Car Reviews
Model A Helped Launch Ford Motor Company on the Road to Putting the World on Wheels
- Model A was the first product of Ford Motor Company, which launched June 16, 1903
- With cash reserves almost gone, three sales of the Model A the next month saved the company
- Model A had a two-cylinder engine producing 8 horsepower and could achieve speeds of up to 30 mph
It’s no coincidence that a car named the Model A started the road to success for Ford Motor Company in 1903.
Though that road – mirroring those of the time – was anything but smooth.
Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company on June 16, 1903. One month later, his cash reserves were less than $250.
In short, the company needed a doctor. Interestingly enough, Dr. E. Pfennig of Chicago was one of three customers who came to the
rescue.
A much-needed cash infusion of $1,320 arrived on July 13, 1903, keeping Ford Motor Company afloat. This amount included Dr. Pfennig’s full payment and deposits from the two other customers.
Dr. Pfennig’s Model A was shipped to him on July 28, 1903, from the plant on Mack Avenue. The 1903 Ford Model A had a two-cylinder engine producing 8 horsepower and displacing 100 cubic inches. It could reach 30 mph on smooth roads, which were rare.
By contrast, the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 has an eight-cylinder engine displacing 355 cubic inches and can attain a top speed of more than 200 mph.
Only one of the three Model A cars sold on July 13, 1903, remains. Executive Chairman Bill Ford recently purchased it at auction. The announcement of the purchase and its return to the Ford family kicked off the yearlong celebration of the 150 th anniversary of the birth of Henry Ford.
