after midnight

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the world's third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales.

In 2007, Ford became the third-ranked automaker in US sales after General Motors and Toyota, falling from the second-ranked automaker slot for the first time in the previous 56 years. Ford was also the overall seventh-ranked American-based company in the 2007 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2006 of $160.1 billion. In 2007, Ford revenues increased to $173.9 billion, while producing 6.553 million automobiles and employing about 245,000 employees at around 100 plants and facilities worldwide. Also in 2007, Ford received more quality survey awards from J. D. Power and Associates than any other automaker, with five vehicles ranking at the top of their categories, and fourteen vehicles ranked in the top three.

Based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, the automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in June 16, 1903. Ford now encompasses many global brands, including Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a one-third controlling interest in Mazda.

Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce, especially elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Ford's combination of highly efficient factories, highly paid workers, and low prices revolutionized manufacturing and came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914.


North American Ford


Focus

The Ford Focus is a compact car sold in the North American market. It was introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model year. It received a revamp for the 2005 model year, and the second generation was introduced for the 2008 model year. Sales in the United States for calendar-year 2007 comprised 173,213 units,  making it the #3 best-selling domestic-nameplate car (behind the Chevrolet Impala and Cobalt), #9 best-selling of all cars and #16 best-selling vehicle, according to Reuters Top-20 U.S. Vehicle Sales Scorecard.

The Focus was originally sold in sedan, hatchback and wagon configurations. The second generation Focus was released in sedan and coupe versions, dropping the hatchback and wagon versions.


Fusion

The North American Ford Fusion (code name CD338) is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year.

The Fusion is manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, where the similar Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ are also built. All three cars are based on the same platform and were launched simultaneously into the market (the MKZ as the Zephyr). Production on the first Fusions began on August 1, 2005. The Fusion replaced the Mondeo for the Mexican and Latin American markets—except in Argentina, where the current European Mondeo is available—but in the United States and Canada, it filled the gap since the discontinuation of the Ford Contour in 2000. It is larger than the defunct Contour, closer to the size of the original 1986 Ford Taurus, an example of the increase in size of cars since the 1980s. It is similar in size to its most direct competitors, the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata.


Taurus

The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Initially a front-wheel drive mid-size car, it was introduced in December 1985, replacing the rear-wheel drive Ford LTD. Today's Taurus is a full-size car available in front- or all-wheel drive. The Taurus was mainly sold in North America, but the third generation model was exported to Europe, Asia, and Australia in a slightly modified form. Throughout its life, the Taurus has had a Mercury sibling, the Sable. Most Tauruses have been built in Chicago, Illinois or in Ford's Hapeville Plant near Atlanta, Georgia.

The original Taurus was a milestone design for Ford and the entire American automotive industry, as well as a very influential vehicle in the marketplace. Ford has sold over 6.7 million Tauruses worldwide during its 20 years of production. Between 1992 and 1996, the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, prompting Honda to grow the U.S. version of the Accord to a similar size. The Taurus eventually lost its best-seller status in 1997 to the Toyota Camry.

Production initially ended on October 27, 2006, with 2007 being the last model year. However, Ford revived the Taurus name by renaming the facelifted Ford Five Hundred and Ford Freestyle "Taurus" and "Taurus X", respectively, and have announced that a new Taurus is in development for a 2010 release.


Crown Victoria

The Ford Crown Victoria is the current model nameplate for the rear-wheel drive full-size car first produced by the Ford Motor Company in the mid-1950s. The name was used again when the full-size LTD line was shrunk to compete with the downsized Chevrolet Caprice. AMC was first, followed by Chrysler to drop out of the full size market. The Crown Victoria became the sole player for this kind of automobile after General Motors discontinued the Chevrolet Caprice but the rear-drive Chrysler LX platform and the upcoming rear-drive Chevrolet Impala represent new challenges to this market segment. The Crown Victoria is a mid-priced full-sized sedan in the Ford lineup.

The 5,424 Crown Victorias sold in January 2007 far exceeded the 3,526 of the newer Ford Five Hundred which is a more technically advanced full size car with similar passenger space and better fuel economy. But while newer front-wheel drive platforms may have been popular among consumers, they have not challenged the Crown Victoria's dominance as a taxi cab, fleet vehicle and police car where durability, cost and performance rather than efficiency are top requirements. A longer wheelbase version is available for taxi use. As of the 2008 model year, the Crown Victoria has been limited to fleet sales, which constituted 91.3% of its total sales in 2007. Despite this, the Crown Victoria's counterparts, the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car will continue to be available to retail consumers. Fifty percent of its 2007 customers were retail.

As the latest evolution of the full-sized Ford, it is the end of the longest succession of automobiles starting with the Model T. The "Crown Vic" is popular due to its conventional rear-wheel drive, V8 power, popular with police driving techniques. As one of the few remaining passenger cars with body-on-frame construction, it is rugged, and enables repairs after minor accidents without the need to straighten the chassis - an important benefit for a car frequently used by police forces for PIT maneuvers; ramming a car to spin it out. The Crown Victoria is also one of the few remaining automobiles which retains the traditional 2-bench 6 passenger seating layout, which has otherwise largely been replaced by the two front-bucket layout popularized by imports.

While the Crown Victoria shares its platform and components with the Lincoln Town Car, it shares almost no exterior sheet metal or interior parts. The current model has had a number of upgrades. Since the exit of General Motors from rear-drive full-size cars with the Chevrolet Caprice, it has held a near-monopoly as a pursuit vehicle in North America, despite front wheel drive offerings such as the Chevrolet Impala.


Mustang

The Ford Mustang is an automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company, originally based on the Ford Falcon compact. The first production Mustang rolled off the assembly line in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964, and was introduced to the public at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964, via all three American television networks on April 19, and made an appearance in the James Bond film Goldfinger (film) in September of 1964. It was one of the most successful product launches in automotive history. The Mustang sold over one million units in its first 18 months on the market. The Mustang created a new "pony car" class of cars by adapting the "long hood, short deck" look of sports cars to compact sedans. It spawned many competitors such as the Camaro, and inspired smaller import coupes such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri. The Mustang has remained in continuous production to present day after many decades and numerous revisions.


E-Series

The Ford E-Series, formerly named and also known as the Econoline or "Club Wagon", is a line of full-size vans (both cargo and passenger) and truck chassis from the Ford Motor Company. The E-Series is related to the Ford F-Series line of pickup trucks. The line was introduced in 1961 as a compact van and its descendants are still produced today. The Econoline is produced solely at Ford's Avon Lake, Ohio plant after the closure of the Lorain, Ohio plant in December 2005 and the consolidation of all production at Avon Lake. A derivative called the Ford Chateau Wagon is marketed in the Philippines.

