Austin Rover Group decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin marque...

and Rover

Rover (car)

The Rover Company is a former British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry...

) as the most popular make of car in the United Kingdom.

1976 saw Ford Europe enter the mini-car market with its first ever-front model to have a hatchback

Hatchback

A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...

and front-wheel drive. The Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...

was built at the Valencia plant in Spain, and came with 950 cc, 1100 cc and 1300 cc petrol engines. It was later available with a 1600 cc unit for the sporty XR2 version. Britain and most of the rest of Europe took to it straight away and it was quickly among the best-selling cars in most of the continent, fighting off competition from the Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate variants....

, Citroën Visa

Citroën Visa

The Citroën Visa is a supermini that was produced by the French car marque Citroën from 1978 to 1988.-Development History:The Citroën Prototype Y to replace the 2CV based Citroën Ami that dated back to 1960 in the early seventies, was originally developed in co-operation with Fiat...

, Vauxhall Chevette

Vauxhall Chevette

The Chevette was a supermini model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1984. It was Vauxhall's version of the family of small "T-Cars" from Vauxhall's parent General Motors ; the family included the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in...

and Peugeot 104

Peugeot 104

The Peugeot 104 is a supermini motor car designed by Paolo Martin and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1972 and 1988.- Production history :Saloon launch 1972...

.

1976 also saw the launch of the Cortina MK4

Ford Cortina

As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...

and Taunus, that continued to top the sales charts in Britain and fight off competition from a growing number of equally competent rivals, namely the Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...

/Opel Ascona

Opel Ascona

The Opel Ascona was a mid-sized car produced by Opel. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988. In motorsport, the Ascona 400 rally car driven by Walter Röhrl won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in the 1982 season....

and Chrysler Alpine.

Ford launched the Mk II Granada range in September 1977. In 1976, all Granada production had been concentrated to Cologne, Germany. The Consul badge was abandoned in 1975.

The Mk III Capri sporting coupe arrived in 1978. By now Capri production was also concentrated at Cologne.

1980 saw one of the most important car launches in Ford's history. The MK3 Escort went on sale across Britain and Europe in October, with its ultra-modern styling and updated front-wheel drive mechanical layout. It was also available as a hatchback for the first time, with no saloon version on offer. The 2000 cc engine was dropped, and the range-topping Escort was now the XR3 which came with a fuel-injected 1600 cc unit.

1981-1989: Sierra, Orion and New Granada

20 years of Cortina production came to an end in October 1982 with the launch of the new Sierra

Ford Sierra

The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....

. The new car retained the traditional rear-wheel drive chassis, perhaps surprisingly at the time when front-wheel drive was becoming almost exclusive in this sector of car. But the real big news about the new launch was its ultramodern aerodynamic styling that was way ahead of its time compared to the competition and particularly the Cortina that it was replacing. Initial sales were disappointing, but demand soon increased and the Sierra was Britain's third best selling car in 1983 - its first full year on sale. It was built in Britain and Belgium, and sold well just about everywhere it went. Cosworth versions of the Sierra were later built, all of which were capable of 150 mi/h.

1983 saw the seven-year-old Fiesta receive a major facelift that retained the three-door hatchback bodyshell but smoothed out the previously boxy edges to give it a more modern look. The sporty XR2 version was relaunched and power output was increased, as well as receiving the first five-speed gearbox ever fitted to a Fiesta. Also in 1983, Ford caved in to those who had been demanding a saloon version of the successful Escort hatchback (now the best selling car in the world). The saloon derived version of the Escort was named as the Orion

Ford Orion

The Ford Orion is a saloon car built by the automaker Ford for the European market from 22 July 1983 until 19 September 1993. A total of 3,534,239 Orions were sold throughout the car's 10-year life....

, but was aimed more upmarket car than the Escort with no 1.1 litre engined version and only GL and Ghia trim levels. It was almost as long as a Sierra, and many saw it as a true replacement for the traditional Cortina.

