Car History 4U - History of American (US) Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers History of American (US) Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers 8.15 United States 8.15.1. Cadillac The Cadillac Automobile Company was formed in Detroit in August 1902 using the assets that remained when the short lived Henry Ford Company ceased trading earlier that year. The first car, a 10 hp 2-seater, produced in October 1902, was almost identical to the Model A Ford. Between 1903 and 1908 the company produced the Model A to T range of vehicles (the 1903 “A” models originally called “Runabout” and “Tonneau”). In 1909 the company was purchased by General Motors and later that year produced the Model Thirty. In 1910 Cadillac became the first manufacturer to produce a car with a fully enclosed cab. The electric starter, developed in 1911 by Charles Kettering of Cadillac, was first fitted to Cadillac's “1912” models. Between 1909 and 1930 the company produced some fifteen different models.

A vast range of Cadillacs were also manufactured during the 1930s; some 42 different “Series”. The model names between 1936 and 1942 used the year along with the series number; the Series 37-75 being a 1937 Series 75. The “Sixty Special” name was used on many occasions between 1938 and 1993. The Sixty Special Fleetwood model produced in 1941-42 being a fine example; nearly 1,900 being made. The Fleetwood name has also been used to indicate some of Cadillac’s finest cars since the mid 1920s, with greater use being made of the name on models produced between 1941 and 1996. The Fleetwood Brougham produced between 1993 and 1996 was the largest car manufactured in the USA. By late 1949 Cadillac had produced one million cars since its formation in 1902. The first Cadillac to bear the DeVille name was the 1949 Coupe DeVille.

From 1965 the name has indicated one of Cadillac's top two models. The twelvth model to carry the DeVille name was produced between 2000 and 2005. It was one of the first cars fitted with thermal imaging night vision technology. The “59 Caddie” was famous for its prominent tail fins, which were based on the fins of the P38 Lightning fighter plane. Over 140,000 of these cars were made. The Eldorado models were produced from 1953, the 304 Eldorado Brougham cars produced in 1957 being fine examples. The last Eldorado was produced in April 2003, replaced by the XLR roadster in 2004. In 1998 Cadillac sold 182,570 cars. Models produced since 2002 include the CTS, DTS, BLS, STS, SRX and the XLR. 8.15.2. Chevrolet Chevrolet was founded in 1911 by Louis Chevrolet and William Durant.

The following year the company introduced the 4.9 litre, six-cylinder Classic Six model. In 1912 the company sold nearly 3,000 cars. In 1917 Chevrolet became a division of General Motors. See Part 2, Section 8.15.5 . Models produced between 1911 and 1940 include the Baby Grand, Little Four, Little Six, Series H and Styleline. The first cars to be produced in 1945 were pre-war models that had been renamed Stylemaster and Fleetmaster. New models, the Special Series and the Deluxe were introduced in 1949, with over 100,000 produced in the first year. A range of Corvette sports cars have been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953, including the Roadster, C2-C6, ZO6, Callaway, ZR-1 and in 2006, the C6 convertible and ZO2 models. Over 110,000 Corvette Stingray’s were produced between 1963 and 1967.

The car had a 5,358 or 6,997 cc engine and was capable of 140 mph (222 kph). Between 1955 and 1957 the company produced the “Tri Chevys”. Over 4.7 million of these cars were produced. Fuel injection was an option on the ’57 Chevy”, the first American car to offer it. A station wagon version, the Normad, was also made. The Impala was first produced in 1958 and during the 1960s it was the top selling car in America, with over one million sold in 1965. By 1996 over 13 million had been produced. An Impala model was available between 1958-85, 1994-96 and 2000-07. The Chevrolet Camaro was introduced in 1967 as a competitor to Ford’s Mustang model. Four generations of the car were produced up to 2002 when production ended. The 1982 model was fitted with fuel injection. About 4.8 million were produced.

Other models produced between 1950 and 1980 include the BelAir, Chevy ll, Chevelle, Monte Carlo, Vega, Monxa and Nova. The Cavalier was a compact Chevrolet produced from 1982 to 2005. By 1999 just over 5.2 million had been produced. The company replaced the Cavalier in 2005 with the Cobalt and Astra models. Models produced in 2007 include the Avero, Cobalt, Corvette, HHR, Impala, Malibu and the Monte Carlo. 8.15.3. Chrysler The Chrysler Corporation was formed in 1925 by Walter P Chrysler from the assets of the Maxwell Motor Company that first produced cars in 1904. Maxwell was the profitable part of the the United States Motor Company that existed briefly between 1910 and 1913 and comprised of eleven vehicle companies. The name was changed to Maxwell Motor Corporation in 1921, with Walter Chrysler as Chairman, and then to the Chrysler Corporation in 1925.

The first car to bear the Chrysler name was the Chrysler 6 that was launched in 1924 (when the company was still called the Maxwell Corporation). Over 32,000 of these cars were sold in the first year. The first car produced by the Chrysler Corporation was the Chrysler Four in 1925, followed by the Imperial 80 model in 1926. The Plymouth and DeSoto brand names were introduced in 1928. Chrysler also acquired the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company in 1928, a company that had been formed by John and Horace Dodge in 1914. Between 1934 and 1937 Chrysler produced the Airflow model, a car with a very streamlined body that the company had developed in their new wind tunnel. They were the first car manufacturer to use this technology. The first models introduced after World War 2 include the 5,229 cc Crown Imperial and New Yorker in 1946.

In 1950 the company produced nearly 170,000 cars, a figure that increased to over 224,000 in 1965. By the late 1970s Chrysler encountered serious financial problems but soon recovered and in 1987 it acquired the American Motors Corporation (which was formed in 1954 by the merger of the Hudson Car Company and the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation). Between 1954 and 1987 AMC brought together Hudson, Rambler, Nash, Overland Automotive Willys Motor Company, Kaiser Motors and Kaiser-Jeep. In 1998 the Chrysler Corporation was purchased by Daimler-Benz of Germany and became the DaimlerChrysler Motors Company LLC. In 2004 DaimlerChrysler introduced the 3.2 litre Crossfire sports car, producing over 76,000 by 2005. The original 300 "letter series" were luxury cars built by Chrysler between 1955 and 1965, with a new letter used for each year's model.

In 1979 the 300 name made a brief reappearance when 3,811 limited special edition Cordoba cars were produced. DaimlerChrysler re-introduced the “letter series” in 1999 for their 300M sporting sedans and a new generation 300 model entered production in 2004. Five versions were produced, including a sedan and a station wagon. Models available in 2007 include the PT Cruiser and Convertible, Town & Country, Sebring Sedan and Convertible, the 300, Pacifica, Crossfire and Aspen. 8.15.4. Ford In 1896 Henry Ford built his first “horseless carriage” which he sold to fund work on an improved model. By mid 1898 he had built a total of three vehicles, including a large delivery truck. In July 1898, backed by a group of investors, Henry Ford produced about 19-25 prototype vehicles for the Detroit Automobile Company. In February 1901, due to lack of funds, the company was dissolved.

