The Evolving Automobile
Modes of transportation have evolved quite a bit over the last hundred years. We went from horse and buggies, to cars that literally drive themselves. Even though you probably drive a car every day, how much do you actually know about the history of them?
Horses, Donkeys and Oxen
Horses used to be used as the primary mode of transportation in the 19th century. Not everyone could afford horses or the amount of feed they needed each day so others relied on donkeys and oxen to pull them on a coach or buggy to get around.
The Beginnings Of The Automobile
Around the beginning of the 20th century, the automobile was being developed. The Mercedes was introduced and is considered to be the first modern motorcar. It had a 35 horsepower engine and went up to 53 miles per hour. A 1 cylinder 3 horsepower car, the Oldsmobile, was introduced by Ransom E. Olds in 1901. Five years later Henry Ford unveiled the Ford Model N. With its 4 cylinders and 15 horsepower, it outran all the other cars on the market thus far.
Bigger And Better Things
With Ford’s car being so successful, the auto industry started to boom. Between 1908-1927, 15 million Model T’s were sold. In 1930, automatic transmission was developed. Despite this, the automobile industry’s growth slowed down because of World War II. In 1946, luxury cars were unveiled, including the Delahaye 135 convertible that went up to 90 miles per hour. To own one of these cars meant you had substantial wealth. This era saw many types of cars including the Buick, Volkswagen Beetle and Pontiac Streamliner.
Stylish Cars And Modern Conveniences
By the 1940s and 50s, designers were trying to develop sports cars. They had convertible hard tops, air conditioning and power steering. A popular model during this time was the Corvette. Front wheel drive cars were introduced. The 60s and 70s saw the development of Road Runners, Camaros and Mustangs and what is referred to as “muscle cars”.
Rocking 80s And Cool 90s
The 80s brought out not only a bunch of new cars, but car warranties. The manufacturers put a lot of trust in their product and thought they could entice drivers to buy a car if a 50,000-mile warranty was thrown in. The 90s was all about the curvy car. Lamborghini Diablos and Dodge Vipers were a favorite among drivers, although few could afford them.
Cars Today
The car industry has seen so many things unveiled in the 21st century. It seems as if each manufacturer is trying to outdo themselves. There’s everything from cars that talk to you, backup cameras, automatic doors, push button start and Wi-Fi built into cars. They have certainly come a long way from the horse and buggy that was popular less than 150 years ago.
