The Model T Revolution

On 27 September 1908, Ford’s first Model T was assembled at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, officially beginning production of the car that would transform personal mobility. The surviving Ford production card identifies it as Model 2090, car number one. The Model T was engineered for durability, simplicity and affordability, with a 2.9-litre four-cylinder engine and a design suited to America’s often difficult roads. It went on sale to the public on 1 October 1908.
Demand quickly exceeded Piquette’s capacity, prompting Ford to move production to the larger Highland Park plant in 1910. There, Ford’s moving assembly line, introduced in 1913, dramatically increased output and reduced costs. By 1927, more than 15 million Model Ts had been produced. The Model T became more than a successful car: it helped establish mass automobile ownership and demonstrated how manufacturing innovation could reshape mobility across generations worldwide.