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Henry Ford's first vehicle rode on four bicycle wheels and was powered by a four-horsepower engine.Instead of a steering wheel, the Quadricycle had a tiller. The gearbox had only two forward with no reverse.
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Henry Ford joins a group that founds the Detroit Automobile company. Ford leaves company within one year.
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Ford designed the 26-horsepower Sweepstakes and defeated Alexander Winton's 70-horsepower Bullet in 10 laps around the one-mile oval of the Detroit Driving Club. The victory lead to Henry Ford's second short-lived attempt at auto manufacture, the Henry Ford Company.
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Ford's innovation eventually reduced the Model T's chassis assembly line from 12.5 hours to 1.5 hours, and in doing so precipitated a revolution in manufacturing. The accelerating speed with which Ford could produce cars helped him continue to lower the price of a Model T.
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Ford produces the first truck. The Ford Model TT was a truck based on the Model T car, but with a reinforced chassis and rear axle. This early pickup was rated at one ton.
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Edsel Ford created Mercury cars to bridge the gap between affordable Fords and luxurious Lincoln cars. The first Mercury was the 1939 Mercury 8, which had the V8 engine and a stylish body characteristic of Edsel Ford's design sense.