Nine months later, in November 1901, he formed the Henry Ford Company but left this company in 1902. Note: The Henry Ford Company reformed as the Cadillac Automotive Company in August 1902. See Part 2, Section 8.15.1 ). The Ford Motor Company was founded in June 1903 by Henry Ford. The first car produced by the Ford Motor Company was a two-cylinder Model A in July 1903. For further information on Ford’s early history, including the “Model T”, see Part 1, The Early History, Sections 6.3 and Part 2, The Last 100 Years, Section 9.3 (Model T Ford). In 1922 Ford acquired the Lincoln Motor Company (which had been formed five years earlier). Production of the second generation Model A started in October 1927 and continued in the United States until December 1931. The 3.3 litre car, which had a top speed of about 65 mph (104 kph), was available in several different body styles and four colours.

The “Tudor” version was the most popular, accounting for nearly one third of all sales. By February 1929 one million Model A’s had been produced; production reaching its peak during 1929, with over 1.7 million manufactured. A total of 4,849,340 Model A Fords were produced, of which nearly 10% were pickup trucks. The Model A was also produced in Great Britain (from 1931), France (date required), Germany (from 1932) and Canada (date rquired). The Model A was also produced in the USSR by the GAZ company as the “NAZ A” from 1932 to 1936. About 100,000 of these versions were made. The Model A was replaced by the Model B and over four million of these cars were produced between 1932 and 1935. Production of the more powerful, 3,612 cc, Model 18/Ford V-8 was also started in 1932, with over 230,000 being made that year.

The 65 hp car had a top speed of 80 mph (128 kph). The second generation, 1,172 cc, Model C was manufactured in Great Britain and Germany between 1934 and 1937. Just over 96,000 were made. Note: The first generation Model C was produced in the United States in 1904-05. About 800 were made. The 933 cc Model Y was produced in Great Britain (1932-37), where just over 157,000 were made, France (1932-34) and Germany (1933-36). It was not manufactured in the United States. Models produced in Great Britain between 1940 and 1980 include the Anglia, Prefect, Consul, Zephyr, Zodiac, Granada, Capri, Escort and Cortina. Over one millon of the Capri and Cortina models were made. Ford’s car production ended in Great Britain in 2001.

Models produced in Germany between 1940 and 1980 include the Taunas, Granada, Capri and Escort. Over the years Ford also manufactured vehicles in a number of other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Holland, Mexico, and South Africa. Models produced in America between 1946 and 1990 include the Crown Victoria, Custom, DeLuxe, Escort, EXP, Fairlane Skyliner, Falcon, Fiesta, Galaxy, Maverick, Mustang, Pinto, Tempo and the Thunderbird. In 1955 Ford introduced the two-seater Thunderbird. Between 1955 and 1957 a total of 53,166 of these first generation, 4,785 cc and 5,112 cc, models were made. A second set of seats was fitted to the second generation model that was introduced in 1958. Ford produced the Thunderbird model from 1955 to 1997 and 2002 to 2005, selling nearly 93,000 in 1960.

The largest models were produced between 1972 and 1976 and had either a 7 or 7.5 litre engine, achieving 8-12 mpg. By 2005 eleven generations of Thunderbirds had been produced. How many in total? The Mustang was first produced in 1964 when it became the world’s fastest selling car, with over 680,000 sold in the first sixteen months. By 2006 over eight million had been made. The 1964 model had a 2,785 cc engine and a top speed of 118 mph (189 kph). The engine was increased to 7,013 cc in 1968, giving the 335 hp (250 kW) car a top speed of 142 mph (227 kph). By 2007 five generations of the Mustang had been produced: 1964-73, 1974-78, 1979-93, 1994-2004 and the fifth generation since 2005.

The Escort is one of Ford’s top selling cars. Between 1968, when production started, and 2003 nearly twenty million had been produced worldwide. The Ford Fiesta entered production in 1976 and has been produced in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela. By 2006 over twelve million had been made. In 1996 the company produced its 250 millionth vehicle and by 2006 a quarter of the top forty best selling cars in the world were produced by Ford. In 2007 Ford also manufactured cars under the following names: Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover. Models produced in the United States in 2007 include the Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred, Crown Victoria and the Mustang. 8.15.5. General Motors General Motors was founded in 1908 as a holding company for the Buick Motor Company. William C Durant, who controlled Buick in 1908, quickly expanded General Motors by acquiring other vehicle manufacturers. Oldsmobile (1897) became part of GM in 1908.

The following year, in 1909, General Motors acquired Cadillac (1902), Elmore (1893), Oakland (1907), plus some others. Note: The date in brackets indicating when the company was formed. Durant left GM in 1910 and joined up with Louis Chevrolet, founding the Chevrolet company in 1911. In 1916 Durant bought a majority share holding in GM and rejoined the company as its president in 1917. Chevrolet become part of GM that year. Other companies that became part of GM in the 1920s include Vauxhall (1903) in 1925 and Opel (1902) in 1929. To overcome competition by the various manufacturers that now made up General Motors, Durant designated each to produce a different class of car. The Oakland name was dropped in 1931 and the Oldsmobile name in 2004. In 1953 GM produced its fifty millionth car; a Chevrolet BelAir model.

In 2007 GM consisted of: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. It was also affiliated with GM Daewood, Suzuki and Wuling. 8.15.6. Lincoln The Lincoln car company was founded in 1917 by Henry M Leland and his son. In 1902 he was one of the co-founders of Cadillac, which subsequently became one of Lincoln's main competitors. In 1922 Lincoln was acquired by the Ford Motor Company. Between 1920 and 1930 the company produced the Lincoln L-series. In 1931 the K-series was introduced, which had a 6.3 litre engine based on the V8 fitted to the L-series. Whilst production ceased in 1939, a special Model K convertible was built in 1942 for President Franklin D Roosevelt. The Zephyr model was introduced in November 1935, originally as a 2 or 4 door sedan. A convertible coupe was introduced in 1938.

In 1936 the company sold 22,000 cars of which 15,000 were the Zephyr. Production ceased in 1942. In 1932 Lincoln started designing a car that became known as the Continental. The first Continental car was produced in early 1939 as a one-off for Henry Ford’s son, Edsel (who was then President of the Ford Motor Company). The car was such a hit with his friends that Edsel had more hand-built, both as sedans and convertibles. Twenty four were built that year, followed by four hundred in 1940. The Continental’s design was based around the Zephyr, with important changes which included the model’s trademark - the externally-mounted covered spare tire. The first post-war Continental that was produced from 1946 to 1948 was basically the same as the 1942 model, with an altered front grille and a heavier bumper; 3,334 were made. In 1946 Lincoln sold 13,496 cars.

Between 1939 and 2002 there have been nine generations of the Continental. The car President John Kennedy was travelling in when he was assassinated in 1963 was custom built from a 1961 4-door Continental and code named the SS-100-X. Between 1949 and 1960 Lincoln introduced the Lincoln Sport (1949-51), the 5.5 litre Cosmopolitan (1949-54), Lido (1950-51), the Capri (1952-59), which was one of the first cars with an automatic headlight dimmer, Custom (1955) and the Premiere (1956-60). The 2-door luxury coupe Lincoln Mark Series was produced from 1956 to 1998, with a 4-door sedan Mark Vl available from 1980 to 1983. The Lincoln Town Car was introduced in 1981, although the name first appeared on a 1922 custom built Lincoln for Henry Ford.