As of 2008, the Econoline is the only van in the Ford lineup in North America since the demise of its other vans -- Club Wagon in 1998, and the Freestar minivan in 2007. For the 2009 model year, Ford will return to having two vans at it gets the Ford Transit Connect compact MPV, which debuts at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show.

The Ford E-Series and Club Wagon currently hold 50.6% of the full-size van market in the United States with 168,722 sales in the United States in 2007.  It has been the best selling American full-sized van for 28 years, since 1980.

Escape

The Ford Escape (designated U204) is a compact SUV sold by the automaker Ford Motor Company beginning in the 2001 model year and priced below the Ford Explorer. The Escape was sold in Europe as the Ford Maverick. It was jointly developed with Mazda, in which Ford owns a controlling interest, and was released simultaneously with the Mazda Tribute. In the United States, Ford's Mercury division released a luxury version called the Mariner starting with the 2005 model year.

A hybrid version of the Escape was released in 2004, making it the first hybrid SUV.

The Escape is built on the Ford CD2 platform, which is in turn based on the Mazda GF platform, which was used by the Mazda 626.

Edge

The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV under the Ford marque. The Edge is based on the Ford CD3 platform, originally launched on the Mazda 6 Sedan. This platform is also shared with the Lincoln MKX, and Mazda CX-9 crossovers, the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and the Lincoln MKZ sedans.


Expedition

The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV built by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced in 1997 it slots between the smaller Ford Explorer, and the now discontinued and larger Ford Excursion. The Expedition offers up to eight passenger seating and a range of V8 engines. It is similar to the Lincoln Navigator, especially for the 2004 model with the introduction of the Limited trim line. One million Expeditions have sold since 2004, reflecting high consumer demand for its family-friendly interior, cargo space, and high towing capacity. A specially modified Special Service Vehicle version is also available from Ford for law enforcement and fire departments. All Expeditions are built in Wayne, Michigan. This SUV (especially the larger EL/Max model for 2007) is once again Ford's flagship SUV.

Explorer

The Ford Explorer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990. It's manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky (it was also assembled in Hazelwood, Missouri until the plant closed on March 10, 2006). The Ford Explorer was one of the vehicles instrumental in turning the SUV from a special-interest vehicle into one of the most popular vehicle types on the road.

The Explorer has also been involved in controversy, after a spate of fatal rollover accidents involving Explorers fitted with Firestone tires.

Both two-door Explorer Sport and four-door models of Explorer have been sold. Part-time four-wheel drive is an available option, and since 1995 this has been a 'shift on the fly' system with full protection against being engaged at high speed.

A specially modified Special Service Vehicle version is also available from Ford Fleet for law enforcement.

The Explorer was also a trim package offered on the Ford F-Series trucks from 1980 to 1986.

Taurus X

The Ford Taurus X, so named because it shares the same platform as the Ford Taurus, is a 7-passenger mid-size crossover SUV produced by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. The car is positioned between the 5-passenger mid-size Ford Edge and upcoming 7-passenger full-size Flex crossover SUV. This vehicle replaces, and is a renamed and slightly restyled version of the Ford Freestyle, originally introduced in 2005. This vehicle was initially unveiled at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show as a 2008 model, alongside its siblings the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, re-badged, restyled versions of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego. This vehicle competes with the Hyundai Veracruz, Suzuki XL7, Saturn Outlook and the Toyota Highlander. The Taurus X is an alternative to the Ford Explorer.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that Ford's scheme to make all its cars names start with the letter F was a bad move, as it made Ford's new cars easily forgettable. As a result of this issue being addressed, the Ford Freestyle was renamed the Taurus X, the Ford Five Hundred was renamed the Ford Taurus, and the Mercury Montego was renamed the Mercury Sable.

The design of the Taurus X closely resembles that of its sibling, the Ford Edge, creating a family face for its crossover segment. The Taurus X wears Ford's new corporate grille, featuring three horizontal, chrome bars with center mounted blue oval. The car features chrome accents, an aggressive front fascia, and crystal-like LED taillights. The Taurus X also receives a new Eddie Bauer trim-line, similar to that of a Ford Explorer. The vehicle, like its predecessor, features three rows of seats with seating for seven, like many larger SUVs (e.g. Ford Explorer) and minivans.

The Taurus X is based on the Ford D3 platform and the updated powertrain includes the discontinuation of the CVT transmission previously used by the Freestyle, as well as the 3.0 L V6 in favor of the newly developed six-speed 6F automatic as well as the all-new 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6. The vehicle also receives new power options, including power-folded seats and a power lift gate.

Flex

The Ford Flex is a full-size "people-mover" crossover SUV built by Ford that replaces the discontinued Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans. Its styling is based on the Ford Fairlane concept as introduced in the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The 2009 Flex made its debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show.

Sales of the Flex are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008 as a 2009 model. A pre-production Ford Flex was donated to the Woodhouse Family on the January 13, 2008 episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.


Territory

The Ford Territory is a crossover SUV built by Ford Australia and based on the EA169 platform of the Ford BA Falcon. It was released in April 2004. Its code name inside Ford was E265. It won the prestigious 2004 Wheels Car of the Year award, the reviewers praising car-like handling and practicality as reasons for its win. Since then they have billed it as a vehicle as good as a BMW X5 for half the price. Ford had reportedly spent A$500 million on developing the range over four years. It is built on the same production line as the Australian-made Falcon. While many suspected that it would replace the Falcon wagon, the two actually co-exist together due to the fact that the Territory is bought mainly by private buyers, the Falcon wagon by fleets.

Everest

The Ford Everest (model code U268) is a midsize SUV sold in Asia, and the Bahamas. The Everest is based on the local (Mazda-based) Ford Ranger pickup truck platform. The SUV is also sold as the Ford Endeavour in India.

The truck has three-rows of seating, rear or four wheel drive, and 2.5 L Diesel or 2.6 L petrol engines. It rides on a 2860 mm (112.6 in) wheelbase. The Everest was introduced in late March of 2003 and is built at the AutoAlliance Thailand plant, and as CKD kits in other countries (India, Malaysia, Vietnam).

Ranger

The Ford Ranger name is used on two distinct and unrelated pickup truck lines by the Ford Motor Company.

