Van stoomvoertuigen tot de strijd tussen accu's en brandstof

From steam to spark plug and patent problems

The new mechanical car with the terrible name automobile will never be forgotten," New York Times 1897.

This was the first publication in the media that used the name automobile. This helped to get the name widely accepted among the public. However, the credit goes to the 14th century Italian painter named Martini. He never built an automobile, but he did draw plans for a man-made one powered carriage with 4 wheels. Martini coined the name automobile from the Greek word 'auto' (self) and the Latin 'mobils' (moving). Another popular name is the English 'car'. This is derived from the Celtic 'carrus' which means as much as cart or wagon.

Patents show that every inventor had his own vision. Oliver Evans, US Patent from 1792: Oruktor amphibolos. Not entirely fair because it was actually an amphibious 'car'. George Selden, US Patent from 1879: road machine. the brothers Duryea, US Patent 1895: Motor Wagons and Henry Ford, US Patent 1896: Quadricycle.

Other early (English) references were: autobaine, autokenetic, autometon, automotor horse, buggyaut, diamote, horseless carriage. mocole, motor carriage, motorig, motor-vique, and the oleo locomotive.

Before 1860

3rd century: The oldest evidence for a crankshaft and connecting rods dates to the 3rd century. This was at the Hierapolis sawmill in Turkey as part of the Roman Empire.
5th century: Roman engineers document various crankshaft and connecting rod machines for use in sawmills.
9th century: The crankshaft appears in the middle 9th century books on ingenious devices from the brothers Banū Mūsa. er were described as being used in all kinds of hydraulic devices.
In 1206, Al-Jazari invented an early crankshaft which he combined with a connecting rod system in a two cylinder pump. Just as the modern crankshaft existed Al-Jazari's mechanism consisted of a wheel that set the connecting rods in motion. The wheel just turned and the bars moved up and down in a straight line. This system converts a rotating movement into a continuous linear movement. This is similar to the system that is central to the modern steam engine and combustion engine. Al-Jazari is seen as the founder of robotics.
1680: Dutch physicist Christian Huygens designs an internal combustion engine that is fed with gunpowder and drives a water pump. It was used to water the palace garden of Versailles with 3000 m2 of water per day. This is the first idea of an internal combustion engine.
1780s: Alessandro Volta builds an electric toy gun in which an electric spark explodes a mixture of air and hydrogen that a cork can be shot off.
1791: John Barber receives UK patent #1833 for a method for rising flammable air for the purpose of producing movement and facilitating metallurgical operations. With this he partly describes the operation of a turbine.
1794: Robert Street builds an engine without compression. This principle has been used for almost a century.
1798: Tippu Sultan, ruler of the state of Mysore in India uses the first iron missiles against the British army.
1807: Nicéphore Niépce built his through 'moss, carbon and resin' powered Pyréolophore combustion engine in a boat and run the Saone on in France. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte granted a patent on July 20.
1807: François Isaac de Rivaz, a Swiss engineer, built an internal combustion engine powered by a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. This was ignited by an electric spark. (See also 1780s: Alessandro Volta)
1823: Samuel Brown patented the first internal combustion engine to be used industrially. It was compression-less and based on what Hardenberg called the "Leonardo Cycle." As the name implies, it was already obsolete around this time.
1824: The French physicist Sadi Carnot came up with the thermodynamic theory of the idealized internal combustion engine. Samuel Brown modified a Newcomen steam engine to use gasoline and briefly uses it to power a vehicle driving up Shooter's Hill in London.
1826 April 1: The American Samuel Morey acquired a patent for a compressionless "Gas or vapor engine".
1832-1839: Robert Andersons (Scotland) invents the first electric carriage. This uses rechargeable batteries. They were heavy, slow, expensive and to be stopped often to charge. Electricity as an energy source only became usable for trams and streetcars back then a constant supply of electricity was possible.
1833: Lemuel Wellman Wright, UK patent 6525, table size gas engine. Double acting gas engine and the first mention of a water jacketed cylinder.
1838: A patent was granted to William Barnett (English). According to Dugald Clerk, this was the first report of a in-cylinder compression engine.
1852: Studebaker is founded.
1854-57: Eugenio Barsanti † Felice Matteucci invented a motorcycle. This was probably the first 4-stroke engine, unfortunately the patent has been lost.
1856: In Florence at Fonderia del Pignone (now Nuovo Pignone, a sub division of General Electric), Pietro Benini realized a working prototype of the Italian engine with 5 hp. In the years that followed, he developed stronger engines with one or two cylinders that served as stationary engines to replace steam engines.
1857: Eugenio Barsanti † Felice Matteucci described the principles of the free piston engine where the vacuum after the explosion provides atmospheric pressure for the power stroke (British patent No. 1625). Otto and Langen were the first to make a salable motorcycle based on this concept. However, this only happened 10 years later.

