Automobile History
Why is it called an Automobile?
An Italian man named Martini, designed (on paper) a man-propelled carriage
mounted on four wheels.
The term “automobile” comes from the Greek word “auto” (self) and the
Latin word “mobils” (moving) and so the term means “self moving”
On the other hand, “car” comes from a Celtic word “carrus” meaning cart.
And so today we have:
2004 - General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Toyota, Subaru, BMW,
VW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Honda
1996 - Automuseum.com
1993 - Toyota proving grounds in AZ
1991 - Solchiro Honda dies – Honda founder
1989 – Honda produces 1,000,000 USA made auto, a Honda Civic
1988 – Toyota starts production of Camry in USA
1987 – Chrysler buys American Motors.
1987 – Ford buys Aston Martin Lagonda
1985 – Nissan produces the USA built auto, the Sentra
1983 – Minivan is invented by Chrysler
1982 – Ford introduces the Ranger Truck (subcompact)
1982 – Toyota introduces the Camry
1982 – Honda introduces the Accord
1981 – VW produces the 20,000,000th Beetle
1980 – Ford introduces the Escort
1980 – Chrysler introduces the “K-Car”
1979 – Lee Iacocca, chairman, CEO of Chrysler
1978 – Toyota Tercel is introduced
1975 – Chrysler introduces the Dodge Aspen & Plymouth Volare
1973 – Ford Mustang II is introduced
1969 – USA nationwide exhaust emission standards
1967 – Pontiac introduces the Firebird
1967 – General Motors produces its 1,000,000 auto, a Chevy Impala
1966 – Chevrolet introduces the Camero
1966 – Ford Mercury Cougar is introduced, sister to the Mustang
1966 – Studebaker closes its business. (114 yrs, wagon maker)
1965 – Ford Mustang fastback introduced
1964 – Ford Mustang introduced, created by Lee Iacocca
1963 – Front seat belts become standard equipment in USA
1961 – Chrysler Desoto auto production stops
1961 – Ford Fairlane is introduced
1960 – Ford Edsel auto production stops (3 model yrs)
1960 – The introduction of 3 compacts
Chevrolet Corvair
Ford Falcon
Plymouth Valient
1957 – Ford Edsel introduced
1957 - Toyota exports first cars to USA
1957 – Paper air cleaners replace oil bath
1957 – Cruise control is introduced
1956 – Fuel injection – Pontiac & Chevrolet
1956 – Push button automatic transmissions, Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler
1955 – Record players in a car, Chrysler
1953 – The 50,000,000th Ford produced, a Ford Galaxie
1953 – Chevrolet introduces the Corvette
1953 – 12 volt electrical systems introduced
The 12 volt system eventually replaced the 6 volt system
1953 – First auto air conditioning, much better than 4-60 AC
1951 – Hemi V-8 introduced by Chrysler
1951 – Power steering introduced by Chrysler
1950 – Chevrolet introduced with the Power-glide transmission
1949 – First car to start with a key only, Chrysler
1948 – First Torque converter automatic transmission, Buick Dynaflow
1947 – Death of Henry Ford
1945 – WillysOverland Jeeps non-military production starts
1945 – Passenger car production resumes in July
1942 – Civilian car production stops. Focus starts on WW2 supplies
1941 – United Auto Workers succeeds in organizing Ford Motor Company
1942 – National speed limit is lowered from 40mph to 35 mph to save fuel
1938 – Buick introduces the first standard turn signals
1937 – Gearshifts begin moving from the floor to the column
1937 – Oldsmobile introduces the first column-shift automatic transmission
1936 – Diesel car production starts, Mercedes
1935 – Adolph Hitler introduces the first Volkswagen Beetle
1932 – Ford ends Model A production
1930 – Cadillac introduces the first 16-cylinder car
1930 – Radios are wired into many types of cars
1928 – First coast to coast bus service begins
1928 – 4 wheel brakes become standard on all automobiles
1928 – First Plymouth is produced
1927 – Ford Model T (the tin lizzy) is discontinued (Over 15 million made)
1926 – Gasoline octane scale is introduced
1926 – First Pontiac is introduced
1925 – The first rental car: the Hertz “Drivurself”
1925 – US government takes over numbering of roads, creating US 40, etc.
1923 – Chrysler motor company is formed
1918 – First 3 color traffic signal light - Detroit
1917 – First Ford Truck is introduced
1914 – Henry Ford starts paying workers $5.00 a day
He did this so that his employees could afford to buy a car
1914 – In Detroit, the first stop sign
1914 – Packard produces the first 12 cylinder car
1913 – Ford produces 1,000 cars in one day
1913 – Ford establishes the moving assembly line, the greatest productivity
idea of the time period
1911 – The First Indianapolis 500 motor car race
1908 – First Ford Model T, a 4 cylinder, 20-hp engine, black in color
This automobile made Henry Ford famous
1907 – Ford is first US car with left-hand steering
1907 – General Motors is formed with the acquisition of Buick, Cadillac,
Pontiac and Oldsmobile
1905 – First car to be reported stolen, in St. Louis, MO
1904 – In Detroit, the first school for auto mechanics is formed
1901 – Oldsmobile includes a speedometer on their cars
1900 – First steering wheel used, it replaced the tiller
1900 – First drivers license issued to Harold Birnie in NY, NY
1896 – Henry Ford completes his first car called a “Quadricycle”
1896 – Charles King builds a car and becomes the first to drive an
automobile in Detroit, MI (commonly called a “horseless carriage”)
1886 – Karl Benz gets patent for a 3 wheeled auto in Germany
Cars named after animals:
Badger, Colt, Eagle, Hawk, Barracuda, Cougar, Falcon, Honey Bee, Beaver,
Coyote, Fox, Hornet, Black Crow, Cricket, Golden Eagle, Impala, Bobcat,
Crow, Great Eagle, Jack Rabbit, Kangaroo, Panther, Stingray, Lark, Pinto,
Wasp, Lion, Rabbit, Whippet, Lynx, Road Runner, Wildcat, Marlin, Seven
Little Buffaloes, Wolf, Mustang, Silver Hawk, Wolverine
Cars named after stars:
Comet, Jetstar, Star, Eclipse, Meteor, Starfire, Flying Cloud, Moon, Sun,
Galaxie, Nova, Sunset, Golden Rocket, Satellite, Vega
Cars named after Hero & Mythology:
Ajax, Centaur, Hercules, Apollo, Cressida, Mercury, Ariel, Croesus,
Minerva, Argo, Diana, Nike, Argonaut, Die Valkyrie, Olympian, Atlas,
Electra, Pan, Aurora, Excaliur, Sphynx,
Ben Hur, Goethe, Vulcan