117 years ago, Ford changed the road forever
This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 117 ans, Ford changeait la route à jamais" in French.
- 12/08/2025 11:36
On August 12, 1908, at the Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit, a Ford would forever change the automotive industry.
On that day, workers at the Ford Motor Company assembled the very first Model T, a car that would not just drive on American roads: it would shape the industrial 20th century.
Until then, the automobile remained a luxury item reserved for wealthy clientele. Models were hand-assembled in small series, and their cost placed them out of reach for the general public. Henry Ford had a different vision: to design a car that was simple, sturdy, economical, and produced in sufficient quantities for the average worker to afford. The Model T would embody that promise.
The first model, painted gray and not yet in “Ford black,” rolled out of the workshops with a 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine developing about 20 horsepower. Far from the performance of luxury cars, it focused on reliability, ease of maintenance, and suitability for often rough roads.
Henry Ford’s Vision
While this August 12, 1908, marks the birth of the Model T, it was in 1913 that Ford introduced the moving assembly line in Highland Park, drastically reducing manufacturing times and thus the selling price. From $850 in 1908, the car dropped to under $300 in the 1920s, becoming accessible to millions of households.
Between 1908 and 1927, more than 15 million Model Ts were produced, an absolute record for the time. The car became a symbol of individual mobility and the American dream, crossing continents and cultures. It also inspired countless derivatives: utility vehicles, trucks, agricultural vehicles… and even some makeshift creations by daring tinkerers.
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This August 12 is therefore not just a date in a history book; it is the starting point of a major social and economic transformation. By making the car accessible to the greatest number, Henry Ford not only motorized America, but he also paved the way for the modern automobile era, where mass production and industrial innovation become the engines of progress.
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