Cars Through the Decades
Nov 21, 2011
In our every day lives, we see cars everywhere. They’re our form of transportation, toys made for young kids, and featured in movies as characters we all love. But even though we know the best methods for cleaning our cars, we may not know how our cars came to be. Today, we’re sharing a brief history of the automobile industry.
1885: An automobile powered by a 4-stroke cycle gasoline engine.
According to Ralph Stein in his 1967 work The Automobile Book, Karl Benz is commonly known as the inventor of the modern automobile. After creating his first automobile, Benz would go on to design and patent the first internal-combustion flat engine, called the “boxer motor.” His wife would be the first to test drive his vehicle by taking a road trip.
1893: The first running, gasoline-powered American car was built and road-tested.
The first public running of the Duryea Motor Wagon (created by the Duryea brothers) took place on September 21, 1893, on Taylor Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. According to “The First Car – A History of the Automobile,” to construct their car, the brothers had purchased a used horse-drawn buggy for $70 and then installed a 4 horsepower, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car had a friction transmission, spray carburetor, and low-tension ignition.
1914: The Ford Model T is the first “affordable” American car.
At this point in history, Ford took over the concept of an assembly line production system and greatly reduced the manpower needed to produce cars. According to Vintage Cars 1886 to 1930, when Ford started mass producing cars, the time went from 12.5 hours to only 1 hour and 33 minutes.
1952: The first major evolution in automobile body style.
According to The People History, the cars of the 50’s offered not only a new body style but also a whole array of improvements including: new improved hydraulic brakes, gear shift on the steering column, a full air conditioning system, and new distinctive body styling.
2011: The future of automobiles.
With new innovations every day ranging from new safety features to all-electric cars, and new body styles popping up each year, it can be confusing to predict what’s coming soon, and that’s why we’d like to hear from you! Tweet us @WeBuyAnyCarUSA to share what car innovations you predict will happen in the next few years.
