The Ford Model T was first produced from October 1, 1908, until May 26, 1927. It is widely thought of as the first affordable car and is known for its unparalleled availability to middle-class American. Additionally, its popularity was magnified by its ability to be driven anytime, its ability to transport one's family, its range, its large-scale production, and its ability to symbolize individuality and innovation.
1908 Model T
Its irregularly low price was mainly due to the efficiency of its production, as it was one of the first cars to ever be mass-produced on an assembly line. Whereas other cars at the time were being individually handcrafted out of wood and were, therefore, could only be purchased by members of the upper class. However, the use of a complete assembly line was not implemented until 1910, after the production of 12,000 Model T's. These first 12,000 cars were built with increasingly large amounts of machinery, which greatly increased the production rate and greatly lowered the cost. This eventually led to the modern assembly line, while in the first month of production, only 11 cars were completely built.
Early Assembly Lines
This heightening production rate was mainly forced to increase because of the car's high demand. Ford's advertising strategies appealed to the expanding middle class, as the economy was still growing at the time. Before the initial release of the car, Ford said, "I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one." These attractive claims encouraged over 15,000 people to order a Model T within the first days of its release. This demand increased exponentially and in 1918, half of all the cars in the U.S. were Model T's. As of 2012, the Model T is the eighth most sold car of all time, at 16.5 million.
Various "Model T" Advertisements
The Model T had a 20 hp engine and a top speed of 40–45 mph and a range of 13–21 mpg. Famously, in 1909, Ford said that, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." Despite this claim, the Model T was made in gray, green, blue, and red until 1913, and only in 1914 was the car only available in black. During its reign spanning almost two decades, there were numerous versions of the Model T.
All Versions of the "Model T"
6 comments:
I really like how you put the various Model T advertisements at the bottom. I like how you stated what the effects of the T Model were and why it was important. I liked how you talked about the pricing and demand on the car.
This is a very interesting and in depth look into the Model T. It is very unique that you showed so many pictures and different angels of the Model T over time, really showing the way that it evolved with society.
I can better understand how Ford was able to make a huge step forward in automobiles, thanks to how you included the multiple areas of his industry such as strong advertising to his target audience, very effective and cheap production in a large magnitude, and some aesthetic options that made his products more appealing to those that wanted more specific options.
These strategies together were effective enough to set records and cause huge revolutions in fields such as manufacturing and advertising.
Very informative.
Who invented the car??
This is is a very interesting piece on the Model T. It explained how mass production as well as the purposeful design were ways in which cars became accessible to the masses.
What a truly revolutionary product! This car specifically transformed how the average American viewed short to medium range transportation, creating more opportunities for long car trips (unfortunately for me) as well as visiting semi- far relatives.
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