Ford launched another ground-breaking new car in May 1985 with its latest version of the Granada

Ford Granada (Europe)

. It was based on a stretched version of the Sierra's rear-wheel drive chassis, and was far more modern looking than any other cars in its sector at this time. It was also the world's first volume production car to feature anti-lock brakes as standard. High equipment levels, a comfortable interior and solid build quality ensured that the German-built

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

Granada was a success all over Europe. A saloon version was finally launched in 1989.

Production of the sporty Capri coupe ended in December 1986 after 17 years and there was no replacement, as sporting coupes were less popular at this time following the rise in popularity of fast hatchbacks such as the Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra

Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...

GTE, Peugeot 309

Peugeot 309

The Peugeot 309 was a small family car manufactured between 1985 and 1993 in England and France.The 309 was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Arizona...

GTI and Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...

GTI.

February 1987 saw an all-new Sierra

Ford Sierra

, and the main news of the launch was the long-awaited availability of a four-door saloon version - something that was already available on key rivals like the Austin Montego

Austin Montego

The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland , and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. The Montego was the replacement for the Morris Ital, to give British Leyland a modern competitor for the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall...

, Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...

and the Peugeot 405

Peugeot 405

The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines....

. The revisions also saw the addition of a Sapphire saloon version, which gave Ford their first saloon car in this sector since the Cortina's demise nearly five years earlier.

An all-new Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

was launched in April 1989, and the main news of the launch was the long-awaited availability of a five-door version - something that was already available on key rivals like the Austin Metro, Vauxhall Nova, Fiat Uno

Fiat Uno

The Fiat Uno is a supermini car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat. The Uno was launched in 1983 and built in its homeland until 1995, with production still taking place in other countries.-First series :...

, SEAT Ibiza

SEAT Ibiza

The SEAT Ibiza is a car in the European supermini class, constructed by the Spanish car maker SEAT S.A., is SEAT's best-selling car and perhaps the most popular model in the Spanish firm's range....

and the Peugeot 205

Peugeot 205

The Peugeot 205 is a supermini produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1983 and 1998. It was declared 'Car of the Decade' by CAR magazine in 1990. The 205 won 1984 What Car? car of the year.-History:...

. New to the range were the new 1.0 and 1.1 HCS (High Compression Swirl) petrol engines which ran alongside the tried-and-tested 1.3 and 1.4 units. There was also a 1.8 diesel as well as the 1.6 fuel injected XR2i and RS Turbo sports models. Upmarket Ghia models were the first versions of the Fiesta to feature items such as electric windows and anti-lock brakes.

For much of the 1980s, the Ford Escort was the most popular model of car in the world, and from 1982 to 1989 it was the best selling new car in the UK every year. Despite a facelift in March 1986, it was started to look a little dated by the end of the decade in the face of newer rivals like the Rover 200, Peugeot 309

Peugeot 309

, Fiat Tipo

Fiat Tipo

The Fiat Tipo is a small family car designed by the IDEA design house and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a...

and Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra

1990-1997: Driven by you

The fourth generation Escort was launched in September 1990, along with the Orion

Ford Orion

saloon, but the motoring public and press gave it mixed views. The car's styling lacked the flair of some rivals, and its driving experience was hardly the last word in excitement. The standard Escort models were later joined by the RS2000 and RS Cosworth performance versions that attracted a much more positive reaction. The RS2000 nameplate had been abandoned back in 1980 and the new version was undoubtedly the best, with its 2.0 16-valve I4 engine and the option of four-wheel drive, as well as its impressive top speed of more than 130 mi/h. The RS Cosworth was a turbocharged version of the RS2000 and had a top speed of 150 mi/h which helped bolster its fortunes in international rallies.

In spite of this, and impressive new models being launched by rival companies Vauxhall

Vauxhall Motors

Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...

and Rover

Rover Group

The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British state-owned vehicle manufacturer previously known as British Leyland or BL. Owned by British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, when it was sold to BMW, the Group was broken up in 2000 with the Rover and MG marques being acquired by the MG...

