On this day in auto history – February 19th

Fri 19th Feb 2021

At London’s Royal Albert Hall on this day in 1932, Ford first unveiled its Model Y - the first Ford car specifically designed for the British market.

Known as the ‘baby Ford’ or the ‘Ford 8’ (from the horsepower rating), the vehicle was powered by a 933-cc engine and was available in two and four door versions. The two-door model cost just £100, making it the cheapest four-seater saloon ever sold.

Although of American design, the Model Y took the British market by storm when it was first introduced, making huge inroads into the sales figures of domestic powerhouses Austin and Morris.

Production of the vehicle eventually ended in 1937 and it is believed that over 1200 of the vehicles survive to this day!