International Women’s Day: Ford’s most Famous Factory Worker

March is Women’s History month and thus a time when we take notice of Women’s achievements, past and present. Men have historically held the seats of political, business, and theological power making the history we all learned male-centered by default. Despite this, it is long overdue that we recognize the stories and efforts of the dedicated women that too often don’t often make it to the history books. Women Keep Benna Ford Running Both at the manufacturer and dealership level, the automotive world has traditionally been seen as a male bastion. But at Benna F ord, over a fourth of our staff are women, and luckily, that number keeps growing. We know that without the women on our staff, Benna Ford would cease to operate. Without Carla Ringold, our advertising wouldn’t go out. Kimberly Hobbs, Billie Suomala, and Tiffany Weideman almost entirely comprise our Business Development Center. The women of Benna Ford keep the office running, get the titles transferred, and see that everyone gets paid. They are key to the operation and success of our store. The Ford Foundation’s Long History of Supporting Women’s Causes We are grateful that the manufacturer of the products we sell, Ford, established the Ford Foundation in 1936. Among its many endeavors, the foundation has been committed to advancing gender equality for nearly 60 years, supporting hundreds of dauntless activists, organizations, and initiatives with more than $3 billion in grants. From the very beginning, the foundation followed the lead of women pioneering the feminist movement in the United States. They later expanded and learned by listening to the women in the trenches in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America as we expanded our support worldwide. They have regularly invested in the ideas, individuals, and institutions on the front lines, so they can carry their work forward and optimize their impact. Thanks to these and other efforts, women's rights have come a long way in the past 50-60 years. Even with these strides, a significant gender income gap remains and more than 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men. Much has been accomplished, but it is an ongoing and noble struggle. Even as we hope you visit our Benna Ford dealership to shop for a new or used vehicle or service your existing one, we hope you take some time this month and thereafter to think about the role women have played in our history and look at the goals and efforts of our present women history makers.

What Was the First Classic Car? These days, there is an extensive community of classic car collectors and restorers, so it can be tough to think of a time when there were no classic cars at all. Of course, cars weren’t always around, and they didn’t come into popular usage until the early 20th century. So, we’ve asked the question, what was the first car that became a “classic car?” more The answer to that question isn’t easy to find, but based on a recent report from MSN, we think it’s fair to say it was the 1928-1931 Ford Model A. Why the Model A? Well, for a number of reasons. There were certainly cars made before the Model A, and therefore, older cars that would have technically become classic models before the Model A ever did. But as MSN details, the Model A was really the model that kickstarted restoration as a hobby. From this, the classic car community was born following WWII. The post-war economic boom in the U.S. would have almost certainly allowed for more people than ever to have the disposable income necessary for such a hobby, and the 1928-1931 model certainly would have been an element of nostalgia to those at the time who would have grown up with such a vehicle. History of the Model A The most iconic of Ford models is arguably the Model T, but the Model A was the vehicle that ushered in a new automotive era for Ford. The last Model T was manufactured in 1927, and for six months, Ford shut down its factories to retool them for Model A production. Though the Model A is seen as a successor to the Model T, it is technically Ford’s first car. The name is indeed a nod to Ford’s first car, the 1903 Model A. The new 1928 model featured a number of key auto advancements, including a safety glass windshield. With the Great Depression beginning in 1929, the Model A couldn’t have been introduced at a worse time. Even so, Ford managed to sell over 5 million Model A cars by 1931. Though we can’t get you behind the wheel of a classic Ford Model A, we can get you behind the wheel of the latest and greatest Ford models. A company that lasts as long as Ford is doing something right, so contact us to experience that today.

Not many automotive nameplates span a consecutive 60 years, much less something as seemingly ephemeral as a sports coupe.  However, it was 60 years ago, on April 14th, when the public saw the first Mustang on a stand at the Ford Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair. The Mustang went on to set a new sales record for a vehicle in its first year, with over 418,000 models sold. Since then, the Mustang line has continued unbroken through 7 generations. Its shape has varied, but - putting aside the Mach-E for a moment - it was always a 2-door sport coupe with a front engine, rear-wheel drive, and a V-8 among the engine options. Benna Ford has been proud of every Mustang we have watched drive off our lot to an excited customer. Owning a Mustang has never required a lot of money, just a desire for something fun, more personal, a little less practical, and a lot more stylish. Some models have been economical, others blindingly fast. Because fun is at its center, the lineup has always had a convertible. It has become the “all-American sports car” even as its sales spread across six of the seven continents. Mustang Experience Center and Celebration Naturally, Ford has not let this anniversary pass by quietly. It is opening the Mustang Experience Center adjacent to the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The center will include a Mustang-focused Ford Heritage Gallery, an aftermarket parts shop, a retail store for Mustang merchandise, and the Ford Performance Racing School’s hands-on track instruction, teaching Mustang owners how to best enjoy and harness the performance of their cars. This was the obvious location for the Mustang 60th anniversary celebration on April 17th. Mustang owners came from across the country and even around the world to compare their rides, ride along drifting Mustangs on the Charlotte track, and simply celebrate all things Mustang. Limited Edition Anniversary Package Here, Ford revealed its 60th-anniversary Package, a limited-production model, with only 1,965 being built. Naturally available in red, white, and blue, the package brings back subtle reminders of the first Mustang that blend in with what the Mustang has become.  It starts with rocker panel stripes that recall the first-generation model’s “racing stripes.”  20-inch 5-spoke wheels combine a machine finish with Dark Gravity Gray and feature stamped galloping Mustang center caps inspired by those on the 1965 model.  The grille mesh recalls that on the original model with silver-finish nostrils that feed air into the 5.0-liter V8 and the iconic galloping Mustang badge in the center. Impossible to do in 1965, the new Mustang has headlights that echo the triple-themed taillights that have long been a Mustang design element. Smoked headlight housings accentuate these lights on the 60th Anniversary Package. Race Red and Vapor Blue models are fitted with silver side mirror caps as a callback to the chrome mirror housings of the original. Ford Mustang Global Gallop Finally, to celebrate the Mustang’s global presence, the Ford Mustang Global Gallop will lend 7th generation Mustangs and Mustang Mach E’s to 60 journalists, content creators, and Mustang ambassadors from around the world with the simple instruction to drive someplace cool and tell of the experience. The Mustang experience has always been about driving for the sheer fun of it. Benna Ford is proud to have played a small part in the Mustang’s journey. That's why we sell not only the Mustang and Mustang Mach-E but also high-performance Mustang models from Shelby American Inc., whose founder started modifying Mustangs 60 years ago. Visit Benna Ford to start your own Mustang experience.