Henry Ford's design of the Model T between 1906 and 1908 was an extraordinary achievement. At that time, the automobile industry was still in an experimental phase, yet Mr Ford's groundbreaking design lasted without major change for nearly two decades. More than 15 million Model Ts were built: performance and price gave the car an edge. In this book, published to celebrate the centenary of the Model T, John Duncan explains why it was such a phenomenon. The reasons for the car's success can be found in its brilliant mechanical design. The aim of this book is to provide a fresh and concise look at the design, and to show how Henry Ford's personality is reflected in the car he created. 'Any Color – So Long As It's Black' is simply written and will appeal to anyone who would like to understand what is so remarkable about the Model T and why it is a landmark in engineering history.

Henry Ford's design of the Model T automobile between 1906 and 1908 was an extraordinary achievement. The industry was, at the time, still in an experimental phase and yet this design lasted without major change for nearly two decades. More than 15 million Model Ts were built: performance and price gave the car an edge. In this sense they were 'popular', yet owners were apologetic about owning one. Mr Ford had the audacity to provide the car people needed, not the car they wanted.

The reasons for the car's success can be found in the details of the mechanical design. There is a vast technical literature available for the expert or the enthusiast and there are 20,000 Model Ts still on the road. This book provides a concise and fresh look at the design one hundred years later. It is not an engineering treatise or an owner's manual; the aim is to get inside the mind of Henry Ford and to explain the design features that accounted for the car's success and to do so in a way that will appeal to anyone who would like to know why it has generated so much enthusiasm. The story is as much about people as it is about nuts and bolts. The character of the engineer and his design are interwoven to a surprising degree, and the singular personality of Mr Ford is shown to be reflected in his car.