At the beginning of the 20th century, owning a car was the sole preserve of filthy rich folk in top hats and tails. Henry Ford’s Model T changed all that. On the first day of October 1908, a paltry $825 bought you a ticket to motorised freedom. More than 10 000 average Americans signed up for the ride that year. Four years later the price had dropped to $575, just as Ford’s industry-shaking moving assembly line was about to come on stream. Remarkably, by 1921 the price was down to $290 and just about anyone could afford to get intoxicated on T. By the time the party died down, 19 years had passed and more than 15 million ‘Tin Lizzies’ had found homes.

100 years on, the historical significance and iconic status of the ‘Car of the Century’s is undisputed. But you just can’t help wondering what a modern take on Ford’s motoring for the masses icon would look like. After all, it’s hard to ignore the sales success of other re-interpreted past masters like BMW’s new Mini and Fiat’s 500.

The idea tickled the fancy of David Beasley, a Master of Transportation Design graduate of both Coventry University and the Royal College of Art. Recognising that in the Model T, Ford has the most iconic car of all, he got out his sketch pad and designed something small but distinctly American. Something polarising, yet emotionally involving too. The result of his investigation of the affordable American dream looks bang on the money and good as the new Fiesta is, wouldn’t you rather go mall shoppin’, road trippin’, drag strippin’ or skinny dippin’ down by the lake in one of these?

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