Five Ford Innovations That Changed the Game
Henry Ford didn’t invent the automobile. If you’ve ever participated in pub trivia or looked beneath a Snapple cap, you probably know this. What Henry Ford did do was mold our modern conception of what an automobile could and should be.
As the Industrial Revolution faded and left us with a new world to experiment with, the Ford Motor Company helped pave the road ahead with game-changing inventions and innovations. From establishing contemporary practices of mass production and employee benefits to introducing safe-driving features such as blind spot technology, Ford has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge thinking.
Today, Casa Ford takes a closer look at five of the most consequential ways Ford has changed the landscape of the auto industry.
Moving Assembly Line & Mass Production
Automobile manufacturing would never be the same following Ford’s implementation of the moving assembly line. By using a conveyor belt, Ford assembly plants efficiently moved the product to the worker, rather than employees scramble around facilities. After much trial and error, the process was perfected at the Highland Park assembly plant in 1913. Soon, new Ford automobiles were being fully assembled in just 90 minutes.
In addition, Ford introduced standardization, which reduced production costs and increased efficiency by utilizing standardized parts that could be shared across different models.
Model T
The original automotive game-changer for consumers, the Ford Model T was mass produced from 1908 to 1927. In that span, it established itself as the first mass-affordable automobile, resulting in car travel becoming available to middle-class America. Thanks to savings stemming from mass production and standardization, the average price of the Model T dropped from $780 in 1910 to $290 in 1924 – a truly staggering number, especially when adjusted for inflation.
Thanks to the moving assembly line and its interchangeable parts, the Model T (also known as “the Tin Lizzie”) became the most ubiquitous vehicle in the world by an absurd margin. By the early 1920s, more than half of registered automobiles throughout the world were Fords, with over 15 million Model T’s built and sold during that span.
$5 Wage / 5-Day Workweek
When Henry Ford proposed in 1914 that all Ford employees be compensated at five dollars per workday, it sent a shockwave through the working community – and for good reason. Five dollars per day translates to $153 per day by today’s standards, after adjusting for inflation. That’s good for $19 an hour, well above the stagnant federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Then, in 1926, Ford introduced another now-standard workplace practice with the five-day workweek. Though it was driven by the expectation that worker productivity would increase if given more leisure time, Ford also believed giving workers more time to purchase and consume goods would be good for business. The idea passed the test of time; nearly a century later, some companies are starting to explore expanding Ford’s vision and bumping the workweek down to four days.
The Trimotor Plane
One of the great “What If’s” in automotive history is the Ford Airplane Division, which shut down in 1933 due to the Great Depression. When Ford entered the aviation business during World War I, they introduced the Trimotor Plane, an aptly-named, three motor plane that became the United States’ first successful passenger airliner.
You can’t help but wonder what Ford could have further accomplished in the aviation space if they hadn’t been forced to shutter the division in the mid-1930’s. Unfortunately, in this case, the sky was literally the limit.
Blind Spot Monitoring
For decades, drivers changed lanes with the aid of three rear mirrors and their own intuition. That changed with the introduction of Ford’s BLIS (Blind Spot Information System). BLIS is responsible for detecting vehicles in your blind spot and alerting you to their presence. It has since paved the way for a plethora of modern collision-avoidance technology.
While Volvo was technically the first manufacturer to introduce this feature to the public, Ford’s 1995 concept car, the GT90, was the first vehicle fitted with modern blind spot technology. Ford unveiled its version of blind spot monitoring to a mass audience in 2009 with the 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid.
Drive Into a New Future
Ford’s innovative nature hasn’t diminished; currently, it’s focused on expanding the reach of EV technology. With plans to put over 40 EVs and hybrid models on the road within the next few years, Ford’s next step is the complete electrification of its fleet.
You can get in on the EV action early when you shop at Casa Ford. Explore the Mustang Mach-E, an electric SUV with an EPA-estimated range of 310 miles. Or dig in to the electrified version of the F-150, the Ford F-150 Lightning. That said, no need to worry if you’re still committed to your gas-powered Ford. Our Service Department is here to handle your oil filter replacement, brake repair, and whatever else you need to drive into a bright, boundless future.
Five Times Ford was the Star of the Silver Screen
Ford has been synonymous with American automobiles since the primitive days of cinema, when crowds gathered at nickelodeon theaters to see moving pictures. (Accompanying sound was still but a distant dream.) As American cinema evolved, Ford developed a close relationship with Hollywood, which has only continued to strengthen.