The name was also used for the Continental sedan from 1959 to 1980, before becoming a model in its own right. Measuring nearly 18 feet (5.49 meters), the Town Car was the largest American made car in 2006. The Lincoln LS (Luxury Sport) was produced from 2002 to 2006 and nearly 263,000 were made. The first versions were referred to as LS6 and S8 depending on the V6 or V8 engine choice. Manual transmission was also offered as an option. Between 2003 and 2005 the company also produced the mid-sized, luxury Lincoln Aviator SUV. Models avalable in 2007 include the Town Car, Mark LT, MKX, MKZ and Navigator. 8.15.7.

Other American Car Manufacturers American Motor Company, Auburn, Buick, Cord, Crosley, De Soto, Dodge, Duesenberg, Edsel, Hudson, Mercury, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Peerless, Plymouth, Pontiac, Rambler, Standard Motor Company, Studebaker, Stutz, Tucker, Willys and Kaiser-Frazer. © copyright - form and function Timeline: History of the Electric Car . NOW on PBS Timeline: History of the Electric Car 1832-1839 Scottish inventor Robert Anderson invents the first crude electric carriage powered by non-rechargeable primary cells. 1835 American Thomas Davenport is credited with building the first practical electric vehicle -- a small locomotive. 1859 French physicist Gaston Planté invents the rechargeable lead-acid storage battery. In 1881, his countryman Camille Faure will improve the storage battery's ability to supply current and invent the basic lead-acid battery used in automobiles. 1891 William Morrison of Des Moines, Iowa builds the first successful electric automobile in the United States. Thomas Edison and an electric car.

Courtesy of the Smithsonian 1893 A handful of different makes and models of electric cars are exhibited in Chicago. 1897 The first electric taxis hit the streets of New York City early in the year. The Pope Manufacturing Company of Connecticut becomes the first large-scale American electric automobile manufacturer. 1899 Believing that electricity will run autos in the future, Thomas Alva Edison begins his mission to create a long-lasting, powerful battery for commercial automobiles. Though his research yields some improvements to the alkaline battery, he ultimately abandons his quest a decade later. 1900 The electric automobile is in its heyday. Of the 4,192 cars produced in the United States 28 percent are powered by electricity, and electric autos represent about one-third of all cars found on the roads of New York City, Boston, and Chicago. A Ford Model T 1908 Henry Ford introduces the mass-produced and gasoline-powered Model T, which will have a profound effect on the U.S. automobile market. 1912 Charles Kettering invents the first practical electric automobile starter.

Kettering's invention makes gasoline-powered autos more alluring to consumers by eliminating the unwieldy hand crank starter and ultimately helps pave the way for the electric car's demise. 1920 During the 1920s the electric car ceases to be a viable commercial product. The electric car's downfall is attributable to a number of factors, including the desire for longer distance vehicles, their lack of horsepower, and the ready availability of gasoline. 1966 Congress introduces the earliest bills recommending use of electric vehicles as a means of reducing air pollution. A Gallup poll indicates that 33 million Americans are interested in electric vehicles. 1970s Concerns about the soaring price of oil -- peaking with the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 -- and a growing environmental movement result in renewed interests in electric cars from both consumers and producers. 1972 Victor Wouk, the "Godfather of the Hybrid," builds the first full-powered, full-size hybrid vehicle out of a 1972 Buick Skylark provided by General Motors (G.M.) for the 1970 Federal Clean Car Incentive Program. The Environmental Protection Association later kills the program in 1976.

Vanguard-Sebring's CitiCar 1974 Vanguard-Sebring's CitiCar makes its debut at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Washington, D.C. The CitiCar has a top speed of over 30 mph and a reliable warm-weather range of 40 miles. By 1975 the company is the sixth largest automaker in the U.S. but is dissolved only a few years later. 1975 The U.S. Postal Service purchases 350 electric delivery jeeps from AM General, a division of AMC, to be used in a test program. 1976 Congress passes the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act. The law is intended to spur the development of new technologies including improved batteries, motors, and other hybrid-electric components. 1988 Roger Smith, CEO of G.M. , agrees to fund research efforts to build a practical consumer electric car. G.M. teams up with California's AeroVironment to design what would become the EV1, which one employee called "the world's most efficient production vehicle." Some electric vehicle enthusiasts have speculated that the EV1 was never undertaken as a serious commercial venture by the large automaker.

1990 California passes its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which requires two percent of the state's vehicles to have no emissions by 1998 and 10 percent by 2003. The law is repeatedly weakened over the next decade to reduce the number of pure ZEVs it requires. 1997 Toyota unveils the Prius -- the world's first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid car -- in Japan. Nearly 18,000 units are sold during the first production year. 1997 - 2000 A few thousand all-electric cars (such as Honda's EV Plus, G.M.'s EV1, Ford's Ranger pickup EV, Nissan's Altra EV, Chevy's S-10 EV, and Toyota's RAV4 EV) are produced by big car manufacturers, but most of them are available for lease only. All of the major automakers' advanced all-electric production programs will be discontinued by the early 2000s. 2002 G.M. and DaimlerChrysler sue the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to repeal the ZEV mandate first passed in 1990.

The Bush Administration joins that suit. Crushed EV1 electric cars 2003 G.M. announces that it will not renew leases on its EV1 cars saying it can no longer supply parts to repair the vehicles and that it plans to reclaim the cars by the end of 2004. 2005 On February 16, electric vehicle enthusiasts begin a "Don't Crush" vigil to stop G.M. from demolishing 78 impounded EV1s in Burbank, California. The vigil ends twenty-eight days later when G.M. removes the cars from the facility. In the film "Who Killed the Electric Car" G.M. spokesman Dave Barthmuss states that the EV1s are to be recycled, not just crushed. 2006 Tesla Motors publicly unveils the ultra-sporty Tesla Roadster at the San Francisco International Auto Show in November. The first production Roadsters will be sold in 2008 with a base price listing of $98,950. 2008 January A Better Place charging spot The Israeli government announces its support for a sweeping project to promote the use of electric cars in Israel.

The effort will be a joint venture between Better Place, a Palo Alto start-up founded by software maven Shai Agassi, and French automaker Renault-Nissan. Agassi's plan is to create an extensive network of charging spots and to sell EV drivers mileage in their cars like minutes on a cell phone plan. The first Renault electric cars are scheduled to hit the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities in 2011. Better Place announces a host of partnerships to support electric vehicle projects in Denmark, Canada, Japan, Australia and the U.S. July Gas prices reach record highs of more than $4 a gallon and car sales drop to their lowest levels in a decade. American automakers begin to shift their production lines away from SUVs and other large vehicles toward smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. August On the campaign trail, presidential candidate Barack Obama says he will push to have one million plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles on America's roads by 2015. November Struggling to remain profitable during the economic downturn, executives from the Big Three American automakers go to Washington to make the case for a $25 billion Federal bailout of the U.S. automotive industry.

