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The first car ever made
Henry Ford made an engine in 1893, but didn't make the full car until 1896. The car was called the quadracycle and Henry Ford created a company called the DAC company. They made a few prototypes, but the company was eventually shut down in 1901. Ford would not offer a car for sale until 1903. Thirteen Duryeas cars were made in 1896 making them the first production car ever made. http://www.ausbcomp.com/~bbott/cars/carhist.htm -
First gasoline powered car
Ransome Olds built the first powered gasoline car, called the curved dash oldsmobile. It sold for $650 in 1901. It had a single cylinder engine with chain steering. http://www.ausbcomp.com/~bbott/cars/carhist.htm -
The V8 engine
The first V8 was built in 1914, but it wasn't until ford made it popular in 1932 did people know about it. The height of their popularity was in 1970 before the oil crisis. V8-ism hit the UK in 1965 when Rover bought the rights of the buick engine. http://bmp.thefloatingwidget.net/work/The_History_and_Development_of_the_V8_Engine.pdf -
The first supercar
The Miura was the first production car to feature a mid-mounted engine and so its appearance was radically different to any road car that had come before. Performance from the V12 was equally radical, over 170mph was possible for those brave enough to try it! Some say it was the first supercar. http://www.supercarworld.com/cgi-bin/showgeneral.cgi?026 -
Hybrids become a thing
The Toyota Prius was introduced to the Japanese market, two years before its original launch date, and prior to the Kyoto global warming conference held in December. First-year sales were nearly 18,000.Audi became the first manufacturer in Europe to take a hybrid vehicle into volume production: the Audi duo based on the A4 Avant. A lead-gel battery at the rear stored the electrical energy.http://www.hybridcars.com/history-of-hybrid-vehicles/ -
Tesla Revolutionizes the car industry
Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers in Silicon Valley who wanted to prove that electric cars could be better than gasoline-powered cars. With instant torque, incredible power, and zero emissions, Tesla’s products would be cars without compromise. Each new generation would be increasingly affordable, helping the company work towards its mission: to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable transport.
www.Tesla.com