Today, you can find Ford vehicles everywhere, from summer action flicks like the Fast and the Furious franchise to Oscar fare such as Ford Vs. Ferrari. And now, Casa Ford presents our featured presentation: five film appearances where Ford stole the show.
Bullitt (1968)
No blog about Ford in film – and really, automobiles in movies in general – should begin with anything other than Bullitt. This Steve McQueen-starring action flick is credited as the godfather of the modern car chase sequence. Cruising down the hilly streets of San Francisco in his 1968 Mustang Fastback, McQueen helped expand the scope of what cars were capable of in Hollywood. This Mustang wasn’t just an accessory to Bullitt’s iconic chase sequences – it was the star of them.
Grease (1978)
To best depict the nostalgia of the summer of 1958, this 1978 classic featured a 1948 Ford De Luxe. Still following? Grease endures today for several reasons: its iconic soundtrack, detailed set design, and the charisma of stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, to name a few. But it’s the greasers and their accompanying hot rods that serve as the beating heart engine of the film, inserting classic American muscle into this classic American tale of summer love. To answer Sandy’s friends’ inquiries of “Tell me more – did he have a car?” Oh yeah. He certainly did.
Men in Black (1997)
Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) keep tabs on extra-terrestrial life in this 1997 hit blockbuster. They do so from a custom 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria (in black, naturally). It’s customized with rocket boosters to keep up with extraterrestrial shenanigans, but honestly, the choice of vehicle might have been counterintuitive to their mission. If you’re an alien seeing the Crown Victoria in motion, how could you not want to stick around on Earth?
Gran Torino (2008)
The titular 1972 Gran Torino in this 2008 Clint Eastwood film serves as the plot’s catalyst. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a recently widowed Korean War veteran who isn’t happy about the economic state of his Rust Belt neighborhood. When a teenage gang member attempts to steal the Gran Torino as part of his initiation, Walt is drawn into their world. A surprise box office hit at the time, Gran Torino isn’t essential viewing today. Yet it marked the rare moment where Ford got the movie’s title all to itself.
Ford Vs. Ferrari (2019)
One of the most recent films to sport the Ford name is also one of the most critically acclaimed. It’s centered around a team of Ford engineers and their mission to dethrone the perennially dominant Ferrari team at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The film went on to receive four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Starring Matt Damon as Ford GT40 architect Carroll Shelby and Jon Bernthal as Lee Iacocca, Ford Vs. Ferrari is liberal with its use of historically significant Ford names. And yes, (nearly-60-years-old spoilers), Ford did defeat Ferrari in 1966 (and ‘67, ‘68, and ‘69).
Get Five Star Results at Casa Ford
Here at Casa Ford, we’ll find you the perfect co-star to help tell your story. Drive into El Paso’s number one Ford dealership today and we’ll help you drive out in a new or pre-owned Ford vehicle from our extensive inventory. Experience the versatility of the best-selling 2024 Ford F-150. Or go electric with the Ford Mustang Mach-E. At Casa Ford, we’ll help you write the script so that you can get to work on producing your masterpiece.
Celebrate National Car Care Month this April
April is National Car Care Month, and we know what you’re probably thinking: why? It can be easy to forget, but outside of the El Paso area, most of the country has to trudge through long, cumbersome winters. Thus, April has become the designated time to recoup after the winter, handling any maintenance issues that may have gone ignored and making sure your vehicle is set for the rainy season ahead.
Although we don’t have to deal with as many issues as elementally-challenged car owners in the north and northeast, stormy weather is still right around the corner. That makes April the ideal month to inspect each component of your car, ensuring it’s in top shape for the year ahead. For your convenience, Casa Ford presents this handy checklist of everything you should take care of this April.
1. Check and/or Replace Your Tires
Our tires thankfully don’t get wrecked by winter weather, where each 10-degree drop can cause their air pressure to lose a full PSI. Nevertheless, checking the state of your tires is an appropriate way to kick off National Car Care Month. You should get your tires aligned at least once a year – which the trained technicians at our Service Department can handle for you. Check your air pressure to make sure your tires are at their optimal PSI, as indicated by the sticker inside your driver’s door. Lastly, check the wear on your treads; if they’re exhibiting significant wear or damage, we’ll help you find a perfect set of new tires for your vehicle.