December BYD, a Chinese battery manufacturer turned automaker, releases the F3DM, the world's first mass produced plug-in hybrid compact sedan. Though they pack less energy than more conventional lithium ion batteries, BYD opts to power the F3DM with a more stable lithium iron phosphate battery. BYD plans to release the F3DM in the U.S. in 2011, but some industry insiders have doubts about whether the car is ready for the U.S. market. Though sales of the car remain sluggish, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchases a 10% stake in the company. The National Bureau of Economic Research states officially that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007. The economic downturn is global in scope and will continue to exert financial pressures on the already battered U.S. auto industry. 2009 February The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocates $2 billion for development of electric vehicle batteries and related technologies. The Department of Energy adds another $400 million to fund building the infrastructure necessary to support plug-in electric vehicles. April Prime Minister Gordon Brown announces that the British government will promote the use of electric vehicles in the U.K.

by offering a £2,000 subsidy to purchasers. A high-ranking government official estimates that 40% of all cars in Britain will need to be electric or hybrid for the country to reach it's goal of cutting 80% of its CO2 emissions by 2050. Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of its restructuring, Chrysler forms a partnership with the Italian car maker Fiat. May President Obama announces a new gas-mileage policy that will require automakers to meet a minimum fuel-efficiency standard of 35.5 miles a gallon by 2016. June The Tesla Roadster The Department of Energy awards $8 billion in loans to Ford, Nissan, and Tesla Motors to support the development of fuel-efficient vehicles. The automaker loans are the first distributions from a larger $25 billion fund created under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. General Motors, the leading producer of automobiles for most of the 20th Century, files for bankruptcy protection. While strong GM brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC are slated to continue, smaller names like Saturn, Hummer and Pontiac will be sold or closed.

The federal government will hold a 61 percent stake in the reborn General Motors. August Nissan unveils its new electric car, called the LEAF ("Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car"). The LEAF is capable of a maximum speed of more than 90 mph, can travel 100 miles on a full charge, and has a battery that can be recharged to 80% of its capacity in 30 minutes. Similar to the Better Place initiative in Israel, Nissan plans to work with the Japanese government and private companies to set up charging station networks across several countries. The first production LEAFs are scheduled to go on sale in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. in the fall of 2010. Late 2009 Though a few electric cars and plug-in hybrids are currently available on the market, several new models including the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, and Mitsubishi i MiEV are scheduled to hit the streets in the near future. Toyota, creator of the popular Prius hybrid, has thus far declined to deliver a fully electric car. Despite promising signs, the electric car will need to navigate a bumpy road before it can become a viable option for many drivers.

Challenges to mass adoption include high sticker prices, limited battery life and travel range, and building charging stations and other infrastructure to support electric vehicles. History of Early American Automobiles Chapter 14 Addendum 1 Addendum 2 Addendum 3 Just as the year, 1906, was the one of the best years in the industry, 1907 and 1921 would rival to be the worst. It all started in early 1907 when the banks realized that the public was mortaging their homes to buy cars at an alarming rate. Fearing that this would lead to an eccessive amount of foreclosures, they stopped giving loans. This lead to a huge backup of automobiles at the factories and production came to a standstill. It would be forever known as the 1907 Bank Panic. The middle of the road car sales took a nose dive and stocks of these models began to pile up in factories and show rooms. Since 1902, as it is today, the new model years would start in July so enough could be made to meet the automobile show orders the following year.

Not knowing what 1908 would bring, except for mechanical changes, no new models were made for the following year. It became doomsday for a lot of well known names during these time. Some of the new companies that were just getting started had bank managers seizing their stock and a lot more escaped foreclosures by the skin of their teeth. However, there was a great number of new companies who were in the midst of developing their cars who continued to proceed into production. They had no other choice. This page shows a great number of them that started production in late1907 and all but two were out of business by the end of 1909. They were S. R. Bailey & CO, Amesbury, MA and Staver Carriage Company, Chicago, IL By 1914, both of these were in dire trouble and out of business within two years. Several manufacturers in the big cities sent their surpluses to other regions of the country that were hurting for automobiles and were able to withstand the downturn. Cadillac had a thirty percent drop in sales and Oldsmobile sales were pitifulluy low and was ripe for Durant's acquisition for his General Motors dream.

Durant hid his surpluses in a vacant yard behind his factory. Buick, Ford, and Maxwell were amoung the few that had increases in sales. However, the big factory that Durant was building in Flint was put on hold and 4,000 workers lost their jobs. Col. Pope lost all of his Pope automobile companies, except Pope Hartford and saw each one of his factories being sold to other manufacturers. It put a strain on him that he never recovered from and he died within two years at the age of 63. The flagship of the Selden Patent, Columbia, was sold to Ben Brisco, owner of the Maxwell Automobile Co., in 1909. The irony of this is that George Selden had re-entered into making cars with his 1908 Selden andhad to pay Brisco his percentage of each sale. S. R. Bailey &Sons By 1898, the automobile was making inroads into the carriage making industry and some carriage makers were also making automobiles.

Up until now, the only known record of Bailey's entrance into this field in 1898 is in Margaret Rice's book given to me by Bart Bailey, great , great grandson of S. R. Bailey, and I saw a reference to it and starting researching the date. A reference to the date was found in Britannica Encyclopedia. When the carriage industry was badly damaged by a worker's strike in 1903, most of the smaller companies were forced out of business, but the larger ones began making automobile bodies and Amesbury became known as the automobile body building capitol of the world with its twenty-eight builders.The carriage workers and now the body workers were known as the finest workers any where. Babcock No. 5 Building Essex Copied from the 36th Annual Report of the Bureau and Stastistics of Labor Magazine, December, 1906 The Essex Motor Car Company of Boston was incorporated during the spring of 1905 by Arthur Hovering, Lawrence Cushman, and Frank Branan for the purpose of building a steamer with a four cylinder single acting 15-20 horse power engine featuring poppet valves.

Only one model would be offered at $3,000, a side entrance tonneau on a 107 inch wheel base which resembled the famous Serpolliet from France. Early in 1906, it was revealed that Essex had contracted with the Bailey Carriage Company of Amesbury, one of the largest carriage manufacturing plants in New England, for the building of the Essex.. There were not many made before it went under. There are no pictures known of the Essex. The photograph is a picture of the 1905 French Serpoliet. Cut from the 1906 April Issue of the Automobile Industry Magazine The Essex Model X had a 15-20 Horsepower, four cylinder acting poppet valve double opposed engine located under the forward footboard and a flash boiler. The wheelbase was 107 inches with a 56-inch tread. and the tires were 34 inches and it weighed 2200 lbs. It was driven by double side chain drive.Its semi-flash generator was located under the hood. With all accessories, it was priced at $3,000. S. R.

Bailey and CO Bailey Electric In Margaret Rices Book "Sun on the River" 1955, Bailey Family History, she states that when S. R. Baileys son, Edwin, returned home from the Spanish American War in 1899, he was taken to the factory to see his fathers surprise. It was a Bailey Electric Victoria Phaeton automobile. He described it to be the most beautifully designed automobile that he had ever seen. He wanted to take it for a drive, but his father told him that the battery was too heavy for the motor. (The 1898 date is also taken from the Britannica Encyclopedia.) This was the first automobile built in Amesbury. In the meantime, Thomas Edison was experimenting on how to build a lighter and better battery. S. R. Bailey & Co. were masters at square wood bending. Bailey was the inventor of the wood bending and rounders in early 1860's that he used for his carriage making. Wood Bending Wood Rounders for poles and axles Edison contracted to have wooden dividers to eliminate the heavy wooden type.

