Automobiles

 

CARS,TRUCKS AND VANS OH MY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Automobiles   The first automobile was invented in Germany in 1886.  Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz separately created their own "horseless carriages" to sell to the public.  You might have heard the name Benz from the Mercedes Benz car. Both Daimler (Chrysler) and Benz (Mercedes) went on to run their own automobile companies that finally merged into a single company just a few years ago.  In 1893, these first cars were displayed in the U.S.A. at "Chicago's Columbian Exposition".  In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the car that you've all heard of, "The Model-T Ford".  We've been zooming down the highways ever since!  Old cars had solid wooden tires and no headlights or taillights.  Drivers had to crank the car up with a crank.  Then lights were added, but there were no shocks, and the ride was very rough!  It also took a long time to add glass to the windows and heat to the car.  Seats were usually made of horse or cow hair or sometimes leather.  It was many years before cars had radios.  It was not until the 1960's that many cars began to have air conditioning. The new cars have seatbelts.  The engines are much more powerful.  They now have airbags that explode when you have a wreck.  Now cars have more luxuries and more comfort.  Vehicles are much more fashionable in the present time.  There is much more room in the trunk for bags, and more room for hanging clothes. Cars are also designed now to get better gas mileage, and some research is being done to make electric or hybrid (part-gasoline/part-electric) cars, although not all cars are energy efficient!  Today buyers have a choice of the size of their car, ranging from compact cars to trucks to large sport utility vehicles and vans.  Buyers also have choices of color and interior when purchasing their vehicles. Before Ford, complete autos were made by small teams of men.  In the Ford factory, each worker added one body part or interior part, as partly assembled cars were moved past on the production line.  Now far more cars are made by machines than man.

 

   

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