, Ford were still firmly positioned at the top of the British car sales charts in the early 1990s. They even enlisted the help of Brian May

Brian May

Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...

to record a new song - Driven by you

Driven by You

"Driven by You" is a song by Queen guitarist Brian May. It was written as part of his 1992 solo album, Back to the Light. It was released as a single in late 1991, peaking at #6 on the UK Singles Chart and #9 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart....

- which featured in their new TV

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

advertising campaign for the whole Ford range in the UK.

Ford responded to criticism of the Escort's shortcomings in September 1992 with a minor facelift which saw the introduction of impressive new 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 Zetec 16-valve units, the latter of which also found its way into the Fiesta RS1800. The Orion also received similar improvements, only for the name to be shelved a year later and the saloon models absorbed into the Escort range.

For 1993, Ford introduced a standard driver's airbag on all production models, with many cars also coming with a passenger airbag as either standard or optional equipment.

February 1993 saw Ford launch a ground-breaking new family car in the shape of the Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...

- replacement for the Sierra

Ford Sierra

made to rival the newer Opel Vectra

Opel Vectra

The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...

/Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...

, Peugeot 405

Peugeot 405

and Nissan Primera

Nissan Primera

The Nissan Primera is a medium sized family car produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan for the Japanese domestic and European markets.-Nissan Primera P10 :...

. Finally making the transition to front-wheel drive, the Mondeo came with a strong range of 16-valve Zetec petrol engines as well as a 2.5 V6 that joined the line-up in 1994. Hatchback, saloon and estate versions made up the range which won European Car of the Year

European Car of the Year

The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto , Autocar , Autopista , Autovisie , L'Automobile Magazine , Stern and Vi Bilägare .The voting jury consists of motoring...

accolade later the year. On its launch, it was hard to find a better-handling front-wheel drive volume production car in Europe. 1994 was also the year where Ford regained leadership of the large family car sector market in Britain in terms of sales, as the Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...

had been the best seller of this size for the previous four years.

Ford re-entered the coupe market in early 1994 with its American-built

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Mazda-based

Mazda

is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...

Probe

Ford Probe

The Ford Probe was a coupé based on the Mazda GD platform, and powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4 cylinder Mazda F2 engine.The first generation Probe appeared in 1988 and lasted until 1992 in the United States. In some markets the model years were from 1987 to 1991...

. Available with 2.0 16-valve and 2.5 V6 petrol engines, the Probe was fun to drive but failed to sell as well as Ford might have hoped.

1995 saw Ford update its Fiesta and Escort ranges to keep them on the pace with the ever-growing number of new rivals that were threatening to decimate Ford's market share. Another new car launch that year was the Galaxy

Ford Galaxy

The first Galaxy was designed as a joint venture product between Ford and the Volkswagen Group. Produced at the joint-venture AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal, the vehicle was badge-engineered to create three vehicles: the Ford Galaxy; by Volkswagen Passenger Cars as the Volkswagen Sharan;...

multi-purpose vehicle, which quickly went straight to the top of the people carrier sales charts.

Ford entered the city car market in 1996 with its oddly-named and oddly-styled Ka

Ford Ka

The Ford Ka is a city car from the Ford Motor Company marketed in Europe and elsewhere.The current European version is produced by Fiat Auto in Tychy, Poland, while the model sold in Latin America is built in Brazil and Argentina....

, and was beaten into 2nd Place in the 1997 European Car of the Year

European Car of the Year

award by the Renault Scenic

Renault Scénic

The Renault Scénic is a compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. It is based on the chassis of the Mégane small family car. It became 1997 European Car of the Year on its launch in late 1996...