Good news finally came one day when Edwin returned home from a visit to Edisons factory 1n 1905 he told his father that by using these wooden dividers, it had greatly reduced the battery weight to where it could now be used in his automobile. For two years, Bailey started experimenting with his car to make sure that it would be the very best one that could be made. This put a financial strain on the company's finances to such an extent that in order to produce his car, he would have to find investors and incorporate his company. Copied from the December 6 issue of the 1906 Horseless Age Magazine S. R. Bailey & Co. to Manufacture an Electric Runabout. S. R. Bailey & Co., carriage manufacturers, Amesbury, Mass., informed us that they have decided to manufacture a high grade electric runabout with Queen phaeton top and victoria body, 72 inch and 80 inch wheel base and Bailey "Pivot" axles. The weight with a leather top is 1600 lbs. They will build the entire vehicle except the electric motor.

1907 Bailey Electric Victoria Phaeton Automobile Copied from the March Issue of Automotive Industry Magazine S. R. BAILEY & CO. (INC.), Amesbury, Mass., established builders" of horsedrawn vehicles, are exhibiting a superbly finished and gracefully designed electric victoria phaeton. Special attention has been paid to developing a low hung, easy riding car of pleasing lines. The frame is of special steel side members, united by steel angles. These side members are of unusual spread, curved to follow the body lines, and are adapted for great strength and rigidity in a vertical plane, but permiting of a certain flexibility under twisting stresses. The wide vertical spread of the special side members permits of the use of a light wood body without sacrifice of strength. Semi-elliptic springs of 40 inches in length support the body upon solid axles. The wheels are 34x31/2 inches, with specially shaped spokes and no wood felloe, running on plain bearings with special oil distributing arrangements, which are said to secure adequate lubrication for an entire season.

These axles are known as the Bailey "pivot axles." Steering is by means of wheel and column, which passes through the dash high enough to clear the knees, and also releases and swings sideways to facilitate entrance and exit. The front mud guards turn with the wheels and prevent splashing on curves. Band brakes are applied to the rear wheels and also to the motor shaft. The thirty cell battery is underslung, and the 60 volt General Electric ball bearing motor, with its differential countershaft, is held upon a flexible frame. Motor and countershaft are connected by a Morse silent chain, and are maintained in perfect alignment. The double chain drive to the rear wheels is fully encased. The General Electric controller furnishes four forward speeds up to 18 miles per hour, and two reverse speeds. The controller handle is a lever mounted upon the steering wheel, which interlocks with the brake and prevents current being put until the car is free to move. A safety device also prevents the insertion of the battery plug unless the controller handle is in the "off" position. The car is fitted with a victoria top, and a rumble seat may be attached if desired. A mileage of 40 to 50 miles is claimed under ordinary conditions.

1908 Bailey Electric Victoria Phaeton Automobile 1908 Bailey Electric Advertisement Copied from 1908 Horseless Age Magazine "The 1908 electric victorias built by S. R Bailey & Co., Amesbury, Mass., are, in the main, unchanged from the 1907 model, but among this season's alterations is the use of a novel form of steering post. This is essentially a centrally placed direct acting tiller, but the end upon which the hands arc placed is in the form of the segment of a wheel. Upon this is placed the controller lever arm operating over a quadrant. In steering, the wheel is moved from side to side, as in all tiller steering arrangements. Automatic interconnections prevent the introduction of the starting plug unless the controller is in the "off' position, and also the application of the transmission and hub brakes without at the same time shutting off the current. An electric siren operated by a button on the tiller is used as an alarm" Copied from the 1907 Motor Age Magazine The S. R.

Bailey & Company of Amesbury, Mass., U.S.A., offer a unique small electric vehicle for city use in their 1908 Phaeton. These well known carriage makers embody in their vehicle all the points of superiority of their horse-drawn bodies and furnishings. It will be seen from the accompanying photograph the carriage is extremely graceful in outline and trim in appearance. General Specifications The machine has a wheelbase of 78 1/2 inches and a 34-inch wheel fitted with 31/2-inch tires both on front and rear. The battery consists of 30, 9-plate cells, 60 volts. A 21/2 to 7 H. P. motor is used and the drive is by side chains. The vehicle complete weighs 2000 pounds and sells for $2000.00 1908 Bailey ElectricVictoria Phaeton This advertisement was taken from the 1910 Amesbury Town Registery 1911 Bailey Electric Automobile The step has been replaced with a full running board, the first model to have one, and a 1911 Klaxonet electric horn is attached above it.

Acetylene lamps are still in use. 1912 Bailey Electric Roadster Magazine Article 1912 Bailey Electric RoadsterA somewhat novel vehicle in the electrical field is the Bailey roadster, a specially low-hung type, with a 106-inch wheel base in length and resembling a gasoline car. The make-up of this vehicle combines wood frame with steel bracing, and the battery equipment of Edison cells, which is guaranteed to give a big mileage. The car is geared for high speed, a rating of 30 miles an hour being standard. The chassis design is different from the ordinary in that the motor is located in rear of seat and transmits by chain to the jackshaft. 1912 Bailey High Speed Roadster 1913 Bailey High Speed Electric Automobile Advertisement 1912 Bailey Electric Runabout Copied from the November, 1911 Carriage Monthly Magazine An Electric Car That Does What a Gasoline Car Will Do ELECTRIC RUNABOUT, Made by S. R.

Bailey Co., Amesbury, Mass There has been in the minds of motor vehicle buyers and the motor vehicle trade, itself, the impression that the electric car can only be considered as practical in city work, involving very short runs, but it has remained for the S. R. Bailey Co., Amesbury, Mass., to prove that an electric car can be made that will do what a gasoline car will do, and made without any freak features at that. At the recent electric exposition at the Grand Central Palace. New York City, the Bailey company exploited an electric runabout, designed by them to meet the requirements of the Edison Illuminating Co. of Boston, who use at the present time a number of horse vehicles and gasoline cars for getting from place to place over the large area covered by their service. The car was run from Boston to New York, previous to the Exposition, covering the distance, 244.8 miles in 12 hours' and 4 minutes' running time. This was done without any unusual delay in making the trip, the battery being "boosted" during lunch times.

The occu- pants of the car, Colonel Bailey and a representative of the Edison Illuminating Co., put themselves to no inconvenience or unnecessary delay whatsoever in having the car replenished with "juice." In other words, the operation was exactly the same as filling the tanks on gasoline cars, which would be the ordinary procedure during lunch times on a long run. On the strength of the performance of this car, the Edison Illuminating Co., Boston, placed an order for six duplicates with the Bailey company, and it has been formally announced in the advertising of the Edison Illuminating Co. that they will replace all of their gasoline cars and horses with electric cars as quickly as practicable. The car, which is illustrated herewith, has a wheel base of 104 inches and 34 x 3 1/2 -inch tires. As will be noticed from the picture, it has a very low center of gravity (less than 18 inches), while the road clearance is 11 inches full. The seat is 30 inches from the ground to the top of cushion. The car has wheel steer with the famous Bailey control on the top of the steering wheel.

