Which company made the Model T?
Quick answer
The Ford Motor Company introduced the Model T on October 1, 1908. Designed to be simple, tough and affordable, it put millions of ordinary Americans behind the wheel. Thanks to Henry Ford’s moving assembly line, its price fell from $850 to about $260 by the 1920s, and more than 15 million were built by 1927.
Key facts
- Maker
- Ford Motor Company
- Introduced
- October 1, 1908
- Production
- 1908–1927
- Units built
- More than 15 million
A car for everyone
Before the Model T, cars were mostly expensive toys for the rich. Henry Ford wanted to build a car “for the great multitude.” The Model T was easy to drive and repair, and high enough off the ground to handle muddy, rutted country roads. People nicknamed it the “Tin Lizzie.”
The moving assembly line
| Before (1912) | After (1914) |
|---|---|
| About 12 hours to build one car | About 90 minutes |
| Workers moved around a stationary car | The car moved past workers at fixed stations |
Ford introduced the moving assembly line at his Highland Park plant near Detroit in 1913. It transformed manufacturing worldwide. Read more about the city in which city is known as the Motor City.
The $5 day
In 1914, Ford doubled many workers’ pay to $5 a day, a huge wage at the time. This cut staff turnover and meant his workers could afford to buy the cars they built.
“Any color… so long as it’s black”
Henry Ford is famously quoted as saying customers could have a Model T in any color “so long as it is black.” From 1914 to 1925, the Model T came only in black, because black paint dried fastest, keeping the assembly line moving. Earlier and later versions came in other colors.
Model T facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | 20 horsepower |
| Top speed | About 70 km/h (45 mph) |
| Starting | Hand crank (an electric starter was added later) |
| Successor | The Model A (1927) |
At its peak, about half the cars in the world were Model Ts.
Legacy
The Model T helped create suburbs, highways, gas stations and road trips. In 1999, it was voted the Car of the Century. For another early transport breakthrough, see what the Wright brothers’ first airplane was called.
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