The Model T was revolutionary, but Henry Ford didn’t pull it out of thin air. It was in large part a careful refinement of his Models N, R, and S of 1906 through 1908.

1906 Ford Model N Runabout with Henry Ford in the passenger seat 

Contrary to popular belief, Henry Ford was a highly successful automaker well before he introduced the Model T in October of 1908. One key to his success was the popularity of the Models N, R, and S of 1906-08. Not only did these cars lift Ford to the top ranks of the U.S auto industry, they served as the engineering foundation for the automobile that truly changed the world, the Model T.

1907 Ford Model R Runabout 

First, some housekeeping: The N, R, and S models are essentially the same car with different levels of equipment. (Even then, Ford was focused on standardization.) First came the Model N, launched in the spring of 1906 with simple mudguards and an introductory price of $500, soon raised to $600. Then came the 1907 Model R, selling for $750 with real fenders and running boards. A bit later the Model S arrived, including a fancy Roadster body style that boasted full fenders, running boards, and fender aprons. All three models were offered through 1908, and they are so similar apart from their bodywork that early Ford restorers refer to them collectively as the Model NRS. It was never an official designation, but it’s handy.

While the NRS chassis bears quite a resemblance to the Model T, it’s considerably smaller with an 84-inch wheelbase rather than 100 inches for the T. Also, the planetary two-speed transmission is exposed and the steering wheel is on the right. (When the Model T was introduced with the steering on the left, its overwhelming sales drove the standarization of left-hand drive for the U.S. auto industry.) At the rear end, instead of the Model T’s familiar transverse buggy spring, the NRS used a pair of full-elliptic leaf springs. Still, the origin of the Model T in the NRS is plain to see.

1908 Ford Model S engine 

While the Model T’s engine was quite advanced at its introduction (see our feature here), the NRS powerplant reflected standard industry practice with an aluminum crankcase and its four cylinders cast in pairs with non-detachable heads. Fixed to the front of the crankshaft was a six-spoke, cast-iron flywheel that also served as a cooling fan. The L-head valvetrain and intake and exhaust manifolds were on the left side of the engine, rather than the right as with the Model T. With a 3.75 in bore and a 3.375-in stroke supporting a displacement of 149 cubic inches, the NRS was rated at a modest 15 hp, but was still good for 40 mph according to Ford—nearly the same top speed as the Model T.

1908 Ford Model S Roadster water pump 

One novel feature of the NRS is the location of the centrifugal water pump: It’s mounted not on the engine but on the radiator, driven by a coupling. Not long after its introduction, the Model T would dispense with the water pump altogether. The acetylene headlamps were available at extra cost; apart from the dry cells for the ignition system there was no electrical power. The front axle, suspension and steering of the NRS are near-dead ringers for the Model T’s components.

It’s clear that Ford and his engineers, including Joe Galamb and C.H. Wills, took the ideas developed and lessons learned on the NRS and applied them to the Model T, adding a number of important innovations, too. As demand for the Model T exploded, there was no longer room for NRS production and the last Model S Roadsters were sold in early 1909. While the NRS was a stepping stone, it was a critical one. If not for the Models N, R, and S, the Model T may have been a very different car.

1908 Ford Model S Roadster