The control is arranged to provide a top speed of 26 miles an hour, and intended to maintain an average of 20 miles an hour on the road, an unusually good average. The drive is by chain. The power equipment is on three point suspension. The battery is a 60-cell, A-4 Edison, and the motor is a 60-volt G. E. The total weight of the vehicle is 2,200 pounds, and the price, including top, electric horn, speed meter and lamps, is $2,500. A very useful and valuable feature is incorporated in the lamps, which are arranged to give three degrees of brillianceone for normal use on the road; a dimmer light for standing at the curb; and an above normal light for use on very dark country roads or in muddy and rough places where a good light is necessary to see the way satisfactorily. 1912 Electric Victoria Phaeton is now in the Frick Automobile Museum The running board was designed with flowing lines with no corners. Electric headlights are used. In 1913, Mr. Bailey donated two automobiles to the Ford Museum.

One was a 1913 coupe with fold-down top. The other one was a 1911 Victoria Phaeton that Edison used to test his batteries known as "Maude". The Ford Museum deaccentioned the Bailey automobiles in 1975. 1912 Bailey Electric Roadster with Weather Gear Copied from the March 15, 1913 Edition of the Electrical World Magazine Electric Apparatus at the Boston Automobile Show The Boston Automobile Show, for pleasure cars only was opened at the Mechanics' Building, Huntington Avenue. Boston, Mass., on the evening of March 8, to last one week, and was characterized by a representative display of the latest models of gasoline and electric machines, ranging in character from the motor cycle to the highest powered and most luxurious touring cars. There were about 300 exhibitors, including accessory manufacturers and dealers. The use of electric self-starting methods and electric lighting has become standard practice with the makers of the highest grades of gasoline cars. The electric automobile display is somewhat scattered this year at Boston, but contains many admirable examples of the brougham and roadster types of equipment.

One of the latest models shown, which has been brought out since the New York and Chicago exhibitions earlier in the season, is a new roadster built by S. R. Bailey & Company, of Amesbury, Mass. This machine, known as the company's Model "F." is said to give 125 miles per charge at an average speed of 20 miles per hour, the maximum speed being in the neighborhood of 27 miles per hour 1913 Bailey Electric Model F Roadster Donated to the Henry Ford Museum in 1913 1914 Delivery Van S. E. Bailey & Co. of Amesbury, Mass., have introduced two styles of commercial vehicles in the 1914 electric salon, one a light service runabout with baggage carrying facilities at the rear of the seat and the other a 300-pound delivery wagon mounted on a roadster chassis. 1914 Electrical workers car Electrical worker's car showing the special ladder hookup on front end A similiar hookup was on the rear end connected to the tool box In the 1914 Motor Age Magazine, there were several articles that Ford Motor Company was going to build an electric car.

Henry Ford kept denying it. However in Margaret Rice's book "Sun on the River", the Bailey Family History, she states that negotations had been on going with the Ford Company and Biley Electric to join forces in building an electric car for Ford, but nothing came of it. 1914 Bailey Electric Open Touring Automomobile This model was evidently made as a prototype for1915 production. Is not mentioned in ny publications of the period or in Margaret Rice's "Sun on the River" book of the Bailey Family History. It is mentioned that his last invention was a special made single-glass windshield that he patented. Even through 1922, most models were still using the double -glass window shields Copied from May 5, 1913 Electrical Magazine Bailey had taken the trip to Chicago to try to raise financing for his company which he failed to do. The S.R. Bailey & Co was in dire financial troubles. The company owned the largest factory building in Amesbury and had several other tenants that were in the automobile industry, including Biddle and Smart.

Several of these tenants were unable to pay their rents and with no bank support, he was faced with the only thing that he could do was to close down. In October, 1915. He sold his building to Biddle and Smart, but he kept his machinery and leased a sectioBaileyn of the building. One evening, he and his son, Edwin, walked through the empty building and gave his keys to Biddle and Smart. Copied from the February 13, 1907 issue of the Horseless Age Magazine The Western Buggy Type of Automobile. The most casual observer at the Sixth Annual Automobile Show held in Chicago could not help but observe the numerous exhibits of what might be called the buggy type of automobile. These machines are distinctly of American origin and were necessitated by the peculiar road conditions existing in many of the more unsettled districts of the country. Such roads as are met with in these localities practically do not exist in France, Germany, or England. The modern touring car represents the gradual development of a machine which is adapted to conditions in Europe, and is not by any means a suitable vehicle for use on the American roads referred to.

The buggy type of automobile, as its name implies, looks very much like a buggy with a piano box body, is fitted with large wooden wheels shod with iron tires, which gives it road clearance sufficient to pass through deep mud holes and over protruding stones and stumps without scraping the differenial or striking the flywheel. A single horizontal or two cylinder opposed air cooled motor is usually used, and the drive is by means of a rope or steel cable working over a large sheave clamped to the spokes of the rear wheels. These vehicles are certainly anything but prepossessing in appearance and are not capable of developing much speed, but are well suited to the needs of persons whose misfortune it is to travel over stretches of country where the roads are all but impassable. On fairly good roads a speed of twelve to fifteen miles can be attained, but in many of the places where they will operate four miles an hour would be considered good progress. These Western vehicles supply a want for which the standard type of touring car is not at all suited. For doctors they should prove of special service, and if properly constructed, suitable material being used, such automobile buggies should last for many years of comparatively hard service.

We believe they are destined to become a distinct factor in the development of theautomobile industry in America. 1907 Continental Runabout Beverly Rae Kimes lists this company as being organized in Springfield, IL, in 1907. Wherever it was made, it was not put into production. 1907 Diamond T Roadster Automobil The Diamond T Motor Car Company was formed in Chicago, IL, in 1905 by C. A. Tilt, who had just completed his first car. He was a cautious man and did not start its manufacturing until 1907 with two model styles, a runabout and a touring. Fifty cars were built the first year. They were big and rugged..The roadster could be had as a two or four passenger. It had a four-cylinder, four-cycle, vertical, water cooled, 50 H. P. engine. It had a reverse and three forward speed sliding change gear with shaft drive to rear axle. The wheels were 36 inches, the wheel base was 114 inches. The gas tank held 25 gallons and was located behind the rear seat and the total weight was 2,600 lbs.

The touring car was priced at $4,300 fully equipped. He built his cars until 1911 when he built a truck for a friend. He concrentrated on trucks and they were the hallmark of the trucking industry well into the 1950's. Duer 1907 Duer High-Wheel Automobile 1907 Duer High Wheeler The Chicago Coach and Carriage Cmpany, Chicago,IL, began experimenting with manufacturing an automobile in 1905, but it was not put into production until 1907. Like the Hosman models, it was a high class High Wheeler that used rope drive until 1908, the air-cooled engine was moved from under the seat to a hood and a fake radiator. However, the alterations did not spark sales and by 1910, it faded intto oblivion. Williams Autocycle 1907 Vandegrift Autocycle. James N. Vandegrift, of Philadelphia, has invented an autotomobile built on the principle of the bicycle. In its design he has had the assistance of Henry G. Morris and Pedro G.