Explorer Sport Trac

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a mid-size sport utility vehicle with a pickup truck bed sold mostly in North America. The Sport Trac is based on the Ford Explorer SUV and has been built by the Ford Motor Company since 2000. This pickup truck slots between the Ford Ranger and Ford F-Series in size, capability, and price. It competes with crew-cab mid-size pickups and crossovers, such as the Honda Ridgeline, and is a smaller alternative to the Chevrolet Avalanche. During the first year it sold in the US, the waiting list grew to over 3 months.


F-Series

The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company sold for over 5 decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150. It has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for 23 years and the best-selling truck for 30 years, though this does not include combined sales of GM pickup trucks. Analysts estimate that the F-Series alone makes up half of the Ford Motor Company's profits in recent years. In the 10th generation of the F-series, Ford split the F-150 & F-250/350 into two different body styles. The new F-250/F-350 and as of 2007 F-450 is called the Super Duty.

Super Duty

The Ford Super Duty is a line of commercial trucks (over 8,500 lb (3,900 kg) GVWR) introduced in 1998 for the 1999 model year. The F-250 to F-550 Super Duties are assembled at the Kentucky Truck Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky. The F-650 & F-750 Super Duties are assembled at the Blue Diamond Truck plant in Mexico.

Europe Ford


Ka

Ford Ka (officially pronounced as "kah" not "kay-ay", but usually pronounced in the latter way to avoid confusion) is a city car from the Ford Motor Company marketed in Europe and elsewhere. The European version is produced in Valencia, Spain, while the one sold in Latin America is built in Brazil.


Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta is a mid-class supermini car designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe, and also manufactured in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. It is now marketed worldwide, including Japan and Australasia, and was sold briefly in North America. It is one of Ford's most successful cars with over ten million sold in seven distinct generations since 1976 and production continues as of 2007, with an eighth generation expected during 2008. It is also set to return to the US by 2009.


Focus

The Ford Focus is a small family car made by Ford and sold in most Ford markets worldwide. It was launched in 1998 in Europe and 2002 in Australia. Since then, it has become the United Kingdom's best selling car, following in the success of its predecessor, the Escort. In 2001 and 2002, the Focus was the world’s best selling car. A new version of the Focus was launched in Europe in January 2005.

In Europe, South America and South Africa, the Focus replaced the Ford Escort. In Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, it replaced the Ford Laser.


Mondeo

The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. The name "Mondeo" is derived from the Latin word mundus, meaning "world". The initial generation of the Mondeo was developed as a "world car", along with North American models marketed as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique until 2000.


Kuga

The Ford Kuga is an upcoming compact crossover SUV to be produced by Ford Europe. The car is based on the C1 platform that also underpins the Ford Focus and Ford C-MAX; thus, it will be a front-wheel drive vehicle with optional four-wheel drive, with similar range of gasoline and diesel engines as the Focus and C-Max.

The Kuga will go on sale in early 2008, after a preview model is revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13 2007. The car will be built at Ford's plant in Saarlouis, Germany.

On July 20, 2007, a report indicated that Ford executives are considering the prospects of sales in North America.  This idea was later scrapped after it was determined the car could not be sold both competitively priced and at a profit in the US due to the current dollar-Euro exchange rate.

The word "kuga" means "plague" in many Slavic languages.


Fusion

The European Ford Fusion is a stretched version of the Ford Fiesta, a supermini produced by Ford of Europe since 2002 and sold in Europe and India.

The design includes elements of both estates and multi-purpose vehicles. Its extra height compared with the Fiesta is due to both roof racks, increased ground clearance and taller roof, which makes it roomier and more comfortable for taller drivers than regular superminis, drawing it closer to mini MPVs.

A no-frills XUV version of the Fusion called the Ford EcoSport is produced in Brazil and sold in many Latin American countries. It is similar to the Fusion, but as any XUV it features an increased ride height, off-road suspension, larger wheels and dark bumpers. 1.0 turbo, 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0-litre Duratec petrol engines and 1.4-litre TDCi diesel engines with front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive are available.

Ford also used the name "Fusion" before the launch of the European Ford Focus, in communications with contractors working on elements of that model's launch publicity. Ford did not reveal whether the late change to "Focus" had been the result of a genuine change in its plans, or simply a desire to conceal the real name from the press until the company was ready for the launch.

Sales in the UK have not been as strong as Ford might have expected. This is not particularly surprising, as the Fusion is an unconventional-looking car which is difficult to define in a particular sector. Some buyers see it as a Compact MPV to rival the likes of the Vauxhall Meriva and Nissan Note, but some argue that it lacks the versatility of these models.

In the United Kingdom, the car is available in Style, Style Climate, Pursuit, Pursuit Climate, Zetec Climate and '+' trim levels.


C-MAX

The Ford C-MAX is a compact MPV produced by Ford in Saarlouis for the European market since 2003. It was the first to use the Ford C1 platform, also used by the Ford Focus Mk II, which was introduced a year later, and the compact MPV Premacy/Mazda5. With the introduction of the new large MPVs S-MAX and Galaxy, the C-MAX is the smallest multi-purpose vehicle of Ford's lineup. Its internal code name is C214.

In December 2006, the facelifted version of the C-MAX was revealed at the 2006 Bologna Motor Show and went on sale in late spring 2007.  The facelift brought the car in line with Ford's 'Kinetic Design' design language, evidenced through its twin trapezoidal grilles, large wheelarches and angular headlights. However, as the car does not have a bodyshell originally designed for 'Kinetic Design,' Ford officially states that the car contains only 'elements' of the design language.

It seats five passengers and has a large amount of cargo space, which can be increased by folding the rear seats flat. Some models feature diagonally sliding outer rear seats. It also shares the control blade independent rear suspension from the Focus.

The available engines are the same as the Focus — the petrol versions are the 1.6 L, 1.8 L and 2.0 L aluminium Duratec, and the 1.8 L Duratec Flexifuel, which runs on E85 bioethanol or petrol, while the diesel engines are the PSA-developed Duratorq 66 kW (90 hp) and 85 kW (109 hp) 1.6 (1560cc) L, Ford's own Lynx Duratorq 1.8 L 85 kW (115 hp), and the PSA-designed 100 kW (136 hp) 2.0 L.

In the United Kingdom, the car is available in Studio, Style, Zetec and Titanium trim levels.

The pre-facelift version of the car (2003-2007) was called the Ford Focus C-MAX. The name change to C-MAX is attributable to Ford's MPV strategy of creating a 'MAX' branded line of MPVs, starting with the Ford S-MAX, launched in 2006.


