Ford introduced its much-ballyhooed new model, the Edsel.
Named in honor of Henry Ford’s son, it suffered from quality,
reliability and design issues, and the name instead becomes synonymous with failure.
Edsel Bryant Ford
(November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943)
On August 3, 1977, “The Spy Who Loved Me,” starring Roger
Moore as the suave superspy James Bond, known for his
love of fast cars and dangerous women,was released in
theaters across America.
The film features one of the most memorable Bond cars of
all time–a sleek, powerful Lotus Esprit sports car that does
double duty as a submarine (below).
While critics praised the car’s lightweight frame and superior
steering and handling, they gave it lesser marks for power,
noise and other more minor points.
Designed primarily by Ford’s assistant C. Harold Wills,
the Model A could accommodate two people side-by-
side on a bench; it had no top, and was painted red.
The car’s biggest selling point was its engine, which
at two cylinders and eight-horsepower was the most
powerful to be found in a passenger car.
On July 15, 1903, the newly formed Ford Motor Company
took its first order from Chicago dentist Ernst Pfenning:
an $850 two-cylinder Model A automobile with a tonneau
(or backseat).
The car, produced at Ford’s plant on Mack Street (now
Mack Avenue) in Detroit, was delivered to Dr. Pfenning
just over a week later.
Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947)
On June 30, 1953, workers at a Chevrolet plant in Flint,
Michigan, watched as the first completed Corvette, a
two-seater sports car that would become an American
icon, rolled off the assembly line.
It was one of just 300 Corvettes made that year.
The last day of production for the Ford Model T was May
26, 1927, when Henry Ford and his son Edsel drove the
15 millionth Model T out of the Highland Park, Michigan
factory.
This marked the official end of an era for the car that had
been in production since October 1, 1908.
The Model T’s success was largely due to Ford’s innovative
assembly line, which reduced production time from 12 hours
to just 40 seconds per car, allowing Ford to produce millions
of vehicles efficiently.
