Sunday 14th December 1930

The first Ford Model A Victoria was introduced. Of the 17 body styles offered in 1930, the Model A’s third season, five were completely new. These included a Deluxe Phaeton, a Deluxe Roadster with sporty canted windshield and lower top profile, a two-window Deluxe Forder with blind rear quarters, a Deluxe Coupe with upscale interior and a close-coupled two-door sedan called “Victoria.” Of these, the Victoria was the most noteworthy, heralding a number of styling features that would find wider use in 1931.

Built with extra-wide doors for ease of entry, the Victoria had folding front seats for access to the roomy rear seat. Behind the rear seat was luggage space, provided by adding a pleasing “bustle” to the car’s rear contour. Introduced in November 1930, it had a visor-less slanted windshield and a lowered steering column, similar to that in the Deluxe Phaeton. Cars were available in two roof styles, with steel rear quarters or with a full padded fabric cover. Interior fabrics were either brown Bedford cord or striped tan broadcloth.

Just 6,447 Victorias were built in the final days of 1930. In 1931, production virtually soared. By the time production wound down in August, nearly 37,000 had been delivered. The body style was sufficiently popular that it was carried into 1934, by which time completely new bodies for 1935 were available with an externally-accessible trunk compartment. The name proved even more durable, being recycled for Ford’s first “hardtop convertible” in 1951.