1: Not The First Car
Some people mistakenly believe that the Ford Model T was the first automobile in existence. This is entirely false. Motor vehicles date back to the 1870s, which is at least twenty years before the first Model T rolled out.
In fact, it was not even Henry Ford’s, founder of the Ford Motor Company, first automobile. That would be the Model A. What made this automobile stand out was how it was produced, which is discussed below.
2: Revolutionized Car Making
Before Henry Ford, automobiles in both the United States and Europe were seen as a luxury only for the rich. They were made by individually skilled craftsmen, which took much time.
Ford revolutionized car making when he set up assembly lines to mass produce his new Model T in 1908 (the year it was introduced). Mass production allowed Ford to reduce the price of his cars, making them available to the common people for the first time.
3: Only Available In One Color
The Model T was only available in one color: black. A famous statement from Henry Ford came about:
“Customers can choose any color, as long as its black!“
Offering only one color had its purpose. It was Ford’s mission to reduce the price of his cars, and black was the cheapest color of paint to produce at the time. In 1910, a Model T cost $950. By 1923, that price was $269.
4: Succeeded Nineteen Other Models
Henry Ford named each model of his cars in alphabetical order. His first car was the Model A, and he went on to design a Model B, Model C, and so on. However, Models B through S are hardly known about since most of them never made it past the prototype stage, let alone past the drawing board. Many of these models were simply never produced.
The Model T came after the other nineteen models named by the alphabet, and became the one to prevail.
5: Dominated The U.S. Car Market
This automobile dominated the U.S. automobile market for nineteen years. Nicknamed “Tin Lizzies”, they stayed in production from 1908 to 1927. Even after they left the production line, the legacy of the Model T has helped to shape the future of the automobile industry in the United States.
Once the success rates were proven, other car makers, such as General Motors, began to copy the Ford model of mass production with assembly lines. And Ford, of course, continued to use it as well. He also stopped naming his new cars after alphabetical letters, since the Model T had become so popular.
Conclusion
Henry Ford’s assembly line model that was introduced with the Model T has gone down in history as one of the most revolutionizing ideas that has helped shape the future of many industries. There is also an interesting correlation here: the Model T succeeded nineteen other models and was in production for nineteen years.