Salom, also of Philadelphia, who were among the first to build electric vehicles in this country. The machine weighs 380 pounds, carries two passengers, and has a 6 horse power two cylinder gaso-line air cooled motor. The maximum speed is claimed to be 45 miles an hour. It can be turned around in a radius of 7 feet. The small "balance wheels" on the sides carry little or no weight, and as the speed of the vehicle increases the load on these wheels decreases. The axl; connecting them is provided with a link check spring device under either side of the body. These springs under normal conditions take little or no weight, but are adjustable to carry any weight desired. Klink 1907 Servitor Rubabout Automobile 1n 1907, the Barnes Manufacturing Company, Sandusky, OH, owned by H. C. Barnes, began to manufacture automobiles with two models, Servitor and Barnes. The Servitor by stated that "It is all the name implies".

It was advertised as "A Car for Service" It was powered by a 20-horsepower motor on 90-inch wheel base with shaft drive and a patented two-speed planetay transmission. Only a two-seated roadster was offered and sold at $1,250. It was built only in 1907 1907 Servitor Automobile Advertisement Barnes continued to build cars in his name, but, there is no clear cut records as to how long that the Barnes automobile was in production, nor the one the same Barnes who took over the Anhut Motor Car Company, Detroit, MI, in 1910 Hatfield Late in 1906, Charle B, Hatfield and his son, Junior, incorporated their Hatfield Motor Vehicle Compnay in Cortland, NY, to build a high wheel vehicle to be called a Buggyabout ot Unique. It was put into production in early 1907. The motor was of the two cylinder opposed, air cooled, four cycle type, rated at 12 horse power, and was located transversely under the seat. The drive was by means of friction discs, countershaft and side chains to the rear wheels.

The wheel base was 74 inches with 38-inch front wheels and 42- inch rear wheels, giving a road clearance of 16 inches. Full elliptic springs placed crosswise at the front and rear are used, the axles being separated by reach rods. The complete vehicle weighed 800 pounds. The company was relocated to Miamisburg, OH, in 1907 and the name was now the Hatfield. It was a typical high wheeler of that period, but it had a double-chain drive. The running gear and body were made by the Kauffman Buggy Company also located in that town. When it wen into receivership in 1908, it was merged with the Kauffman Company. Advanced Motor Vehicle Company was formed to make the Kauffman cars. Charles Jr. went on to make the O-We-Go cycle car in 1913. 1907 Triumph Roadster Automobile J ohn H. Behrens organized his Triumph Motor Car Company, Chicago, IL, in1907 to manufacture his Triumph automobile. The marketing was done by Christopher Brothers who owned an automobile dealership.

The motor was a four-cylinder, four-stroke, and water-cooled that was 30 horsepower. The wheelbase was 113 inches and the tires were 36 by 4 inches. The touring car sold for $3,000 and the roadster sold for $2,250. In August of that year, the company was sold to Vincent Bendix and O. M. Delany who refined the compressedair starter. The management was left to Delany while Bendis busied himself with two new models which one was called the Bendix. 1912 was the last year for the Triumph. 1907 Triumph Automobile Advertisement Automobile - Timeline - Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century Automobile - Timeline Automobiles may not have been born in the 20th century, but they were not yet out of diapers when it began. Even after Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz introduced their improved fourstroke internal combustion engine, autos in both the United States and Europe were still poking along at a few miles an hour (a sizeable proportion of them still running on electricity or steam). They could boast no battery starter, roof, or windows and were priced only for the rich.

Then Henry Ford fine-tuned the mass production of his Tin Lizzie and the world drove off into the age of affordable transportation—forever altering our notions of place, distance, and community. The telescope shock absorber developed C. L. Horock designs the "telescope" shock absorber, using a piston and cylinder fitted inside a metal sleeve, with a one-way valve built into the piston. As air or oil moves through the valve into the cylinder, the piston moves freely in one direction but is resisted in the other direction by the air or oil. The result is a smoother ride and less lingering bounce. The telescope shock absorber is still used today. 1901 Olds automobile factory starts production The Olds automobile factory starts production in Detroit. Ransom E. Olds contracts with outside companies for parts, thus helping to originate mass production techniques. Olds produces 425 cars in its first year of operation, introducing the three-horsepower "curved-dash" Oldsmobile at $650. The car is a success; Olds is selling 5,000 units a year by 1905. 1902 Standard drum brakes are invented Standard drum brakes are invented by Louis Renault.

His brakes work by using a cam to force apart two hinged shoes. Drum brakes are improved in many ways over the years, but the basic principle remains in cars for the entire 20th century; even with the advent of disk brakes in the 1970s, drum brakes remain the standard for rear wheels. 1908 William Durant forms General Motors William Durant forms General Motors. His combination of car producers and auto parts makers eventually becomes the largest corporation in the world. 1908 Model T introduced Henry Ford begins making the Model T. First-year production is 10,660 cars. Cadillac is awarded the Dewar Trophy by Britain’s Royal Automobile Club for a demonstration of the precision and interchangeability of the parts from which the car is assembled. Mass production thus makes more headway in the industry. 1911 Electric starter introduced Charles Kettering introduces the electric starter. Until this time engines had to be started by hand cranking. Critics believed no one could make an electric starter small enough to fit under a car’s hood yet powerful enough to start the engine. His starters first saw service in 1912 Cadillacs.

1913 First moving assembly line for automobiles developed Ford Motor Company develops the first moving assembly line for automobiles. It brings the cars to the workers rather than having workers walk around factories gathering parts and tools and performing tasks. Under the Ford assembly line process, workers perform a single task rather than master whole portions of automobile assembly. The Highland Park, Michigan, plant produces 300,000 cars in 1914. Ford’s process allows it to drop the price of its Model T continually over the next 14 years, transforming cars from unaffordable luxuries into transportation for the masses. 1914 First car body made entirely of steel Dodge introduces the first car body made entirely of steel, fabricated by the Budd Company. The Dodge touring car is made in Hamtramck, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. 1919 First single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes The Hispano-Suiza H6B, a French luxury car, demonstrates the first single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes. Previously drivers had to apply a hand brake and a foot brake simultaneously.

1922 First American car with four-wheel hydraulic brakes The Duesenberg, made in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the first American car with four-wheel hydraulic brakes, replacing ones that relied on the pressure of the driver’s foot alone. Hydraulic brakes use a master cylinder in a hydraulic system to keep pressure evenly applied to each wheel of the car as the driver presses on the brake pedal. 1926 First power steering system Francis Wright Davis uses a Pierce-Arrow to introduce the first power steering system. It works by integrating the steering linkage with a hydraulics system. 1931 First modern independent front suspension system Mercedes-Benz introduces the first modern independent front suspension system, giving cars a smoother ride and better handling. By making each front wheel virtually independent of the other though attached to a single axle, independent front suspension minimizes the transfer of road shock from one wheel to the other. 1934 First successful mass-produced front-wheel-drive car The French automobile Citroën Traction Avant is the first successful mass-produced front-wheel-drive car. Citroën also pioneers the all-steel unitized body-frame structure (chassis and body are welded together). Audi in Germany and Cord in the United States offer front-wheel drive.