. It made use of the Fiesta's chassis and 1300 cc petrol engine, which gave it strong handling for such a small car. Going against the appeal were its cramped rear seats and tiny boot. Around the same time, the Mondeo gained a facelift which saw the exterior styling brought up to date and the seating re-designed to improve space for rear seat passengers.

The Fiesta chassis also spawned the stylish Puma

Ford Puma

The Ford Puma was a small sports coupé produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1997 to 2001 http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/owners-reviews/search.aspx?range=438#fuel=P&Body=Coupe&transmission=M, for sale in Europe...

coupe in 1997, which included the Fiesta's 1.4 engine as well as its own 1.7 unit. The Puma won plaudits for its distinctive looks and brilliant driving experience, with the cramped rear seats being the only real let-down.

Ford pulled out of the executive car market in May 1998 upon the demise of its Scorpio

Ford Scorpio

The Ford Scorpio is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1985 through to 1998.It was the replacement for the European Ford Granada line...

, which had replaced the Granada three years earlier. As well as a Europe-wide from mainstream brands to prestige brands during the 1990s, the Scorpio's situation was hardly helped by its controversial styling which was quite unlike anything else ever seen wearing the famous blue oval badge - in Europe at least.

1998-2003: New Edge design

Around the year 2000, Ford adopted a distinctive "New Edge" design on its model range. Some of the cars adopting this eye-catching new look were entirely new, while others were facelifted versions of earlier and more conservative designs.
The end was in sight for the Escort in 1998 when its distinctively-styled successor, the Focus, went on sale. As the Focus looked quite unlike anything else on the road at the time of its launch, Ford kept the Escort in production until July 2000 to allow customers to become used to the new car's unique styling. But Ford need not have worried about the public's reaction to the new Focus, it would become European car of the Year on more than one occasion. At the height of its production there was a new Ford Focus coming off a production line at an average of one every 12 seconds (Saarlouis, Germany; Valencia, Spain; Wayne, Michigan USA; Hermosillo, Mexico).

1998 also saw the launch of the Probe's

Ford Probe

replacement: the Cougar. Like its predecessor, the Probe was built in America and used 2.0 and 2.5 petrol engines. Unlike its predecessor, it was based on the front-wheel drive chassis of the Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

. It was very spacious for a coupe, and offered superb roadholding and cruising ability. Sales were relatively low in Europe and it was dropped in Europe after 2000, with sales limited to its home market.

The aging Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

received its second facelift in the autumn of 1999, and continued to attract huge sales thanks to its excellent ride and handling that disguised its age well. The interior was, by now, one of the smartest in the supermini sector, though interior space - particularly in the back - was far from the best. This shortcoming was solved at the start of 2002 when the all-new Fiesta went on sale. This new Fiesta was to be built at Ford Cologne and Ford Valencia, each plant producing one Fiest every 27 seconds. This also marked the end of Ford passenger car production in the UK after some 90 years, though commercial vehicles continued to be produced at Dagenham

Dagenham

Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...

alongside the engine assembly for the passenger vehicles.

The Ford Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

was relaunched in an all-new format at the end of 2000, and was pipped for the European Car of the Year

European Car of the Year

award by the Alfa Romeo 147

Alfa Romeo 147

The Alfa Romeo 147 is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 2000 to 2010. The 147 was voted European Car of the Year for 2001, beating the Ford Mondeo and the Toyota Prius....

. The new Mondeo was more competitively priced than its predecessor, but its real strengths were its excellent accommodation and driving experience which put it back on top of the large family car sector. Although demand for cars of this size dipped slightly across Europe during the 2000s, the Mondeo remained Britain's most popular large family car, until 2007, when it was outsold by the facelifted Vauxhall Vectra.

The demise of the Puma

Ford Puma

in early 2002 left Ford without a competitor in the coupe sector once more.

Ford entered the expanding compact MPV

Compact MPV

A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars , fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments...

market in late 2003 with the Ford Focus C-Max, which was - unusually - the first car on the platform that would spawn the next generation Focus hatchback a year later.

