Ford Motor Company is one of the greatest automobile manufacturers of all time. They started under Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. Ford had a skill for craftsmanship when he built an experimental car in 1896. It was a twin cylinder engine with potential of 20 mph. In 1899 he left his job in order to organize the Detroit Automobile Company. Henry's first attempt at a car company under his own name was the Henry Ford Company on November 3, 1901, which became the Cadillac Motor Company on August 22, 1902 after Ford left with the rights to his name. The Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably John and Horace Dodge (who would later found their own car company). During its early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at its factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Groups of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order by other companies. Later Ford realized it would be better if he manufactured all of his company's automotive parts himself instead of using parts from aftermarket sources which lead to the production of the assembly line.
Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the world's largest and most profitable companies, as well as being one to survive the Great Depression. As one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years. Ford's first production was in 1903, the Model A, with an under the floor engine selling for $850. In the first season it sold 1,708 cars.
Thereafter, Ford became increasing interested in speed. He built an experimental racing machine called the 999, which reached 91.4 mph in 1904. He also produced the Model C the same year only later introducing the Model B for $2000. These models were improved in 1905 with the Model K that sold for $2500.