1935 Flashing turn signals introduced A Delaware company uses a thermal interrupter switch to create flashing turn signals. Electricity flowing through a wire expands it, completing a circuit and allowing current to reach the lightbulb. This short-circuits the wire, which then shrinks and terminates contact with the bulb but is then ready for another cycle. Transistor circuits begin taking over the task of thermal interrupters in the 1960s. 1939 First air conditioning system added to automobiles The Nash Motor Company adds the first air conditioning system to cars. 1940 Jeep is designed Karl Pabst designs the Jeep, workhorse of WWII. More than 360,000 are made for the Allied armed forces. Oldsmobile introduces the first mass-produced, fully automatic transmission. 1950s Cruise control is developed Ralph Teeter, a blind man, senses by ear that cars on the Pennsylvania Turnpike travel at uneven speeds, which he believes leads to accidents. Through the 1940s he develops a cruise control mechanism that a driver can set to hold the car at a steady speed.

Unpopular when generally introduced in the 1950s, cruise control is now standard on more than 70 percent of today’s automobiles. 1960s Efforts begin to reduce harmful emissions Automakers begin efforts to reduce harmful emissions, starting with the introduction of positive crankcase ventilation in 1963. PCV valves route gases back to the cylinders for further combustion. With the introduction of catalytic converters in the 1970s, hydrocarbon emissions are reduced 95 percent by the end of the century compared to emissions in 1967. 1966 Electronic fuel injection system developed An electronic fuel injection system is developed in Britain. Fuel injection delivers carefully controlled fuel and air to the cylinders to keep a car’s engine running at its most efficient. 1970s Airbags become standard Airbags, introduced in some models in the 1970s, become standard in more cars. Originally installed only on the driver's side, they begin to appear on the front passenger side as well. 1970s Fuel prices escalate, driving demand for fuel-efficient cars Fuel prices escalate, driving a demand for fuel-efficient cars, which increases the sale of small Japanese cars.

This helps elevate the Japanese automobile industry to one of the greatest in the world. 1980s Japanese popularize "just in time" delivery of auto parts The Japanese popularize "just in time" delivery of auto parts to factory floors, thus reducing warehousing costs. They also popularize statistical process control, a method developed but not applied in the United States until the Japanese demonstrate how it improves quality. 1985 Antilock braking system (ABS) available on American cars The Lincoln becomes the first American car to offer an antilock braking system (ABS), which is made by Teves of Germany. ABS uses computerized sensing of wheel movement and hydraulic pressure to each wheel to adjust pressure so that the wheels continue to move somewhat rather than "locking up" during emergency braking. 1992 Energy Policy Act of 1992 encourages alternative-fuel vehicles Passage of the federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 encourages alternative- fuel vehicles. These include automobiles run with mixtures of alcohols and gasoline, with natural gas, or by some combination of conventional fuel and battery power.

1997 First American carmaker offers automatic stability control Cadillac is the first American carmaker to offer automatic stability control, increasing safety in emergency handling situations. Car History Timeline | Preceden The Start 1769 - 1784 Cugnot a French inventor makes thew 1st self-propelled road vehicle. He did it by employing a device for converting the reciprocating motion of a steam piston into rotary motion by means of a ratchet arrangement. A Working Model William Murdock, who was a scottish engenieer, built a working model for steam carriage. Steam Road Carriage 1789 - 1801 Richard Trevithick was a Cornish inventor, mining engineer, and builder of the first working railway steam locomotive. Trevithick built a full-size steam road carriage in 1801. Internal Combustion Engine 1832 - 1860 Francois Isaac de Rivaz of Switzerland invented an internal combustion engine that used a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Rivaz designed a car for his engine that was the first internal combustion powered automobile.

"Marcus Car" 1860 - 1879 Siegfried Samuel Marcus was a German inventor and automobile pioneer. At about 1870 he put an internal combustion engine on a simple handcart. This appliance was designed for liquid combustibles and made him the first man propelling a vehicle by means of gasoline. Commercial Auto 1879 - 1885 Karl Friedrich Benz, was a German engine designer and automobile engineer, generally regarded as the inventor of the gasoline-powered automobile. In 1885, Karl Benz created the Motorwagen, the first commercial automobile. It was powered by a four-stroke gasoline engine, which was his own design. 1st Car Company 1885 - 1893 The first American firm to build gasoline automobiles was founded by Charles Duryea and his brother Frank, they built a one-cylinder "Ladies Phaeton", first demonstrated on September 21, 1893 at Springfield, Massachusetts. It was considered the 1st successful gas powered automotive in the U.S. Racing 1893 - 1894 Car racing is organized for the first time.

The first contest was organized by Paris magazine, Le Perit Journal, a reliability test to determine best performance. Model "A" 1894 - 1903 Henry Ford was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. His 1st car he released is a model "A". More Racing 1903 - 1910 The transformation from high-priced road cars into pure racers, with Delage, Auto Union, Mercedes-Benz, Delahaye, and Bugatti constructing streamlined vehicles with engines producing up to 450 KW (612 hp), aided by multiple-stage supercharging. Electric Starter 1910 - 1911 Charles Franklin Kettering was an American farmer, school teacher, mechanic, engineer, scientist, inventor and social philosopher. In 1912, Cadillac was the first manufacturer to incorporate an electric starter on their cars equipped with gasoline internal combustion engines, replacing the crank start. Assembly line 1911 - 1913 In 1913, the company had developed all of the basic techniques of the assembly line and mass production.

Ford introduced the world's first moving assembly line that year, which reduced chassis assembly time from 12½ hours in October to 2 hours, 40 minutes, and boosted annual output to 250,000 units. Foot-Pedal 1913 - 1919 A French luxury car demonstrates the first single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes. Previously drivers had to apply a hand brake and a foot brake simultaneously. Luxury Cars Invented 1919 - 1920 A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxurious automobile intended for the comfort and satisfaction of its driver. Power Steering 1920 - 1926 Power steering is a system for reducing the steering effort on cars by using an external power source to assist in turning the wheels. It is said that Power steering was invented in the 1920s by Francis W. Davis and George Jessup. Air Conditioning The Nash Motor Company made the first air conditioning in cars. Jeep 1939 - 1940 During the second world war the US Army recognized the need for a fast, lightweight all-terrain vehicle. So the Jeep was created.

Air Bag 1940 - 1951 The airbag was invented by John W. Hetrick in 1951 and he patented the device the following year. Hetrick came up with the idea to help protect his own family using expertise from his naval engineering days. Hi-Tec 1951 - 1980 The modern era is normally defined as the 25 years preceding the current year. However, there are some technical and design aspects that differentiate modern cars from antiques. The spread of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the adoption of the V6 engine configuration, and fuel injection. While all of these advances were first attempted in earlier eras, they so dominate the market today that it is easy to overlook their significance.

Question: The electric starter for motor cars was introduced in 1911, by which great American manufacturer?
Answer: CADILLAC