100 Cars That Changed History

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45. Ford Model T 1908–1927 United States

The Model T is the car that made automobiles affordable for the common man. Known as the tin lizzie, Model T, or just the T, the autos were manufactured by Henry Ford’s Ford Motor Company beginning in 1908. Henry Ford’s revolutionizing assembly process had made production of the vehicle much less costly than most other autos of the time. By using an assembly line instead of individual handcrafting each car, the Model T was able to be produced in greater numbers with a lower overhead. While Ford had not invented the assembly line nor produced the first car on an assembly line, his vision to make cars in as efficient manner as possible and to make cars available to mass market is what got the world driving. With over 15 million Model T’s sold, Ford’s vision was a remarkable success. It’s easy to see why the Global Automotive Elections Foundation awarded the Model T with the prestigious honor of being Car of the Century.