The Model T was introduced on October 1, 1908. It had the steering wheel on the left, which every other company soon copied. The entire engine and transmission were enclosed; the four cylinders were cast in a solid block; the suspension used two semi-elliptic springs. The car was very simple to drive, and easy and cheap to repair. It was so cheap at $825 in 1908 ($21,990 today) (the price fell every year) that by the 1920s, a majority of American drivers had learned to drive on the Model T.[12]
Ford created a huge publicity machine in Detroit to ensure every newspaper carried stories and ads about the new product. Ford's network of local dealers made the car ubiquitous in almost every city in North America. As independent dealers, the franchises grew rich and publicized not just the Ford but the concept of automobiling; local motor clubs sprang up to help new drivers and to encourage exploring the countryside. Ford was always eager to sell to farmers, who looked on the vehicle as a commercial device to help their business. Sales skyrocketed—several years posted 100% gains on the previous year. Always on the hunt for more efficiency and lower costs, in 1913 Ford introduced the moving assembly belts into his plants, which enabled an enormous increase in production. Although Ford is often credited with the idea, contemporary sources indicate that the concept and its development came from employees Clarence Avery, Peter E. Martin, Charles E. Sorensen, and C. Harold Wills.[13] (See Ford Piquette Avenue Plant)
This is one of my favorite segments. Everyone seems to focus in on the mass production aspect but look closely, he started so much more. Car clubs, marketing campaigns, independent dealerships and B2B networking with his linking with farmers. The genius behind it all, that "a majority of American drivers had learned to drive on the Model T". This was druing a time when owning a vehicle was not a "norm" so think about that for a second, future drivers in a world where driving is new and possibly scary, now you feel comfortable behind that Model T, what will you buy in the future? A Ford product? Coincidence?
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