1860-1910

1860: The Belgian Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir (1822-1900) made a gas-powered internal combustion engine similar to a horizontal double-acting steam engine with pistons, cylinders, connecting rods and flywheel with the gas taking the place of the steam. This was the first internal combustion engine to be produced in large numbers. He patented this machine.
1861 The oldest confirmed patent of a 4-stroke engine was from Alphonse Beau de Rochas. A year earlier, Christian Reithmann made an engine that was probably the same, but his patent was not clear on this.
1862: German inventor Nikolaus Otto was the first to build and sell the engine. He designed a working indirect free piston compressionless engine whose efficiency won the support of Eugen Langen and then of the entire market, which at the time consisted of stationary machines powered by ignition of gas.
1863: Lenoir rides a 50-mile route with an improved engine that runs on petroleum and has a primitive carburettor.
1865: Pierre Hugon starts producing his Hugon engine, this is the same as the Lenoir engine but is more economical and reliable. Sylvester Roper builds a carriage with a self-propelled steam engine.
1866: Otto and Langen introduce their free piston engine at the Paris Exhibition. It was half the fuel-efficient engines of Lenoir and Hugon.
1870: In 1865, Siegfried Marcus began construction of a combustion engine, and around 1870 he is said to have tested a self-propelled pushcart on the streets of Vienna. In the following years he designed a few two-stroke engines, which he had built at various factories. He also developed the electric low voltage ignition, for which he received a German patent in 1883. In 1887 he entered into a partnership with the firm Marky, Bromovski & Schulz in the then Adamsthal, Moravia. His four-stroke engine was completed there in 1888, which he used for his "Strassenwagen". Much material about his inventions was destroyed by the Germans during the German occupation of Austria Nazis, who couldn't use a Jewish inventor of the automobile. By order of Goebbels Marcus' name as inventor of the automobile had to be deleted from all German reference works. Then it is determined that Daimler and Benz are the inventors of the modern automobile.
1871: dr. Carhart, a physics professor, teams up with the Case Company to build a steam car that won a 200-mile race.
1872: In America, George Brayton invents "Brayton's Ready Motor" which is produced commercially. It used a constant combustion pressure and was the first commercial liquid-powered internal combustion engine, although not very successful.
1875: Auburn is founded.
1876: Nikolaus Otto, now collaborating with Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, begins the heyday of the 4-stroke engine. However, the German court had the patent does not allow to describe the 4-stroke engine and the in-cylinder compression engines. After this decision, this type of engine became the standard.
1878: Dougald Clerk designs the first two-stroke engine with in-cylinder compression. He patents it in England in 1881.
1879: Karl Benz, working independently, was granted a patent for his internal combustion engine, a reliable two-stroke gas engine based on the same technique as De Rochas design of the four-stroke engine.
1882: James Atkinson finds the Atkinson cycle engine off. Atkinson's engine had one power stroke per revolution along with several intake and expansion strokes. This made it potentially a more efficient engine than the Otto engine.
1883: Edouard Delamare-Debouteville builds a single-cylinder four-stroke engine that runs on natural gas. His designs were ahead of its time, even for those of Daimler and Benz, at least on paper. Karl Benz founds his company Benz & Cie.
1884: The British Engineer Edward Butler constructs the first gasoline internal combustion engine. Butler invented the spark plug, magneto, ignition coil and injection carburettor, he was also the first to use the word 'gasoline'. DeLamarre De Bouteville patented a carburetor.
1885: Gottlieb Daimler was granted a German patent for a supercharger. He also likes the prototype of the modern petrol engine. A vertical cylinder and with a fuel injected via a carburettor (patented in 1887). He first built a vehicle with two wheels and this engine, the Reitwagen, and a year later the world's first four-wheel motor vehicle based on a carriage. Benz built his own 4-stroke engine which was used in his cars which were developed in 1885 and patented in 1886, making these the first cars produced.
1886: Karl Benz receives the first patent on January 29 for a petrol-powered vehicle, a three-wheeler, his first four-wheeler he did not build until 1891. Olds experiments with steam-powered tricycles.
