Ford Model T Information

The Ford Model T made cars very affordable.

Many consider the Ford Model T the most important car of all time because it brought automobiles to the masses. To this day enthusiasts still collect and study the Model T.

History

The first Ford Model T intended for commercial sale rolled off the assembly line of the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan on October 1, 1908.

Fun Fact

The Ford Model T sold over 15 million units over the lifespan of the model (1908 to 1927). As of 2010, the Model T ranks just behind the Volkswagen Beetle as the longest running model of any type of car.

Misconceptions

Henry Ford was not the first person to use an assembly line, nor did he invent the automobile. Ford's major contribution was his application of the assembly line to produce an affordable, durable and easy-to-use vehicle.

Effects

The Ford Model T changed the world by making transportation by a combustion engine affordable for the average person. Henry Ford made up for the lower profit margin and cost of the Model T by selling more of them.

Criticism

Despite its innovations, some critics, such as Dan Neil of Time magazine, consider the Model T one of the worst cars ever made. Neil believes it contributed to the massive pollution build-up during the twentieth century and made people feel entitled to an automobile.

References

• HFMGV.org; The Model T
• ModelT.ca; The Model T Ford
• Time Magazine: The 50 Worst Cars of All Time