By 1931, the Ford Model A was nearing the end of its short but remarkably successful production life. Introduced in late 1927 as the replacement for the Model T, it had brought Ford into a new era of more powerful engines, conventional controls and greater comfort.

This particular Model A has an additional connection to Ford history. It was one of the vehicles used in New Zealand to promote a major manufacturing milestone, the production of Ford's 20 millionth vehicle.

A Modern Replacement for the Model T

When the Model A appeared, it represented a considerable advance over the Model T.

Its 3.3-litre L-head four-cylinder engine produced approximately 40 horsepower, around twice the output of the Model T. Power was delivered through a conventional three-speed manual transmission with a clutch and floor-mounted gear lever.

For drivers accustomed to the Model T's unusual pedal-operated planetary transmission, the Model A offered controls much closer to those that would become standard across the motor industry.

More Comfort and Better Brakes

Ford also gave the Model A features designed to meet the changing expectations of motorists.

Four-wheel mechanical brakes provided braking at each wheel, while hydraulic shock absorbers improved ride control. A safety-glass windscreen offered an additional measure of protection for occupants.

The Model A was available in a wide variety of open and closed body styles. Sedan models such as this one provided enclosed accommodation and protection from the weather, reflecting the increasing popularity of comfortable closed cars by the beginning of the 1930s.

Ford Reaches 20 Million

On 14 April 1931, Ford Motor Company celebrated an extraordinary achievement when its 20 millionth vehicle was completed at the Rouge plant in Michigan.

The milestone vehicle was a black 1931 Model A Fordor Town Sedan. It was prominently marked as the "Twenty Millionth Ford" and became the centrepiece of a major publicity campaign.

The achievement represented considerably more than Model A production alone. It counted Ford vehicles produced since the company began manufacturing automobiles in 1903 and demonstrated the enormous scale Ford had achieved in less than three decades.

A Worldwide Celebration

Ford's 20 millionth vehicle was an opportunity for the company and its dealers to promote the milestone well beyond the factory gates.

The actual 20 millionth Ford travelled extensively through the United States, appearing at dealerships and public events as part of a nationwide promotional tour.

The celebrations also reached international markets, including New Zealand. Ford had become a global manufacturer, and milestones achieved in America provided valuable opportunities for local distributors and dealers to promote the marque around the world.

The New Zealand Connection

This is where the Southward car becomes particularly interesting.

This 1931 Model A Sedan was one of the vehicles used around New Zealand to promote the production of the 20 millionth Ford. Rather than being the actual milestone vehicle, it helped bring the story of that achievement to New Zealand motorists.

That connection gives this car a history beyond simply being another surviving Model A. It represents the enormous international reach Ford had developed by the early 1930s and the way major automotive achievements were promoted to customers on the other side of the world.

Success During the Depression

The 20 millionth Ford milestone came during a difficult period for the motor industry.

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 had been followed by the Great Depression, dramatically reducing demand for new cars. Ford, like other manufacturers, saw sales decline as economic conditions worsened.

Despite this, the Model A remained one of the great production successes of its era. Approximately 4.85 million were manufactured during its relatively brief production run.

The End of the Model A

Model A production ended in 1931 as Ford prepared for another major change.

For 1932, the company introduced a new generation of automobiles, including the famous Ford V8. The arrival of an affordable V8-powered Ford would once again change expectations of what a mass-produced car could offer.

The Model A therefore occupies an important position between two of Ford's most significant achievements. It replaced the revolutionary Model T and helped carry the company into the era of the V8.

This Car

Built in 1931, this Model A Sedan comes from the final year of Model A production and represents a period when Ford had grown from an American automobile manufacturer into a truly international industrial giant.

Its connection with the celebrations surrounding Ford's 20 millionth vehicle makes it particularly significant. While the actual milestone car toured the United States, this Model A helped tell the same story here in New Zealand.

It survives as a tangible link between New Zealand motoring history and one of Ford's greatest early manufacturing milestones.