Which 1999 contest named the Ford Model T the most influential car of the 20th century?

The 1999 contest was called Car of the Century, and it named the Ford Model T the most influential car of the 20th century. The result was announced at an awards gala in Las Vegas on December 18, 1999.

The international competition was organized under the Global Automotive Elections Foundation. Its selection process began with hundreds of candidate cars, which were narrowed by expert review, public voting, and a jury of automotive journalists from around the world.

The final vote ranked the Model T first with 742 points. The BMC Mini placed second, the Citroën DS third, the Volkswagen Beetle fourth, and the Porsche 911 fifth. The contest’s wording is important: it recognized influence, not simply sales, speed, luxury, or technical sophistication.

The Model T’s victory reflected its impact on affordable transportation and industrial production. Ford’s moving assembly-line methods helped make car ownership accessible to millions, while the car became a symbol of mass motorization. Car of the Century was an award competition, not the name of a museum or a recurring global sales ranking.