The most important cars ever made by Ford

Slide of The Ford Motor Company was founded in Detroit 120 years ago, on 16 June 1903. Within five years, it had hit the jackpot, creating the most important, and for a long time the best-selling, car in history. Today, it remains one of the largest manufacturers in the world, and one - with its ubiquitous cars and vans - that has ingrained itself into the culture of the UK like few other foreign firms. This would not have been possible if it hadn’t produced a long series of great models. The definition of ‘great’ is fluid – we’re using it here to describe cars which might not have excelled in all areas, but which at least pushed Ford forward in one way or another. Among many other possibilities, we’re listing 50, in order of when they first went on sale: Slide of Ford Model A (1903) The main requirement of any manufacturer’s first car is that it should be successful enough to allow the company to create a second. The Model A was short-lived, remaining in production for only a year, but it at least fulfilled that requirement. It bore a close resemblance to the contemporary Cadillac Model A, which is perhaps not surprising since Cadillac was a reorganisation of the second company founded by Henry Ford (1863-1947), which was itself a reorganisation of his first. The main difference between the two cars was that while the Cadillac was powered by a 1.6-litre single-cylinder engine, the Ford had a 1.7-litre twin. Slide of Ford Model T (1908) Technological advance and the rapid growth of the US auto industry combined to ensure that none of the earliest Fords remained on sale for more than a couple of years. In contrast, the Model T was available all the way through from 1908 to 1927, and ended up far cheaper than it was on the day it was launched. Since it was the first car built using interchangeable parts on a moving assembly line, Ford was able to build it in enormous numbers. The exact figure is disputed, but it’s generally agreed to have been at least 15 million. This remained a record until it was beaten by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972, 45 years after the last Model T left the factory. Slide of Ford Model A (1927) The Model T was replaced - arguably far later than it should have been - by the second Ford known as Model A. Far more modern than the car it replaced, it survived for only four years. This might sound unimpressive, but during that short period Ford built nearly 4.9 million examples, with a bewildering variety of body styles. The T might have hit the big numbers overall, but the A easily exceeded it in terms of annual production. Even by 21st-century standards, Ford built Model As at a phenomenal rate. Slide of Ford Model Y (1932) Model T production began in Manchester in England in 1911, but by the early 1930s the British side of the operation was in serious trouble. In desperate need of a car which was cheap both to buy and to tax, it created the Model Y, which in its most basic form retailed for just £100 – a record low for a UK four-seater. Fortunately for Ford, it was a huge success, accounting for 40% of sales in the 8hp class. It was also built in other countries, including Germany, where it was named Köln (Cologne) because that’s where those versions were produced. Slide of Ford Model 18 (1932) As we’ll see, full-size American Fords were often grouped together and referred to collectively by the name of the model year in which they were first produced. This happened first in 1932, but in this case we’re concentrating on the Model 18. It’s a significant car because it marked the debut of a 3.6-litre V8 engine known, because of its configuration (the valves were alongside the cylinders rather than above them), as the Flathead, though the European term is sidevalve. V8s weren’t new at the time, but the fact that you could have one in a relatively inexpensive car certainly was. Slide of 1937 Ford The 1937 Ford range consisted of cars which were far more streamlined than those launched five years earlier. This was dictated partly by fashion, but Ford avoided Chrysler’s mistake (with its radical 1934 Airflow) of making these vehicles look so outlandish that customers shied away from them. The Flathead V8 engine had become so successful that Ford now offered nothing else. The only change was that a smaller, cheaper and of course less powerful 2.2-litre derivative was now available in addition to the 3.6. (PICTURE: Model 78 Deluxe Phaeton) Slide of 1941 Ford As with so many other cars of the period, production of the 1941 Ford was interrupted by the Second World War. How successful it would have been otherwise is impossible to say, but it was certainly a big advance over the ‘37 range, with a stiffer frame, a longer wheelbase, a wider body and far more space for passengers and luggage. The Flathead V8 was retained, of course, but the 2.2-litre version was abandoned in favour of a new 3.7