S-MAX

The Ford S-MAX is a large MPV produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co., Ltd for Chinese (Mainland) market. Introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the S-MAX went on sale alongside the redesigned Galaxy in June 2006. It is intended as a "sporty" alternative to the traditional MPV, and slots between the seven-seater large MPV Galaxy and compact MPV Ford C-MAX. The S-MAX was voted European Car of the Year 2007 on November 13, 2006. The S-MAX will be rebadged and sold in Japan by Mazda.


Galaxy

The third generation Galaxy was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show and went on sale alongside the shorter and lower Ford S-MAX in June 2006.

The new Galaxy is larger than its predecessor and is a four pillar vehicle of entirely Ford design, with no Volkswagen content. No longer produced in Portugal, Europe's replacement Galaxy is assembled at a newly re-equipped plant alongside the Mondeo in Genk, Belgium. With the S-MAX catering to customers who require a sport-oriented MPV, Ford were able to expand the Galaxy in every dimension without losing sales in size-conscious Europe.

Due to its size, Ford was unable to design the Galaxy using a full Kinetic Design format. However, Ford officially states that the car contains 'elements' of Kinetic Design, such as its trapezoidal grille, large wheelarches and angular headlights. No spare wheel is obtained when buying this car, a foam is given to seal punctures until a new wheel can be bought.

Ford's engines are used, all diesels being from the Duratorq family of engines in 100 PS (99 hp/74 kW) & 125 PS (123 hp/92 kW) 1.8 format and also 130 PS (128 hp/96 kW) & 140 PS (138 hp/103 kW) 2.0 TDCi versions. two Petrol engines are offered - the Duratec 2.0 145 PS (143 hp/107 kW) variant and 2.3 L petrol 161 bhp (120 kW) engine

This version is not sold in Latin America, but the old 1995-2006 Ford Galaxy is still available there, with 2.0, 2.3 and 2.8 petrol engines. (The VW sourced 1.9 TDi engine is no longer offered).

In the United Kingdom, the car is available in LX, Zetec and Ghia trim levels.

One major selling point of the Galaxy and S-MAX is the "FoldFlatSystem". This design allows the second- and third-row seats to fold flat into the floor although this step forward in seating design lowers the load carrying capacity of the vehicle.

In Europe the Galaxy is currently leading sales in its segment, although it is outsold by its S-MAX sibling.


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 applying to any light commercial van in the Transit's size bracket.

Over 5,000,000 Transits have been produced since 1965 across three basic platforms with several "facelift" versions of each.



Mercury

Mercury is an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 to market entry-level-luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick (and former Oldsmobile) brand and Chrysler's Chrysler brand. Today, all Mercury models are based on Ford platforms. The Mercury name comes from the "messenger of the gods" of Roman mythology, and during its early years, the Mercury brand was known for performance, which was briefly revived in 2003 with the Mercury Marauder.

The Mercury brand is used in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Middle East. In 1999 the Mercury brand was dropped in Canada, although the Grand Marquis is still marketed there and wears a Mercury badge.


Grand Marquis

The Grand Marquis, Mercury's flagship sedan, is essentially a slightly more luxurious version of the Ford Crown Victoria. It comes in five main trim levels; GS (base model), GS Convenience, LS Premium, LS Ultimate and the LSE.

The Grand Marquis shares the same "Panther" platform as the Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car and the former Mercury Marauder. The 2008 Town Car shares the same manufacturing plant with the Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria following the idling of Ford's Wixom factory in May 2007. All current Panther-based cars are powered by Ford's 4.6 L SOHC V8 engine, which produces 190 hp, (210 hp with handling/dual exhaust package), 224 hp or 239 hp (178 kW) with handling/dual exhaust package) (142 to 186 kW) depending on model year and configuration. More recent model years (2001 and later) have the greater power outputs of 224 and 239 hp (178 kW). The only exception for power output was the Mercury Marauder, the Grand Marquis' high performance cousin which was powered by a DOHC version of the 4.6 L engine and produced 302 hp (224 kW).

Power is carried to the rear end by a four-speed electronically-controlled, wide-ratio automatic transmission. This transmission is known as the 4R70W, and is the successor to Ford's AOD and AODE transmissions of the early 1990s.

Mercury has always been marketed as a step-up from the Ford brand and has historically been more performance and luxury oriented. There are indications of that in the Grand Marquis. Properly equipped, the large sedan can be both a comfortable semi-luxury sedan while still offering adequate performance.

The Grand Marquis remains quite affordable, priced well below similarly well-equipped entry-level luxury sedans. Prices for the Grand Marquis range from US$25,555 for the GS to US$36,060 for the LSE.


Mariner

The Mercury Mariner compact SUV was introduced in 2005. It is a sibling of the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape, although it is slightly more upmarket than the other two. Mechanically, it is identical to the Ford Escape. It also includes stylistic differences, such as a two-tone interior, European-style turn signal repeaters, monotone cladding, and the signature Mercury "waterfall" front grille. The Mariner is Mercury's first car-based SUV, and is slotted below the Mountaineer in the lineup.


Milan

The Mercury Milan is a front-wheel drive mid-size sedan based on the Ford CD3 platform built by Ford Motor Company and distributed by the Lincoln-Mercury division. The Milan is an upscale version of its Ford cousin, the Ford Fusion, while being slotted below the luxury-spec Lincoln MKZ (formerly the Lincoln Zephyr) sedan. The Milan, Fusion, and MKZ are derivatives of the Mazda 6 sedan, while only sharing 40% of its parts.

Milan differs from Fusion by featuring unique front and rear fascia designs, larger rear doors, LED taillight clusters, projector head lamps and fog lamps, modified suspension, and an upgraded interior. The Milan filled the lineup gap following the discontinuation of both the Mercury Mystique in 2000 and the Mercury Sable in 2005. Milan is available in six packaged variants: Milan I4, Milan V6, Milan I4 Premier, Milan V6 Premier, Milan V6 AWD, and Milan Premier AWD.

The Milan was unveiled at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show on February 9. Earlier, at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, a hybrid version was announced for the 2008 model year. As the Ford Fusion Hybrid has been pushed back to 2008 as a 2009 model, the Mercury Milan hybrid will most likely not be seen until then.

The Milan is only offered in the U.S. and Mexico, due to the Mercury brand's discontinuation in Canada in 1999.


Sable

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that Ford's scheme to make all its cars names start with the letter F was a bad move, as it made Ford's new cars easily forgettable. Mulally wants to revive some known and respected Ford nameplates for its new model line, the Sable being one of them. The new 2008 Sable went on sale in late-July of 2007, though remaining 2007 Montegos are continued being sold as of August 2007. Mulally believes that with this new name, more customers will recognize the car, thus raising sales.