1889: Daimler builds an improved four-stroke engine with mushroom-shaped valves and two angled V cylinders.
1890: Wilhelm Maybach builds the first four-stroke four-cylinder engine. The Flint Road Cart Company (later Durant-Dort Carriage Company) hires Charles Nash.
1891: Herbert Akroyd Stuart builds his oil engine and leases the rights Hornsby in England for production. They build the first cold start compression ignition engines. In 1892 they installed the first of these in a water pumping station. In the same year, an experimental high-pressure version produced self-igniting using only compression.
1892: dr. Rudolf Diesel developed his Carnot heat engine.
1887: Gustaf de Laval introduces the Laval nozzle for its Laval turbine. Oldsmobile is founded (dissolution in 2004).
1888: William Morrison drives his electric vehicle through Chicago.
1889/1891: Panhard & Levassor and Peugeot are the first car manufacturers in the world. So she didn't just build and test like so many before them, but built them to sell. Daimler and Benz started out as inventors and made their first money licensing their patents and selling engines to car manufacturers. In 1890, Panhard & Levassor their first car with a Daimler engine. Edouard Sarazin had the license for the Daimler engines for France and assisted them as a partner. Their cars had a pedal-operated clutch and they were the first cars to have the front engine and radiator and the drive on the rear wheels for better balance. This became known as the 'Systeme Panhard'. In their 1895 car they also had the first modern transmission. A sliding gear transmission. However, they shared the Daimler patent with Armand Peugeot. A Peugeot won the first race in France.
1889: In this year, Maybach and Daimler built the first self-designed car with a four-speed transmission and a top speed of 16 km/h.
1890: Daimler founds the 'Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft' to build his designs.
1891: Lambert and Nadig are among the vehicles to have the honor of being the first in America.
1893 February 23: Rudolf Diesel received a patent for his compression ignition (diesel) engine. September 20: In Springfield, Massachusetts, the Duryea brothers built their first car. The car was built by installing a 1 cylinder petrol engine in a 2nd hand carriage from $70. The brothers were bicycle mechanics who became interested in the new gas engines and cars. She founded the first American car factory in 1896 and by then had already sold 13 cars and would remain in production until the 1920s. December 24: Henry Ford tests his home-built engine in his house sink and has his wife Clara pour gasoline into a pipe. He uses a wire and connects it to the lighting. The engine starts. It will be three years before he builds his first car, the Quadricycle. He then worked for the Edison Illuminating Company to learn about electricity. He was 27 at the time. The US Office of Road Inquiry is established.
1894: The first standardized car was the Benz Velo. 140 identical Velos were built in 1895.
1895: The French car maker Levassor drove 1,170km with one of his cars during the Paris - Bordeaux - Paris at an average speed of 24 km/h. The car had a two-cylinder 1.2 liter with glow tube ignition. The longest service stop lasted 22 minutes. Levassor had been in the automobile business since 1891. Cars were already a normal thing on the streets of Paris. French and German manufacturers sold their cars through catalogues. November 28, 8:55 AM: 6 cars leave Chicago's Jackson Park for a 54-mile race to Evanston and back through the snow. Car 5, driven by Frank Duryea, won the race for $2,000 in just 10 hours with an average speed of 7.3 mph. It was the first race in which anyone finished.
1896: Karl Benz invents the boxer engine, also known as the flat engine. In this engine, the opposing pistons simultaneously reach their top dead center, balancing each other. March: Duryea offered the first commercial cars. Two months later New York motorist Henry Wells hit a bicyclist. The cyclist suffered a broken leg and Wells spent a night in jail. It the nation's first traffic accident was a fact. Charles B. King drives his water-cooled 4-cylinder 4-stroke in Detroit on March 6, 1896 vehicle. September 7 is the first track race in Rhode Island.
1897: The Paris - Marseille race of 1897 cost Emile Levassor his life. olds Motor Vehicle Company is founded. It is the first auto plant in Michigan. Pope Mfg. hold the first press release for a new model on March 12.
