. Not surprising, really, since Ford has a long history of producing popular vehicles. In fact, their history of best-sellers goes all the way back to some of the earliest cars. In 1922, the
was the iconic Ford Model T. Fast forward almost a hundred years and Ford topped the 2021 sales charts with the Ford F-Series.
Setting sales records with Fords
Actually, the Ford F-Series has been America's bestselling vehicle for the last 40 consecutive years! And to think that Ford's remarkable track record of success in the vehicle industry started with a rather boxy (and a bit rickety-looking!) horseless carriage.
The Ford Model T made its debut in 1908. According to a report on
, by 1922 the Model T was so popular that it became the first motorized vehicle to surpass one million sales in a single calendar year. It actually hit an astounding 1.3 million-plus sales globally in 1922!
Eventually, most American families could claim a Model T as their own.
reports that Ford's goal was to bring affordable cars to the masses.
The Runabout was the entry-level Ford Model T and its starting price was just $319. That's the equivalent of $4,803 in today's money. Even though it was still a bit pricey for the average worker, the Model T was cheap for a car at that time.
By utilizing a revolutionary assembly line process, Ford was able to bring the price down even lower. The Model T soon became a popular form of transportation for nearly everyone. The super-rich were no longer the only people who could afford a car.
Like its descendants in the Ford F-Series, buyers could choose from several different versions of the Ford Model T. In fact, unlike F-Series buyers today, Model T buyers could choose between trucks and cars.
The truck version of the Ford Model T was designated as a Model TT, with the second T standing for "truck". The Model TT was both utilitarian and remarkably stylish. Think of it as a cross between an old farm wagon and a modern pickup truck.
Ford actually offered seven variations on the Model T in 1922. Besides the Runabout and truck, there was also a coupe and a four-door. As for color, Henry Ford famously declared that, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants—so long as it is black."
Whatever happened to the Ford Model T?
MORE: What Are the Oldest Cars in the World?
The Tin Lizzie, as the Model T was commonly known, was phased out in 1927. It had become old-fashioned by that time and was often an object of mild scorn.
There was also a lot more competition from other makers' cars by then—and not all of the color choices they offered were black. The Model T was replaced in the Ford lineup in December 1927 by the modern-looking (and colorful!) Ford Model A.
However, there are still a surprising number of ancient Model T cars still running. That's a testament to their quality construction, the careful care they've received over the last hundred years, and their enduring legacy as one of America's greatest cars.
History, cars, and insurance
Even Tin Lizzies needed insurance, and if you still own one, you may need a little extra insurance! Historical and treasured classic cars are generally priceless—to their owners, anyway.
As such, they deserve the best insurance that money can buy.
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