Changes to the new Sable from the existing Montego include a new front end with Milan-inspired headlights, as well as exterior satin-aluminum mirror and door-handle accents, and new LED taillights. Also is the addition of the 3.5 L Cyclone engine from the Ford Edge, as well as replacing the continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a conventional one to counter criticism of the Montego being underpowered. On Wednesday February 7, Ford confirmed the changes.


Mountaineer

The Mercury Mountaineer is a midsized luxury SUV manufactured by the Mercury brand name and owned by the Ford Motor Company. The Mountaineer shares many features with the Ford Explorer, and in terms of hardware, the vehicles are virtually identical. Externally, they are styled somewhat differently, and the Mountainer is positioned with a more upscale interior, with the Mountaineer's MSRP coming in at $1,000–$6,000 more than the Explorer. It was mildly redesigned for the 2006 model year due to a new frame, but looks very similar to its previous model.


Lincoln

Lincoln is an American luxury automobile brand, operated under the Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and acquired by Ford in 1922, Lincoln has been manufacturing vehicles intended for the upscale markets since the 1920s. Lincoln's prevalent competitor Cadillac, was also founded by Henry M. Leland having acquired the assets of the Henry Ford Company, Ford's second company. While Lincoln was the best selling luxury marque in the United States as recently as 1998, Lincoln lost ground to its competitors. To combat this recent slide in sales Lincoln has unveiled three new models, the MKZ sport sedan, MKS luxury sedan, and MKX crossover sport utility vehicle.


Town Car

The Lincoln Town Car is a rear-wheel drive full-size luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Ford's Lincoln luxury car division. Often referred to as a traditional American luxury sedan, the Town Car features a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, very generous exterior and interior dimensions as well as a "Pillowy ride and chrome aplenty." (Forbes) The Town Car is currently the largest American-made car, measuring nearly 18 feet (5.49 m) in length for a standard Town Car and 18 1/2 ft (5.64 m) for an L Edition. Manufactured in the Wixom Assembly Plant (up to the 2007 model year), and the St. Thomas Assembly plant in Canada starting with the 2008 model, the Town Car is, despite recently declining sales numbers, one of the best selling American luxury cars. It also serves as America's most used limousine and chauffered car. While relatively affordable when compared to European flagship luxury sedans, the Town Car is currently the most expensive American luxury sedan (according to base MSRP) with prices ranging from $43,075 for a basic Signature Series to $56,745 for a top-of-the-line Signature L Series. The Town Car has been available featuring ballistic protection since 2003 with prices starting at $144,995.

Ford, at one time, had considered ending production on Lincoln's flagship model after the planned closing of the Wixom Assembly Plant in Wixom, Michigan in 2007. Ford ultimately decided to keep the model and move assembly to the St. Thomas Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada where the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis, which also use the Ford Panther platform, are currently built. The Town Car's manufacture resumed at its new location in late 2007. The first Canadian-built Town Car rolled off the assembly line on January 10, 2008.

According to Consumer Guide the vehicle's strengths are comfort, materials, and ride quality, while acceleration and handling are named as being the vehicle's weaknesses. The Town Car is one of the safest cars available on the North American market.


Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV produced by Ford Motor Company for its luxury division Lincoln. Introduced in 1998, the Navigator (and the larger, redesigned 1998 Lexus LX) were one of the first full-size luxury SUVs. The Lincoln Navigator is the largest luxury SUV made by the Ford Motor Company and is Lincoln's first four-wheel drive vehicle.


Mark LT

The Mark LT is a luxury pickup truck that is manufactured by the Lincoln division of American automaker Ford Motor Company. It first went on sale in January 2005 for the 2006 model year. The Mark LT is a successor to the failed 2002-only Lincoln Blackwood, Lincoln's only other pickup truck, which was only a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The Mark LT is built at Ford's River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan (a plant that used to build the Ford Mustang). The Mark LT also has optional all-wheel drive.

The Mark LT is priced at US$43,495 and the company hopes to sell 13,000 annually in the United States. This price is significantly lower than its main competitor, the Cadillac Escalade EXT which also has a convertible midgate / load bed. The Mark LT has been more successful than the Blackwood in its first year of sales with 10,274 sold in the first calendar year of sales; February 2005 through February 2006. The Mark LT, right from its launch, has outsold the Escalade EXT by at least two-to-one, but the 2007 EXT has gained on the Mark LT consistently, passing it by a slight margin in the months of March, May and October 2007, although still lagging in year-to-date sales, according to monthly postings on the manufacturers' respective Web sites. The Mark LT is one of the most heavily-discounted new cars in the United States, with dealers sometimes selling them at more than $10,000 below the MSRP.

The Mark LT is based on the Ford F-150 pickup truck. It uses the same 5.4 L Triton V8 and has four doors. Traction control is available for 2006 Lincoln Mark LTs. The 2006 Lincoln Mark LT still uses a 4-speed automatic transmission just like the 2006 Ford F-150s.

MKX

Lincoln MKX is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV made by Ford's luxury marque, Lincoln. It was originally intended to replace the Aviator, but went on sale under the MKX nameplate in December 2006.


MKZ

The Lincoln MKZ is a mid-size luxury car from the Lincoln automobile division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKZ is the replacement for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform mate to the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, to replace the cancelled 3.0L V6 version of the Lincoln LS as the mid-size entry-level Lincoln. Lincoln increased the Zephyr's engine size and power output, and changed the car's name to MKZ in 2006 for the 2007 model year. Sales of the MKZ began in September, 2006. The MKZ is also the first Lincoln to use "MK" on its car name.

The car is built at Ford's Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico plant, and pricing ranges from US$29,950 to $37,790.

The MKZ uses the Mazda6-derived CD3 platform. While the car shares 35% of its body panels with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, the interior is completely unique to bring the car up to Lincoln standards. The suspension is independent all around with a short/long arm (SLA) design in front and multilink setup with coilover shock absorbers in the rear.

Features like a 600 W THX sound system with 14 speakers also set it apart from the mainstream Ford, Mercury, and Mazda versions. This sound system is an one of the options for the MKZ that also includes a power moonroof and voice-activated navigation. Ford Sync became standard equipment starting with the 2008 model year.

Ford and Lincoln corporate and marketing management originally announced the MKZ with a "Mark-Zee" pronunciation during the 2006 cars show circuit, but eventually changed it to the phonetic "em-kay-zee" due to confusion observed in customer clinics and dealerships.


