Fifty years ago today Ford Motor Credit Co. launched. There have been some hiccups in the years since (leasing, subprime lending, the credit crisis, etc), but Ford Credit remains the No. 1 auto finance company in the nation with $88.2 billion of total outstandings in the US at yearend 2008 and despite a 14.5% year-over-year decline, according to the Auto Finance Big Wheels data report. We at AutoFinanceNews.net congratulate FMCC on reaching this significant milestone.