Famous Automobiles and Their Evolution
Automobiles are wheeled motor vehicles that are used for transportation. Most definitions say that they run on roads and seat one to eight people. They have four wheels and are primarily used for transportation. Throughout history, there have been numerous innovations and changes in the design and construction of cars. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous automobiles and their evolution.
Ford’s mass production techniques
Mass production techniques for automobiles were created by Henry Ford, who introduced the Model T in 1908. The moving assembly line was a revolutionary way of producing automobiles. It required less workers and reduced the time needed to create the automobile. Ford also used conveyor belts to move automobile parts from one place to another.
The Ford assembly line used metal strips that rolled along a conveyor belt that was pulled across the factory floor and back to the starting area. This method drastically cut human effort and dominated the automobile industry for nearly five decades. Almost every industrial manufacturer later adopted similar techniques. Although there have been exceptions, mass production techniques were one of the foundations of the automobile industry.
German-Austrian inventors
German-Austrian inventors are often credited with the invention of automobiles. However, these inventors were not the first. In fact, the concept of the automobile dates back to the 18th century. During the 19th century, the German-Austrian engineers and manufacturers contributed greatly to the advancement of the automobile.
In 1886, Gottlieb Daimler first fitted a horse carriage with a four-stroke engine. Two years later, in 1889, he built two automobiles from scratch. Between 1890 and 1895, he and his friend Wilhelm Maybach produced thirty automobiles. While the invention of the automobile is still considered a German-Austrian invention, it wasn’t developed until the nineteenth century.
Stanley Steamers
The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of steam cars. It produced a number of models and was commonly known as a “Stanley Steamer”. The company’s cars were first made in 1902 and continued production until 1924. Today, they are still popular and used to provide transportation.
The Stanley brothers had a passion for mechanical design and were keenly interested in photography. They also experimented with early X-ray equipment. In 1897, they built the first steam-powered car and sold the design to the Locomobile company. Three years later, they founded the Stanley Motor Carriage Co., which was built using the same design as the Locomobile. The car had a wooden body and steel frames with a kerosene boiler mounted under the seat. The Stanley Steamer was a success, selling 200 of them in its first year.
Daimler-Mercury
Daimler-Mercury automobiles were famous for their distinctive logo and style. The company was the primary sponsor of The Ed Sullivan Show and introduced its “Big M” logo in the mid-1950s. The logo was later replaced by a crest emblem, which was used from 1959 until the end of the 1980s. The crest was a trademark of upper-trim Mercury models and appeared on their grilles and hoods. During the 1980s, the crest was also used as an emblem on lower-trim models. The crest was also featured on the hood, wheels, and other exterior elements.
The Mercury model line underwent a significant update during the 1980s. Between 1978 and 1982, the lineup underwent major changes to make the vehicles look more modern. The two major rivals at the time – Ford and Mercury – had identical styles and only minor differences in trim, so Mercury designers aimed to differentiate their brands. Mercury became associated with full-size sedans and personal luxury cars, so the company’s goal was to give it its own unique identity.
General Motors
General Motors is a multinational automotive manufacturing company with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. It is the largest automaker in the United States, and for 77 years it was the world’s largest automaker. However, in 2008, it lost that title to Toyota. In its long history, General Motors has been the best-selling carmaker in the world. However, its current share of the market has decreased, and it has been losing market share to rivals like Toyota.
The company produces and sells cars, light trucks, crossovers, and SUVs, as well as sells parts and accessories. It also offers automotive financing services. Its brands include Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, and Holden.