2004-present: Kinetic Design

The second generation Focus hatchback, saloon and estate ranges went on sale in December 2004, picking up where the old model left off. Excellent ride and handling, good equipment levels, solid build quality and a comfortable interior all won praise for those who experienced the new car. The only major criticism of the Focus was its unoriginal style which differed little from that of its predecessor.

2006 saw Ford launch two new people carriers - the S-MAX and the Galaxy MK2

Ford Galaxy

. Both cars used the same underpinnings, but the S-MAX was a cheaper and sportier alternative to the more upmarket and practical Galaxy. The S-MAX then became the first full-size people carrier to be voted European Car of the Year

European Car of the Year

.
Launch of the third generation Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

is due later in 2007, and in a bid to boost popularity of cars in this sector, Ford is making the Mondeo more affordable by re-instating the 1.6 petrol engine option.

Replacements for the Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

and Ka

Ford Ka

were released before the end of the decade (2010).

In 2005, Ford celebrated its 30th anniversary as Britain's most popular car brand. The Focus was the country's top selling car, while the Fiesta occupied fifth place and the Mondeo ninth. In spite of this, the gap between Ford and its competitors was about as narrow as it had ever been, with Vauxhall

Vauxhall Motors

and Renault

Renault

Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

just a short margin behind Ford in sales figures.

In 2008, Ford acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova

Automobile Craiova

Automobile Craiova is a Romanian car manufacturer located in Craiova, Romania. It is owned by Ford Motor Company.-The beginnings:Automobile Craiova was founded in 1976 as OLTCIT joint venture company between the Romanian government and Citroën...

, Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

. Ford Transit Connect

Ford Transit Connect

The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van developed by Ford Europe and designed by Peter Horbury, introduced in 2002 to replace the older Ford Escort and Fiesta-based Courier van ranges, which had ceased production in the same year....

is Ford's first model produced in Craiova

Craiova

Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...

, and, in the near future, will be followed by a new small class car and a small displacement, advanced petrol engine.

Trucks

The Commercial vehicles arm of Ford of Britain, was part of the operation until it was sold to Fiat's Iveco

Iveco

Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...

division in 1986. Its last significant models under Ford ownership were the Transcontinental

Ford Transcontinental

The Ford Transcontinental was a heavy goods vehicle tractor and rigid unit manufactured between 1975 and 1983 by Ford in the Netherlands and Britain...

and the Cargo

Ford Cargo

The Ford Cargo is a cab-over-engine lightweight truck model formerly manufactured by Ford. It was originally launched in 1981 by Ford of the United Kingdom....

. Ford has planned to build the European version F-Series

Ford F-Series

The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...

pick-up trucks in Germany for the European market.

Tractors

The Production of tractors in Europe by Ford has ceased following the sale of the division to Fiat

Fiat

FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

in 1993 and the name changed from Ford New Holland to New Holland. New Holland Ag

New Holland Ag

New Holland is a full range manufacturer of agricultural machinery. New Holland agricultural products include tractors, combine harvesters, balers, haying tools, equipment used in lawn, grounds and turf care, grape harvesters....

is now part of CNH Global

CNH Global

CNH Global N.V. is a global, full line company operating in both the agricultural and construction equipment industries. CNH's scope includes integrated engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of equipment on five continents...

. Tractor production had been based at the Antwerp and Basildon

Basildon

Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...

factories.

Principal European facilities

The company has its major test track

Test Track

Test Track is an attraction at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, sponsored by General Motors The ride is a simulated excursion through the rigorous testing procedures that General Motors uses to evaluate its vehicles, culminating in a high-speed drive around the...

at the Lommel Proving Grounds

Lommel Proving Grounds

The Lommel Proving Ground also known as the Ford LPG, is a automotive proving ground, constructed by Ford of Europe on ground rented from the city of Lommel, located south of the Belgian hamlet of Kattenbos...

in Belgium.

