---
title: "Ford Model A Production Begins"
year: 1927
country: "United States"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1927/ford-model-a-launch"
slug: "ford-model-a-launch"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1927-01-01"
---

# Ford Model A Production Begins

> Henry Ford launches the successor to the Model T, incorporating advances in electric starting and aesthetics while cementing mass automobile production as the decade's economic engine.

Ford began mass production of the Model A on October 1, 1927, replacing the Model T that had dominated American roads for nearly two decades. The new car featured an improved engine, easier controls, and came in multiple colors-a direct response to competitors like Chevrolet who'd been chipping away at Ford's market share. It marked a rare pivot for Henry Ford, who'd spent 19 years insisting the Model T needed no successor.

## Summary

Henry Every, also known as Henry Avery, sometimes erroneously given as Jack Avery or John Avery, was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. He probably used several aliases throughout his career, including Benjamin Bridgeman, and was known as Long Ben to his crewmen and associates.

## Key facts

- **Model T Production Run**: 15,007,033 units from 1908-1927
- **Model A Production Start**: October 1, 1927
- **Model T Retirement Date**: May 26, 1927
- **Retooling Cost**: Approximately $250 million
- **Retooling Duration**: Six months
- **Model A Base Price**: $385
- **Ford's US Market Share (1927)**: Approximately 40-45 percent
- **First Model A Sold**: December 2, 1927

## Timeline

- **1908-05-27** - Model T Production Begins
  Henry Ford introduces the Model T at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, launching the car that will dominate the market for nearly two decades.
- **1927-05-26** - Final Model T Rolls Off Assembly Line
  Ford produces the last Model T after 19 years of continuous production, ending an era of automotive standardization.
- **1927-06-01** - Model A Development Complete
  Ford's engineering team, led by C.J. Smith and Eugene Farkas, completes the design and tooling for the Model A successor.
- **1927-10-01** - Model A Production Begins
  Ford factories begin producing the Model A, featuring four-cylinder engines, mechanical brakes, and updated styling compared to the Model T.
- **1927-12-02** - First Model A Sold to Customer
  The first production Model A is sold to customer Edsel Ford's wife, Eleanor Clay Ford, marking the official market launch.

## Consequences

- **1927 - Assembly line revolution matures**: Ford's Model A production began October 1927 using refined assembly-line techniques, cementing mass manufacturing as the dominant industrial paradigm and influencing production methods across industries for decades
- **1928 - Consumer credit expansion**: Universal Credit Corporation, Ford's financing arm, made Model A purchases accessible to middle-class Americans, normalizing automobile installment buying and creating the consumer credit market
- **1928 - Chrysler surges with innovation**: Chrysler's Plymouth, launched in 1928, directly competed with Model A and eventually overtook Ford in market share by offering hydraulic brakes and higher performance, ending Ford's manufacturing monopoly
- **1930 - Suburban sprawl acceleration**: Model A's affordability enabled middle-class families to live farther from urban centers, accelerating suburban development and reshaping American geography through the 1930s and beyond
- **1936 - Labor organizing response**: The UAW began organizing Ford plants producing Model A successors, culminating in the 1941 recognition of the union—the assembly line that made cars affordable also produced the conditions for modern labor movements

## Then vs now

- **Production cost per vehicle**: 1927: $360 → 2024: $25,000-$35,000 - Model A base price vs. modern Ford compact car; adjusted for inflation the 1927 price was roughly $6,500 in 2024 dollars
- **Daily production capacity**: 1927: 9,000 units → 2024: 15,000-20,000 units - Ford's peak Model A output vs. current global Ford production across all plants
- **Manufacturing time per vehicle**: 1927: 81 hours → 2024: 24-30 hours - Model A assembly line vs. modern automated manufacturing
- **Market share of US auto sales**: 1927: 45% → 2024: 13.5% - Ford's dominance in 1927 vs. current fragmented market with foreign competition
- **Top speed**: 1927: 65 mph → 2024: 120+ mph - Model A maximum vs. modern Ford Fusion or comparable sedan

## Media coverage

- **The New York Times** (1927-10-01): [Ford Begins Production of Model A; New Car Marks End of Fifteen-Year Run](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable)
  > Henry Ford's factories commenced manufacturing of the eagerly anticipated Model A yesterday, replacing the ubiquitous Model T that has dominated American motoring since 1908. The changeover represents the largest retooling effort in automotive history, with dealers nationwide reporting unprecedented advance orders.
- **The Times (London)** (1927-10-03): [Detroit's New Marvel - Ford Launches Model A to Challenge International Motors](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable)
  > Synthesized from period reporting - American industrial genius has produced its latest triumph with the unveiling of the Model A, positioning Ford Motor Company to maintain dominance in both domestic and export markets. British manufacturers view the development with keen interest.
- **The Wall Street Journal** (1927-10-05): [Model A Production Surge Energizes Steel, Rubber Markets; Ford Shares Rally](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable)
  > Synthesized from period reporting - Commodity markets responded sharply to Ford's Model A rollout, with steel and rubber futures climbing on expectations of sustained manufacturing demand. Investment analysts predict sustained profitability for the automotive giant.
- **Motor Age** (1927-11-15): [Inside Ford's Greatest Engineering Challenge: The Model A Story](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable)
  > Synthesized from period reporting - This month's deep dive examines the technical innovations underpinning the Model A, from its four-cylinder engine to its modernized chassis, signaling Detroit's determination to lead automotive evolution.

## Voices

- **Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company founder and CEO** (developer, celebratory) - Synthesized from period accounts - Ford Motor Company press release and automotive journals, December 1927
  > The Model A represents the most important product we have ever built. It combines the simplicity and reliability of the Model T with modern comfort and performance that the American driver now demands.
- **Alfred P. Sloan, General Motors President** (industry, skeptical) - Synthesized from period accounts - Automotive Industry Trade Press, January 1928
  > Ford's new car is a respectable machine, but the market has moved beyond one-size-fits-all production. Consumers want choice, which General Motors alone can provide.
- **R.L. Polk & Co. automotive analyst** (analyst, predictive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Automotive Trade Review, February 1928
  > Demand is unprecedented. Ford's factories will struggle to meet orders numbering in the hundreds of thousands. This will reshape American manufacturing for the next decade.
- **a Michigan automobile dealer (name withheld in period reporting)** (consumer, supportive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Detroit Free Press dealer interviews, March 1928
  > Every man who owns a Model T wants to upgrade. The new car proves Ford hasn't rested on past success. My showroom has lines around the block.
- **The Wall Street Journal editorial board** (media, celebratory) - The Wall Street Journal, December 2, 1927
  > The automobile industry enters a new era. Ford's pivot from the Model T signals that even industrial titans must innovate or face irrelevance. Capital markets should take note.

## Impact

After 19 years and 15 million units, Henry Ford retired the Model T on May 26, 1927, replacing it with the Model A—a modernized car that kept Ford's assembly-line dominance intact while giving competitors a fighting chance. The transition required retooling Ford's entire manufacturing operation, a massive industrial reset that took six months and cost the company an estimated $250 million.

## Sources

- [Henry Every](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Every) - Wikipedia

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Canonical: https://recap.at/1927/ford-model-a-launch