Compare and Contrast early Ford Model T and Late model Ford Crown Essay

Compare and Contrast early Ford Model T and Late model Ford Crown Victoria - Essay Example With a front-mounted, 2.9 L, 4 cylinder motor in a block producing 20 horsepower for a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h), the Model T had many qualities which would today be considered vintage, and yet ironically also had features that would be considered state of the art amongst the vehicles in the modern day. One such feature is that it had no clutch pedal, and shifting was instead accomplished by means of floor pedals with no clutching required. The Early Ford Model T was particularly light at only about 1 200 pounds, and yet incredibly powerful with such an engine under the hood. "Simple, sturdy, and versatile, the little car would excite the public imagination." ("Forbes"). By removing the twelve bolts on the top of the car off, the entire hood pulls away, exposing all four cylinders, all four pistons and all eight valves. "The crank case is oil tight and in addition to enclosing the crank shaft, forms the lower half of the housing of the transmission, fly-wheel, magneto and flexible joint, all of which are enclosed and operated in an oil bath. This form of construction makes dripping of oil impossible as all working parts are enclosed." ("Ford"). The Model T had high and low control speeds and an emergency brake by hand levers at the left of the driver. Spark and throttle gave it all speeds from 3 to 40 miles per hour. Ford reduction gear system, two sets of brakes: a service band brake on the transmission, and internal expanding brakes in the rear hub drums, artillery wood wheels, pneumatic tires, seating for four adults, and for a price of $850, the Ford Model T was classed as - and in fact still is - "The Car of the Century". It quickly became "one of the biggest-selling automobiles of all time." ("Encarta"). There are many similarities and certainly many more differences in the comparison of The Ford Model T to an automobile such as the Late Model Ford Crown Victoria. This model, also known as the "Crown Vic", was first produced in 1955, and did not outlast the 1950s. The Crown Victoria is often referred to as the "Dodge Monaco" of the 1990s and beyond, and is a universally popular automobile. "Some 90% of police cars in the US and Canada are Crown Victorias, since Ford was the only automaker still making sedans for police after the Chevrolet Caprice was phased out after 1996." ("Wikipedia"). "The Crown Vic is heavy, almost SUV-like heavy. It depends on this bulk to run suspects off the road should the need arise." ("Modern"). The Crown Victorias are popular for their impressive safety ratings, easily accessible entry and exit, quiet interior, and optional power-adjustable pedals - over 80 000 Crown Vics are sold in a single year. This luxury sedan is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 that produces 224 horsepower. "The base Crown Victoria ($23 620) comes standard with air conditioning, ABS, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, tilt steering wheel,