Assembly Plants

Full list at Ford Media

Plant	City	Country	Total Employees	Current Products	Year Opened
Automobile Craiova Automobile Craiova Automobile Craiova is a Romanian car manufacturer located in Craiova, Romania. It is owned by Ford Motor Company.-The beginnings:Automobile Craiova was founded in 1976 as OLTCIT joint venture company between the Romanian government and Citroën...	Craiova Craiova Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...	Romania	3,900	Transit Connect Ford Transit Connect The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van developed by Ford Europe and designed by Peter Horbury, introduced in 2002 to replace the older Ford Escort and Fiesta-based Courier van ranges, which had ceased production in the same year....	1976
Bridgend Engine Ford Bridgend Engine Plant The Ford Bridgend Engine Plant is a manufacturing facility of Ford of Europe, located in Bridgend, South Wales.After signing an investment deal with the Welsh Development Agency, construction was started on the greenfield site in 1977...	Bridgend Bridgend Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...	Wales	1,972	EcoBoost engine Ford EcoBoost engine EcoBoost is a family of turbocharged and direct injected six-cylinder and four-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company. Engines equipped with EcoBoost technology are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with larger displacement, naturally aspirated engines while...	1980
Cologne Body & Assembly	Cologne Cologne Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...	Germany	4,405	Fiesta Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa... , Fusion	1931
Ford Otosan Assembly	Kocaeli Kocaeli Province Kocaeli Province is a province of Turkey. Its capital is İzmit, which is sometimes referred to as Kocaeli itself. The largest town in the province is now Gebze. The traffic code is 41. The province is located at the easternmost end of the Marmara Sea, especially on the Gulf of İzmit. Because of...	Turkey	7,534	Transit Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term... , Transit Connect Ford Transit Connect The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van developed by Ford Europe and designed by Peter Horbury, introduced in 2002 to replace the older Ford Escort and Fiesta-based Courier van ranges, which had ceased production in the same year....	2001
Ford Vsevolozhsk Assembly	Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...	Russia	2,665	Focus, Mondeo Ford Mondeo The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...	2002
Genk Body & Assembly	Genk Genk Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...	Belgium	4,731	Galaxy Ford Galaxy The first Galaxy was designed as a joint venture product between Ford and the Volkswagen Group. Produced at the joint-venture AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal, the vehicle was badge-engineered to create three vehicles: the Ford Galaxy; by Volkswagen Passenger Cars as the Volkswagen Sharan;... , Mondeo Ford Mondeo The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk... , S-Max Ford S-MAX The Ford S-Max is an MPV/saloon produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European market and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co., Ltd for the Chinese market. Introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the S-Max went on sale alongside the new generation Galaxy in June 2006. It is intended to be...	1964
Saarlouis Body & Assembly Saarlouis Body & Assembly The Ford Saarlouis body and assembly plant is a major car plant located on the western edge of Saarlouis in the German Saarland. It belongs to Ford of Germany, the German subsidiary of the American automaker Ford Motor Company.-Origins:...	Saarlouis Saarlouis Saarlouis is a city in the Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2006, the town had a population of 38,327. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located at the river Saar....	Germany	6,524	C-Max, Focus, Kuga Ford Kuga The Ford Kuga is a compact crossover SUV designed and produced by Ford. The car is based on the C1 platform that also form the underpinnings of the Ford Focus and Ford C-MAX... , F-Series Ford F-Series The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...	1970
Southampton Body & Assembly	Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...	England	1,120	Transit Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...	1953
Valencia Body & Assembly Ford Valencia Plant The Ford Valencia assembly plant is a major car assembly plant located at Almussafes on the southern edge of the Valencia conurbation.-Origins:In 1973 the Ford Motor Company headed by Henry Ford II purchased of orchard on the edge of Valencia. Exactly 1,000 days later, on 18 October 1976, the...	Almussafes	Spain	6,180	Fiesta Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa... , Focus, C-Max, Grand C-Max	1976