MKS

The Lincoln MKS is a luxury sedan produced by the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The production version is based on the MKS concept car which was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. It will begin production in the summer of 2008 at the Ford Chicago Assembly plant in Chicago, Illinois. The MKS fills the gap since the discontinuation of the Lincoln LS in 2006.

The MKS continues the new Lincoln naming convention for future models, including the new 2007 crossover SUV Lincoln MKX and the mid-size car 2007 Lincoln MKZ which replaced the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. By this naming scheme, new vehicles will be designated with alphanumeric names rather than more traditional names like "Zephyr" and "Continental". This is part of a new Lincoln strategy to give its vehicles alphanumeric monikers, in much the same way as some other luxury automakers do, to get people to refer to the cars as Lincolns, rather as just "Continentals" or "Navigators".


Premier Automotive Group

The Premier Automotive Group (PAG), is a group within the Ford Motor Company that oversees the business operations of its three European luxury automobile subsidiaries: Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo.

Jaguar and Land Rover are currently up for sale. Previously, PAG has also been responsible for Lincoln and Aston Martin Lincoln was taken back into Ford direct control, and Aston Martin was sold. In September 2006 the Rover brand was secured from BMW to the PAG, to protect the Land Rover brand.

Jaguar and Land Rover are currently being divested by Ford. On 3rd January 2008 Ford Motor Co. selected India's Tata Motors as the preferred bidder for Jaguar and Land Rover, from two private equity groups and another Indian motor company. Ford has entered more "focused negotiations at a more detailed level" with Tata.

Aston Martin was a member of PAG until it was sold into private ownership on 12 March 2007  for £479 million.

Ford's luxury car division Lincoln was part of the Premier Auto Group as well in the late 1990s, but was pulled out in 2002 as part of Ford's marketing strategy to separate its "import" marques from its domestic ones. During the creation of PAG, Lincoln's line-up received a complete overhaul, beginning with the 1998 redesign of the Lincoln Town Car. The same year also saw the introduction of the Lincoln Navigator SUV and in 2000 the Lincoln LS, which shares its engine with the Jaguar S-Type, was introduced. All three cars were designed in Irvine, California, and were according to many critics heavily influenced by Jaguar design themes. In both years 1998 and 2000 Lincoln was the best selling luxury car brand in the US. After Cadillac surged back into the market in 2002, however, Ford pulled Lincoln out of the PAG in what is according to Jerry Flint of Forbes Magazine an "impossible to make sense out of... strategy."



Jaguar

Jaguar Cars Limited is a luxury car manufacturer, originally based at Browns Lane, Coventry, England but now at Whitley, Coventry. It was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, changing to SS Cars Ltd in 1934, and finally becoming Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945.

While Jaguar is currently part of the Premier Automotive Group, Ford is considering divesting both Jaguar and Land Rover, with India's Tata Motors the frontrunner to buy the brands.

The name is pronounced /ˈdʒægjuːɚ/ "jag-u-ar", with the term "Jag" being used colloquially.


XJ

Although major revisions (through the X300 and, particularly, the X308 updates) kept the Mark 2 competitive in some areas against its rivals, the basic design dated back to 1986 which meant the car was very quickly being outclassed and losing ground to its rivals, many of which were now two generations advanced from the original competitors of the Mark 2 XJ. For example, since the model had been unveiled in 1986 (at the same time as the BMW 7 Series E32), BMW had launched Mark 3 (E38) and Mark 4 (E65) versions of its 7 Series in 1994 and 2001 respectively – all while Jaguar was still producing the Mk 2 XJ.

In early 2003, the all-new third generation XJ (known as X350) arrived in showrooms. While the car's exterior and interior styling were traditional in appearance, the car was completely re-engineered. The new car also saw the return of the fabled XJ6 badge, and with it 6-cylinder power, albeit in a V-configuration.


S-Type

The S-Type is produced at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich facility in Birmingham, England. The car was styled by the late Geoff Lawson, and is based on the Jaguar DEW platform/Ford DEW platform which it shared with the now out of production Lincoln LS, but with substantial modifications.

The supercharged S-Type R joined the lineup in 2003. The "R" is powered by a supercharged V8 producing 390 hp (291 kW), and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 s (0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 s). It includes 18 in (457 mm) alloy wheels, wire-mesh grille and dramatic monochromatic paint. The "R" also has a sportier rear apron, side-skirts, and front apron with built-in fog-lamps, a rear spoiler, a brace located near the rear subframe, and "R" badging on the boot lid and both front wings. It is the most expensive S-Type, with a base price of £50,040 in the UK  (US$58,995 in the United States).

A minor facelift in 2004 refined the S-Type's overall appearance, with the addition of redesigned standard front and rear aprons, slightly modified grille to include the Jaguar badge, remodeled rear light clusters, an aluminium bonnet, and a new 2.7 L V6 diesel engine. The windscreen washer jets were incorporated into the windscreen wiper arms. Internally, the center console was redesigned to incorporate the revised switch-gear and radio (or optional satellite navigation equipment). Also added was an electronic parking-brake paddle-switch, which replaced the conventional manually-operated lever for the rear brakes.


X-TYPE

The Jaguar X-TYPE is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car produced by the Ford owned British luxury marque Jaguar Cars since 2001. It is built on a modified version of the Ford CD132 platform, a British version of the Ford CDW27 platform, which is the base for the Ford Mondeo, and remains in production at Jaguar's Halewood facility in England.

The X-TYPE is the smallest of the current Jaguar saloon (sedan) cars, and was designed to build on the success of the S-Type, although it takes many styling cues from the XJ series. Jaguar states that 10% of the parts are made by Jaguar, 20% are made by Ford, while the rest are made by subcontractors.


XK

Jaguar unveiled an all-new 2006 car (project code X150), called simply the "XK", at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005. It uses the new all-aluminium monocoque chassis developed from the 2005 Advanced Lightweight Coupé (ALC) concept car and is offered as both a coupé or convertible.

In the opposite manner to the way convertibles are traditionally designed, the coupé is based on the convertible. This meant that the engineers could design the convertible without the drawbacks of the car looking like, and actually being, a coupé with the top chopped off. It also meant that minimal additional weight was required to maintain the structural rigidity lost with the removal of the roof (1,635 kg (3,600 lb) kerb weight for the convertible versus 1,595 kg (3,520 lb) for the coupé). This makes the XK convertible exceptionally rigid and lightweight for a car of its type, offering an extremely impressive driving experience.

