The Ford Focus has been a huge hit here and the latest version runs on bioethanol, but as Paddy Comyndiscovered, the Model T could already do that 100 years ago
With Ford celebrating 90 years as a company in Ireland and the Ford Focus dominating the sales charts in Ireland, it seemed like a good idea to see how we have progressed since 1917.
The Model T Ford was built between 1908 and 1927 and some 15 million were produced in this period. It is generally regarded as the first affordable car, the car that "put America on wheels" because it was considerably less expensive than other cars produced at the time.
The Ford Focus has been produced since 1998 and it became an instant hit as the replacement to the much-loved Ford Escort. Both it and the second-generation model, that arrived in 2004, have been international top-sellers and the car has dominated the Irish sales charts for several years. In 2006 Ford released the Ford FlexiFuel (FFV), boasting up to 80 per cent less CO2 emissions than an equivalent petrol car and running on any mixture of petrol or E85 bio-ethanol.
There are some fairly obvious differences in the two cars when it comes to styling.
The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills and two Hungarian immigrants, Joseph A Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Aerodynamics was not a major concern for the designers but the styling can be accurately be described as "original".
Access is easy, through the one front passenger door, and the driving position is compact and upright. The dashboard layout can best be described as simple, with a steering wheel and a speedometer. I was, as you can imagine, somewhat dismayed to find that there was nowhere to put my iPod.
After cranking (literally) the Model T into life, the four-cylinder 20bhp engine coughs into action. The Model T is a rear-wheel drive vehicle with a planetary gear type. This transmission is controlled by three pedals and a lever mounted to the left of the driver's seat. The throttle is controlled with another lever on the steering wheel.
The left pedal is used to engage the gear. When pressed and held, the car enters the lower gear and when held in the middle, it is in neutral. If you push the lever forward and take your feet off the pedal, the Model T enters high gear. The middle pedal is used to engage reverse gear and the right pedal operates the engine brake.
The floor lever also controls the parking brake, which is activated by pulling the lever all the way back. Attempting to teach me how to drive this 1911 Model T is its owner, Eamon Dunne, from Bray, who has owned this car since 1995. As you can imagine, he is quite nervous about re-teaching me how to drive in a car that he has worked tirelessly on for many years.
On the road, the Model T accelerates in its own good time, but any speed in this kind of car has a menacing feel to it, given the several days notice required to stop. The Focus employs a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension set-up, it offers probably the best ride and handling in its class, which is not what can be said for the Model T.
The suspension in the Model T uses live springs, which were an evolution from the horse and cart, but make the ride somewhat challenging and cornering interesting. One shudders to think the kind of crashes that occurred with these cars over the years.
While the Focus has a five-star Euro NCAP score and boasts multiple airbags, the Model T is just one big crumple zone. I imagine they just bury the driver and the car in one go in the event of a crash.
The Model T's four-cylinder 20bhp engine, which can run on either petrol or ethanol should get it up to 70km/h and this isn't bad for a 96-year-old car.
Where the Focus has a major advantage is when you come to a steep hill. Because the petrol is fed to the engine in the Model T by gravity and since reverse offers more power than the forward gears, the Model T car is best driven up steep hills backwards. The Focus has some 105bhp more than the Model T and this allows it to reach a maximum speed of 198km/h and return 7l/100km, despite weighing almost twice as much as the Model T.
There are other advantages in terms of luggage space, a roof to stop you getting wet, air conditioning, an audio system, comfort, safety and security, but apart from all that there really isn't much to tell these two cars apart.
What the Model T has is character by the bucket load and an undeniable heritage that sees it regarded as one of the most influential machines in the world. Henry Ford made the car accessible to the masses and one suspects he would be rather pleased with their latest offering too.
Ford celebrate 90 years in Ireland
Ninety years ago this week, on the 17th April 1917, the company of Henry Ford and Son was officially incorporated, with a registered office at 36 South Mall, Cork.
The first Fordson tractor left the assembly line in July 1919 and the company quickly prospered in Ireland. The Cork plant was responsible for producing hundreds of thousands of Ford trucks, tractors and cars until production was ceased in 1984.
The Model T was built from 1908 until 1927 and some 15 million were produced; 10,000 of which came off the Cork production line between 1923 and 1927.
The model was offered in several body styles, including a five-seat touring car, a two-seat runabout and a seven-seat town car. A choice of colours was originally available, but from 1913 to 1925 the car was mass-produced in only one colour - black.
It is thought that there are over 200 Model T's in Ireland. The Irish Model T Club boasts over 100 members, with many of these owning multiple cars. In 1930, when the population of Cork was approximately 80,000, Ford employed 7,000 there and until the assembly operations were closed in 1984, Henry Ford and Son were the star company in Cork.
Thanks again to Eamon Dunne for trusting us with his car. To contact the Irish Model T Club you can reach their Honorary Secretary William Cuddy on 086 832 57 69 or at whcc@ocm.iol.ie