What was the original Ford called?
The original Ford, in the sense of the company and its earliest products, began as the Henry Ford Company in 1901 and was reorganized as Ford Motor Company in 1903. The very first Ford vehicle overall was the Quadricycle (1896), while the first car produced under the Ford Motor Company banner was the Model A (1903).
Origins of the name and the company
The Henry Ford Company was founded in 1901 by Henry Ford with a group of investors. After Ford exited the project in 1902, the remaining investors reorganized the business as Ford Motor Company in 1903, with Ford continuing as the lead inventor and figurehead behind the brand.
Key corporate-name milestones in the early years:
- Henry Ford Company established (1901)
- Henry Ford departs; the company dissolves (1902)
- Ford Motor Company formed (June 16, 1903)
- First car produced by Ford Motor Company: Model A (1903)
These milestones show how the original Ford entity evolved into the Ford Motor Company that would drive mass production and global growth.
Earliest Ford-built vehicles
Before and after the corporate reorganization, Ford's engineers produced several early vehicles. The following are the most notable early Ford-era machines:
- Ford Quadricycle (c. 1896) — Henry Ford's first self-propelled vehicle
- Model A (1903) — Ford Motor Company's first car
- Model T (1908) — The revolutionary, mass-produced car that defined the early Ford era
These early vehicles chart a path from experimental mobility to a mass-market, affordable automobile that helped build a global brand.
Summary
The original Ford began as the Henry Ford Company in 1901, evolved into Ford Motor Company in 1903, and produced the Model A as its first car, followed by the Model T that would become a landmark of automotive history. The Quadricycle from 1896 also marks Ford's earliest foray into personal mobility, predating the formal company as such. Together, these milestones explain what people mean when they ask about the "original Ford."
Summary note: If you’re asking about the earliest corporate name, it was Henry Ford Company; if you’re asking about the first car under the Ford banner, it was the Model A (1903); and if you’re asking about the iconic mass-market milestone, that’s the Model T (1908).