The XK convertible was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. It features a conventional cloth top that will open or close in 18 seconds.

The XK series is priced from £60,085.


XF

The Jaguar XF is a mid-size luxury car / sports sedan that will replace the S-Type (which was discontinued in 2007 in England and 2008 elsewhere) in the British car maker Jaguar Cars lineup. The production version of the XF debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, with customer deliveries set to commence in March 2008, depending on market.

The XF has been developed at their Whitley design and development HQ in Coventry, UK and is built in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, UK.


Land Rover

Land Rover is a British all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) manufacturer, based in Gaydon, England, UK. Originally the term Land Rover referred to one specific vehicle, a pioneering civilian all-terrain utility vehicle launched on April 30, 1948, at the Amsterdam Motor Show, but was later used as a brand for several distinct models, all four-wheel drive. Starting out as part of The Rover Car Company or Rover, Land Rovers were designed and manufactured as a range of four-wheel drive vehicles under a succession of owners, including British Leyland, British Aerospace and BMW. Today, the marque is part of the Premier Automotive Group, a division of the Ford Motor Company. Land Rover is one of the longest lived SUV brands (the only brand which is older is the Jeep).

Ford is currently considering divesting all three Premier units, with India's Tata Motors being the front-runner in the race to acquire one of the world's most prestigious automotive marques.


Freelander

The new Freelander 2 debuted at the 2006 British International Motor Show. While the new model retained the Freelander nameplate in Europe, it was to be marketed as LR2 in North America (mirroring the marketing of the new third-generation Land Rover Discovery as LR3). Preceding the official debut, a private presentation at the Kensington Roof Gardens had been held for journalists, featuring celebrity tennis player Maria Sharapova.  The new "2008" LR2 is now on sale in the United States for a base price of US$34,700.

The second generation Freelander is based on the Ford EUCD platform, which itself is based on the Ford C1 platform. The EUCD platform is also used by the new Ford Galaxy, Ford S-MAX and Volvo S80, and will be used by more upcoming vehicles from Ford and Volvo. The engine range is all-new for Freelander, featuring transversely-mounted 3.2 I6 engine of the Volvo SI6 series, which first debuted in the new Volvo S80, as well as the 2.2 DW12 common rail turbodiesel engine, co-developed by Ford and PSA.

Unlike previous Land Rovers, this car will be manufactured alongside the Jaguar X-Type at Halewood, near Liverpool. The new Freelander features improved ground clearance and promises greater off-road capabilities, closer to other Land Rover models and significantly above those of rivals such as BMW and Audi. It has a much improved quality interior with more features as standard.


Defender

The Land Rover Defender is a British four wheel drive Off-road utility vehicle. It is the product of continued development of the original utility Land Rover Series I launched in 1948. Using the basic yet robust underpinnings of a ladder frame chassis and aluminium body, the Defender is available in a huge variety of body types (as of 2007, 10 major body types are available from the factory, plus many more specialist versions such as fire engines, hydraulic platforms and military versions). Defenders are used for a very wide variety of purposes- from agricultural and industrial users to a large number of military customers. Defenders are also a common choice for use on expeditions and surveys throughout the world. As well as these more traditional roles, in recent years the Defender has been increasingly used by families and individuals as a private car.

The Defender was not an entirely new model at launch. It used engines and body panels carried over from the Series III Land Rover; gearbox, axles and suspension from the Range Rover.



Discovery

The Discovery is a four wheel drive on-road and off-road vehicle from the British car maker Land Rover. There have been three generations of the vehicle, which is less expensive than the company's top Range Rover model. The Discovery was introduced in the late 1980s and is the most popular model from Land Rover. It is less utilitarian than the Defender, but it is very competent off road. The current Discovery Series III is marketed in North America as the LR3.


Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport is a large luxury SUV produced by British automaker Land Rover, a subsidiary of Ford, since the summer of 2005. It shares its platform with the Land Rover Discovery (LR3 in North America) rather than the larger Range Rover. Land Rover calls the vehicle a sports tourer. It slots below the Discovery/LR3 in size and has seating for five. The top-level Sport is powered by a supercharged 390 PS (287 kW/410 hp) 4.2 L AJ-V8, making it the second most powerful vehicle in the company's history except for the larger Range Rover Vogue SE supercharged (450 bhp (340 kW), 420 lb·ft (569 N·m)). A normally-aspirated 4.4 L version is available with 300 PS (220 kW/295 hp) . Due to lack of popularity the normally aspirated V8 was dropped from the UK market in 2007, leaving the supercharged model as the sole Petrol(Gasoline) model on sale, which has a top speed standing at an electronically limited 130 mph (209 km/h). It has brembo brakes at the front to improve stopping distances due to the unusually heavy weight(5866lbs) of the vehicle. The TDV6 turbodiesel engine of 190 hp is available outside the North American market as is the 272 hp TDV8. All models have six-speed automatic transmissions and fuel capacities of about 27.6 gallons. The Premier Automotive Group claims the Range Rover Sport can wade 70 cm (27.6 in) of water.


Range Rover

The Range Rover is a four-wheel drive high-performance luxury SUV produced by Land Rover in the United Kingdom. It was first introduced in 1970 and is still in production today. From its inception, the Range Rover has always been one of the most luxurious sport utility vehicles available, although impressive off-road capability has always been a cornerstone of the model.

The Range Rover is built on a box section ladder type chassis, much like the contemporary Series Land Rover, but utilizes coil springs as opposed to leaf springs, permanent four-wheel drive, and disc brakes all round. It was originally powered by the lightweight Rover V8 engine. Current models are now powered by a Jaguar V8 of 4.4 litres. The vehicle is currently one of the most expensive vehicles of its type on the market.

In 1972 the British Trans-Americas Expedition became the first vehicle-based expedition to traverse both American continents north-to-south, including traversing the infamous roadless Darien Gap. The specially modified Range Rovers used for this expedition can be seen in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust collection at Gaydon, Warwickshire, UK.

There have so far been 3 major model changes. Among enthusiasts, the original model is known as the Classic, the second generation is known as the P38A and the latest generation is known as the L322 or just "new Range Rover".

Before 1987, Land Rover vehicles were only sold in the United States through the grey market. The Land Rover company began selling the Range Rover officially in the U.S. in 1987. From that time until 1993, the U.S. marketing was all in the name of Range Rover, that being the only model offered in the American market. In 1993, with the arrival of the Defender 110 and the imminent arrival of the Land Rover Discovery, the company's U.S. sales were under the name "Land Rover North America".



