FORD'S biggest ever volume seller and most legendary car, the Model T, is back in production as part of the firm's centenary celebrations.

Seventy four years after the last car rolled off the production line, Ford has built six brand new examples using 250 engineers taking two years to produce all the parts exactly as on the original.

All are identical to the 1914 version, sold under the slogan 'Any colour you want as long as it's black', which was the first to be constructed on a moving production line. In total more than 15 million were sold worldwide, with 30,000 built at Trafford Park in Manchester, Ford's first factory outside the USA.

The cars, designated the Model T-100, will feature in celebrations throughout the world, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 11 to 13 and the Henry Ford Day on May 11 at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Ford Motor Company milestones

  • 1896: Henry Ford builds his first vehicle, the Quadricycle in a shed behind his home in Detroit
  • 1903: Ford Motor Company founded on June 16 in Detroit, Michigan
  • 1904: Ford British sales organisation established
  • 1908: Model T introduced
  • 1911: The first factory outside the US opened in Trafford Park, Manchester for Model T production – 30,000 will be built there over the years
  • 1918: Work started on the massive Rouge plant in Michigan
  • 1919: Edsel Ford succeeds Henry as company president
  • 1924: Dagenham site purchased
  • 1926: The 15 millionth Model T comes off the production line
  • 1931: Production begins at Dagenham
  • 1939: Ford Anglia introduced
  • 1962: Cortina launched
  • 1968: Escort launched
  • 1976: Fiesta launched
  • 1993: Mondeo launched
  • 1999: Ford buys Volvo
  • 2000: Ford buys Land Rover from BMW