Two weeks later, Henry Ford sold his first Model T.

The "2008: Year of the Car" is a summer-long auto-tourism festival in southeastern Michigan to celebrate these momentous centennials and offer residents and tourists an unprecedented palette of auto-themed attractions.

Year of the Car launches in conjunction with National Transportation Week on May 10, 2008 and concludes five months later with the Automotive Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies in early October. In between, Year of the Car links more than 100 activities at nearly 60 different locations, giving residents and tourists many never-before-offered automotive experiences.

Year of the Car is a collaborative effort being organized and sponsored by MotorCities National Heritage Area, an affiliate of the National Park Service, dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the automotive heritage of Michigan.

Additional partners

Additional Year of the Car partners include Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, The Henry Ford, Travel Michigan, and dozens of other organizations that celebrate automotive heritage throughout the region.

In addition to the Ford and General Motors sponsored centennial celebrations coming in September, Year of the Car will honor GM and the Ford Model T with phenomenal experiences including:

At the GM Heritage Center, take a rare behind-the-scenes look at GM's stunning, private car collection, where hundreds of GM concept cars, production cars and racecars have been lovingly maintained and restored.

This facility is typically closed to the public; however, MotorCities has the privilege of opening this fascinating venue on a limited schedule during the Year of the Car celebrations.

The Henry Ford, America's Greatest History Attraction, has created "The Model T Experience", a series of unique programs and events that celebrate the car that changed the face of America and the world.

Hop in a real Model T and take a narrated tour through Greenfield Village. From Model T songs, commemorative gifts and an audience participation game show called "What's My Assembly Line?" The Henry Ford pays a summer-long tribute to the car that put the world on wheels.

Other "2008: Year of the Car" museums and collections include: The Alfred P. Sloan Museum in Flint, Detroit Historical Museum's Motor City Exhibition, GMnext showroom in Detroit, and the R.E. Olds Museum in Lansing.