2. Check Your Brakes
You should check your tires so you can get where you want to be. Conversely, you should inspect your brakes to prevent winding up where you don’t want to be. If you hear any squealing, squeaking, or other unorthodox noises emanating from your brakes, it’s time to schedule your service immediately. Squealing brakes are most likely a sign that your brake pads are thinning. Your brakes’ rotors, linings, and drums should all be thoroughly inspected. An ideal time to do this is during every oil change. Speaking of…
3. Get Your Oil Changed
It used to be that every 3,000 miles was the standard checkpoint to change your oil. Thanks to modern lubricants (who said technology was good for nothing?), that number has shifted to intervals of 5,000-7,500 miles. (That number can climb significantly higher if your car’s engine requires full-synthetic oil.) Although it’s convenient to have to change our oil less frequently, it also makes us more susceptible to forgetting about it altogether. Get in the habit of making April your regular time of year for a standard oil change.
4. Refill All Other Fluids
Your car is thirsty by nature, and it takes more than motor oil to satisfy it. Check your brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, coolant, and windshield washer fluid, refilling them to their recommended levels. As the heat intensifies this summer and storms develop, these various fluids will be paramount to both your car’s health and your personal safety.
5. Clean Your Car
It’s spring-cleaning season – an exercise that shouldn’t be exclusive to your home. Give your car a thorough wash to relieve it from all this dry air. If you take it to one of our local car washes – such as El Paso’s Splash N’ Dash – be sure to take advantage of any available vacuums, cleaning out all the dirt and debris that might have accumulated over the past few months.
Take Care of Your Spring Maintenance at Casa Ford
If this spring checklist seems daunting, don’t fear; you don’t have to tackle everything yourself. At Casa Ford, our trained technicians are on standby to handle all your spring maintenance needs. From oil changes to tire rotations, we’ll handle every service your vehicle requires in one convenient stop. This April, treat your car for National Car Care Month by taking it to Casa Ford: El Paso’s automotive home for all things Ford.
February in El Paso: The Perfect Time to Transform Your Tax Refund into a Vehicle Investment at Casa Ford
February isn’t just about Valentine’s Day in El Paso; it’s also tax time! As you anticipate your tax refund, consider turning it into a wise investment. Casa Ford in El Paso invites you to explore how your tax refund can be the ideal downpayment for a quality used car.
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Unveiling the Wonders of Franklin Mountains State Park in A Used Car from Casa Ford
El Paso, with its picturesque landscapes and vibrant culture, offers a multitude of outdoor adventures, and Franklin Mountains State Park stands as a crown jewel. For those looking to explore this natural wonder, a reliable used SUV or truck from Casa Ford in El Paso is your perfect companion.
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Are you contemplating the switch to an electric vehicle and wondering about charging options in the greater El Paso area? Fear not, because the Ford BlueOval™ Charge Network is expanding, and with Casa Ford at the forefront, owning a new Ford EV in El Paso has never been more convenient.
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Steering Toward New Horizons in Las Cruces
The Casa Auto Group’s legacy, deeply rooted in El Paso, TX, is taking a thrilling new turn. We’re ecstatic to announce the acquisition of Borman Autoplex in Las Cruces, NM, a trusted name in automotive retail since 1986. Located strategically on Boutz Road near the iconic I-10, this addition means our patrons now have access to a sprawling 20-acre inventory – one of the largest in the Southwest.
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El Paso Museum of Art: A Timeless Treasure
Nestled in downtown El Paso, the El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) stands as a beacon for art enthusiasts. This artistic haven, founded in 1959, boasts a remarkable European Art collection, featuring artists from the 12th to the 18th century. Beyond Europe, the EPMA’s diverse portfolio celebrates North American gems and a striking assembly of Southwestern United States and Mexican masterpieces, especially focusing on Texas and its border region.
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Journey to the Spectacular in Your Casa Ford Vehicle
This year, the awe-inspiring White Sands Balloon and Music Festival is taking place from September 15th to 17th in Las Cruces, just a short drive from El Paso. For this annual extravaganza, load up your reliable used car, SUV, or truck from Casa Ford and hit the road for an unforgettable adventure.
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El Paso, known as the Sun City, is nestled at the intersection of two countries and three states. Its unique geographical position offers a plethora of scenic routes for a memorable drive. Whether you’re driving a dependable used pickup truck or a spacious family SUV from Casa Ford, there are several routes around El Paso that are guaranteed to offer you breathtaking views and experiences.
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