Volvo

The Volvo Group is a Swedish supplier of commercial transport solutions providing products such as trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and financial services. The then auto manufacturer was founded on April 14, 1927 in the city of Gothenburg, as a spin-off from the roller ball bearing maker SKF. Volvo delisted from NASDAQ in June, 2007, but remains listed on the Stockholm exchange.

Volvo means "I roll" in Latin, conjugated from "volvere". The name Volvo was originally registered in May 1911 as a separate company within SKF AB and as a registered trademark with the intention to be used for a special series of ball bearing, but this idea was only used for a short period of time and SKF decided to use "SKF" as the trademark for all its bearing products.

The company AB Volvo had no activities until 10 August, 1926 when the SKF Sales Manager Assar Gabrielsson and Engineer Gustav Larson, after one year of preparations involving the production of ten prototypes, set up the car-manufacturing business Volvo AB within SKF group. Volvo AB was introduced at the Stockholm stock exchange in 1935 and SKF then decided to sell its shares in the company.

The first series produced Volvo automobile, the Volvo ÖV 4, left the factory on 14 April, 1927 which became the official date for the founding of Volvo.

In 1998 Volvo sold its car division to Ford. Repeated reports in the media about Ford selling off its Volvo brand have been refuted by the company.



Volvo C30

The Volvo C30 is a compact car produced by the Volvo division of Ford's Premier Automotive Group. The C30 is a three-door, four-seat hatchback powered by I4 and I5 engines. Despite the name, the car is the hatchback / coupe version of the S40/V50/C70 luxury vehicle range and therefore uses the same Volvo P1 platform as its siblings.

The production car was officially unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. In mid-2006, the C30 was approved for production launch in late 2006 in Europe. The C30 went on sale in Canada in March 2007 as a 2007 model, and in October 2007 in the United States as a 2008 model, with the T5 as the single version. It is being marketed as a premium hatchback specially designed for first-time Volvo buyers and the youth market. Production is expected to be 65,000 units a year, 75% for sale in the European market.




Volvo S40

The Volvo S40, V40 and V50 are entry-level luxury cars / compact executive cars produced by Volvo Cars. There have been two generations, the first launched in 1995 and the second one in 2004. The last one is listed by Forbes as one of the best luxury cars for young affluent drivers. It is also the most popular car among women in the luxury segment in the US market according to J.D. Power and Associates.


Volvo V50

The Volvo V50 is the station wagon / estate version of the Volvo S40 small family car, produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo Cars, it was introduced in 2003 Bologna Motor Show.

It is based on the Volvo P1 platform. Volvo Cars Special Vehicle also produced a concept car based on the V50, the V50 SV, whose engine produces 340 hp (179 kW), and debuted at the 2004 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Highlights of the V50's interior design include soft "theatre" lighting of various sections, and a translucent "iced aqua" center stack. In safety, the V50 features "Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture".

The top-of-the line V50 is the T5 AWD. This model features four-wheel drive and a straight-5 2.5-litre petrol engine with a light-pressure turbocharger. Its valvetrain has four valves per cylinder and is a DOHC design with variable camshaft timing. The engine provides 220 bhp (164 kW) and 320 N·m (236 ft·lbf) of torque. In Europe the 2.4 Liter turbocharged D5 diesel engine which provides 180 bhp (134 kW) and 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf) of torque is also available. The output of that motor was downgraded from the original diesel motor in the XC90 which produces 185 bhp (138 kW) and 400 N·m (295 ft·lbf) of torque.

The next generation V50 will grow in size to be aligned on the side of the next generation S60 as Volvo Car Corp has recently confirmed. Volvo will not reintroduce the S40 after this model generation and the V50 will become the estate variant for the S60, same as the V70 did become the estate for the S80.


Volvo S60

The Volvo S60 is a compact executive/entry-level luxury car produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo since 2001. An all-new S60 is expected for the 2010 model year.


Volvo V70

The Volvo V70 is a luxury wagon produced by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars since 1996. The V70 is a five-door station wagon closely related to the S70, S60 and S80 saloons. Stylized four-wheel drive versions of the V70 have been sold as the Cross Country (XC) trim line and as the XC70 model. Over 80% of V70s are sold in Europe, one third in Sweden. The Volvo V70 has been the best selling car in Sweden for many years.


Volvo S80

The Volvo S80 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo and was introduced in 1998 as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Volvo 960/S90 sedan. The very first Volvo S80 rolled off the assembly line on May 6. Every single S80 has been built in the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike almost all other Volvo models, it did not have a station wagon version for its first generation. Now, the third generation V70 wagon is marketed as the estate version for the second generation S80 sedan. All of this is a part of a major product overhaul at Volvo, including a most luxurious large estate and sedan.

The first generation Volvo S80 had one of the world's highest crash test ratings in the premium mid size segment.The second generation Volvo S80 in June of 2007 scored the highest "good" rating in the IIHS crash test performance for frontal impacts.



Volvo XC90

The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars since 2002, it was unveiled in Detroit Motor Show 2002. It is based on the Volvo P2 platform, shared with the Volvo S80 and other larger Volvo cars. It is Volvo's top-selling vehicle in the United States accounting for roughly 25% of the company's sales there. It is also Volvo's best selling model worldwide with 85,994 cars sold in 2005. It was launched at the same time as the Infiniti FX and Porsche Cayenne.

A new Volvo/Yamaha V8 engine was added in 2005. This 4.4 L Yamaha V8 engine produces 311 hp (232 kW) and 325 ft·lbf (441 Nm) of torque. The XC90 V8 will be priced at just over US$45,000 and it is expected that more than 15,000 would be sold per year.

The XC90 won the North American Car of the Year award and Motor Trend magazine's Sport/Utility of the Year for 2003.

The XC90 was updated for 2007 with a subtly-restyled front and rear and a more luxurious interior. The 235 hp 3.2 L SI6 straight-6 engine replaced the 208 hp B524T2 straight-5 in the base model for the US market. The 2007 XC90 debuted in April 2006 at the New York Auto Show.

The XC90 is produced at Volvo's Torslanda plant in Sweden.



Volvo C70

The Volvo C70 is a luxury cabriolet built by Volvo Car Corp. The C70 is available in convertible and (originally) coupe versions with a choice of manual or automatic transmission. In the United States prices for the C70 convertible started at $38,710 for the 2006 model year. It is being produced at the Pininfarina Sverige AB plant in Uddevalla, Sweden. This company is owned jointly by Volvo (40%) and Pininfarina SpA of Italy (60%).