What is Ford?

carstensdj

carstensdj

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Hi All,

So i have this question on my mind all the time and cant really find a satisfactory answer...

Ford is originally an American car as we all know... But in todays terms is it still American?

For instance BMW and Merc are designed and made in Germany. Mazda and Toyota are made and designed in Japan...

I have heard from credible sources that the newer Ford Focus ST and RS is designed by the Brits and not the Americans. Now i am driving around in a 2003 2.0L Ford Focus Zetec (Company Car) and i REALLY like how it drives, how it feels etc etc, its a great nippy car! What i am struggling with is accepting that it MIGHT be an American car :sick: Does anyone know where the "Normal" Fords (If i can call them that) are designed / made? Not talking about the big V8's now.. I mean the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo etc?

Ford 2.0 Zetec '03:
car_id_1014_1.jpg
 
The fords we get are all european. I think the new shape fiesta is their first "global car" where it's the same in us and america. I think it's american design with a few modifications to meet US standards.
 
rorz0r said:
The fords we get are all european. I think the new shape fiesta is their first "global car" where it's the same in us and america. I think it's american design with a few modifications to meet US standards.
Click to expand...
So who makes and designs the engines in them?
 
Why does it matter who makes or designs it? Its a good car, its reliable and cheap to maintain. What am I missing here?
 
The wiki article is quite extensive.

One thing to remember is that Ford (and most other car manufacturers) have factories around the world. Often making the same car for different countries. That wiki article itself mentions The Mark 1 was also previously produced in factories in Saarlouis, Germany; General Pacheco, Argentina; Valencia, Spain; Santa Rosa, Philippines; Chungli, Taiwan and Vsevolozhsk, Russia; Valencia, Venezuela.

The design was by an australian, and it's difficult to say where the engine came from.

Yes everyone makes comments about how American/Italian/British cars should drive, how they feel etc. But more and more we're seeing cars move away from stereotypes.

There's a Ford factory up in Pretoria I think, not sure what they're manufacturing there (Ranger perhaps) and they've got an engine plant in PE.

The only thing you can check is where your car was assembled, this is evidenced in your VIN. Although reading up now, even that is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.
 
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Thanks for the input guys!

Ok granted that no matter what brand you look at, there is more than likely various factories around the world... Just in SA alone we have VW, Ford and BMW factories amongst others i'm sure... As most of us know, the Noble (Loved by Top Gear) was designed in SA!

I guess my question is "Who is responsible for this Ford going into production?", "Who designed the shape, and who designed the motor and gearbox that goes in them?"

Will continue reading thru those Wiki docs and see what comes up.

@GarethC: Which models were designed by this Australian oke? That came as a suprise!
 
VernD said:
@carstensdj I absolutely love that specific model.

How do you think those wheels would look on this?

Click to expand...

Yea it really is an amazing car! So well put together, and once you hit 4500rpm it has some serious pull for a N/A 2.0L that weighs what it does!

Those 2.0l 5star rims will look VERY nice on that Figo i reckon :) If the company lets me, i want to get the rims sprayed over on the one im using as they are full of scratches due to previous drivers not looking after the car AT ALL! I want to spray the Lip and rim in white and then the star to be glossy black. I think it'll look amazing! The one i'm driving is white by the way...
 
carstensdj said:
Just in SA alone we have VW, Ford and BMW factories amongst others i'm sure...
Click to expand...
Mercedes Benz (and Mitsubishi), GM (Chev, opel, isuzu) and Toyota all have factories too.

carstensdj said:
@GarethC: Which models were designed by this Australian oke? That came as a suprise!
Click to expand...

I slightly misread, it was designed (styling) by an Australian along with an American and another guy link. I was just trying to point out that these days people from all over the world are involved in the design process.
 
Just skimmed through the wiki pages and couldn't see anything about that specific Ford Focus being produced in North America; production was mostly in European countries it seems. Seems like the only thing American about Ford is its origin.
 
I think you need to learn more about cars.
The new F30 is made here in SA, but dont go on dismissing it, its still a German car.
Same with VW and Merc which is made in Uitenhage and El respectively.

The Noble was built in SA, not sure if it was designed here.

Ford Focus, Fiesta and modeos are half British half Australian. Not designed or made in the US. The Focus RS is made in UK, only.
Australia makes Ford Falcons and other V8 Fords to compete with Holden, which also has some stake in Ford Aus.
 
carstensdj said:
Yea it really is an amazing car! So well put together, and once you hit 4500rpm it has some serious pull for a N/A 2.0L that weighs what it does!

Those 2.0l 5star rims will look VERY nice on that Figo i reckon :) If the company lets me, i want to get the rims sprayed over on the one im using as they are full of scratches due to previous drivers not looking after the car AT ALL! I want to spray the Lip and rim in white and then the star to be glossy black. I think it'll look amazing! The one i'm driving is white by the way...
Click to expand...

No you didn't just call my Mark VI Ford Fiesta Ghia a Figo :mad: :D - check the crest in my passenger window.

A guy in my complex has one in that exact colour :love:

A month ago, I had an incident on the N2 where people placed bricks in the road - attempted hijacking/robbery attempt. It badly damaged two of my rims, in fact, the two in the pic; had it refurbished by a company in Strand - they did an excellent job. I'm sure that there's similar places out on town side. I can ask around for you on the Fiesta forum; guys on there are always modding their cars so they would know where to go.
 
Ford is an American Company

Ford is an American Company but their brands are sold worldwide.However in the case of Britain and Australia they allowed them to design their own cars in other words THEIR OWN TASTE.American design Fords would not sell well in Europe because they are too big and not very enviro friendly'.Europe on the other hand got strong rules when it comes to safety and emmisions .Different regions have different taste so it only make sense to design the car for that region.It's like trying to open a pie shop in China,it won't work because Chinas don't eat pies
 
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