1899: During the first 4 months of the year, $388 million was invested by investors in new automakers. There were now about 8,000 motor vehicles in the USA. 30 Manufacturers had built 2,500 cars and the industry was ranked 150th by production value in the US economy. The Ohio Automobile Company is founded to produce the new Packard cars. The cars get a very good reputation in a short time, so the name was changed to Packard Motor Car Company. Until 1903 all Packards had a 1 cylinder engine. A Black from the Black Motor Company cost $375, an Oldsmobile Runabout $650, a Cole 30 and Cole Runabout $1,500 while a Packard $2,600. The customers came not only from America but also from abroad.
1900: In the 1900s, the electric car was the best selling. This was soon over when the petrol cars became available. In Europe, Benz was the best-selling brand. Benz was also the first to design an engine and chassis as a whole. 1 in 9,500 Americans owned a car. 40% was steam powered, 38% was electric and only 22% was gasoline powered. At the end of the year there were already 13,824 cars in the USA. Only 10,000 cars were produced worldwide.
1900: Rudolf Diesel demonstrated its diesel engine during the Exposition Universelle (World Exhibition) and used peanut oil as fuel, with this using biodiesel.
1900: Wilhelm Maybach designed an engine that was built at the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, according to the specifications of Emil Jellinek. He requested that the bike be named after his daughter, Mercedes. Daimler-Mercedes became the name. In 1902, cars with this engine were produced by DMG. Charles Nash is Vice President and General Manager at the Durant-Dort Carriage Company.
1901: The first mass-produced car in the USA was the Curved Dash Oldsmobile, built by Ransom Eli Olds (1864-1950). He developed the first production line and started thus the Detroit auto industry. He started building steam and gasoline engines with his father, Pliny Fisk Olds in Lansing, Michigan in 1885. In 1899 he moved to Detroit and renamed his company Olds Motor Works. In 1900 the name Oldsmobile was introduced. He produces 425 units of the Curved Dash in 1901, by 1905 there were already 5,000. He was the best selling manufacturer in the USA from 1901 to 1904. Olds quickly discovered the drawbacks of mass production. Styling changes and changing tastes left Olds with a huge investment in the factory and the machines because he was still with the 'old fashioned' Curved Dash. The Detroit Automobile Co. went bankrupt because it sold only 6 cars in 2 years. The financiers who bought the plant fired its lead developer, Henry Ford. When he started winning auto races, the former shareholders of the Detroit Automobile Co. the founding of the new Henry Ford Co. in which they gave Ford a 1/6 share. Ford soon left the new firm and started the Henry Ford Company in 1903. Wilhelm Maybach designs the first Mercedes in Germany. The first license plates appear in America. Pierce-Arrow builds his first 1 cylinder vehicle.
1902: At least 50 new firms begin manufacturing automobiles in America. Leon Levasseur receives a patent for a light and powerful V8 gas engine. Studebaker is one of the companies that will focus on cars. First with electric cars, from 1904 also with petrol cars. The last Studebaker rolls off the production line on March 16, 1966. Marmon starts producing cars. Thomas B. Jeffery establishes his factory, he supplies the Jeffery and Rambler brands.
1903: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky begins a series of theoretical theses discussing the possibilities of using rockets to reach space. An important part of his idea is liquid propelled rockets. Ford starts the Henry Ford Company. He hires staff in exchange for shares. They work in a small factory of 250 by 50 feet. Relying on suppliers, Henry is more of a builder than a manufacturer. Much of its success comes from supplying engines from the Dodge Brothers who agreed to cancel their contract with Olds, who built engines for the Curved Dash. Where Ford had 12 employees, the Dodge brothers had 135. Ford couldn't pay the Dodge brothers in full, so he gave them shares, something they themselves suggested considering Henry's reputation. 10% and the rights to all its assets in the event of bankruptcy. In the beginning Dodge built the Ford's except for the seats and tires (probably also the bodies and radiators). They earned on every car and also received a dividend of $10,000 per year. By this time, Henry was already getting paranoid and fired Redhead, hired tough guys, and blamed Jews for all the trouble. In addition, religious demands were imposed by home visits. Aegidius Elling builds a gas turbine that uses a centrifugal compressor that works on its own power. According to the applicable By definition, this is the first working gas turbine. The ALAM is founded. Packard opens its state-of-the-art Albert Kahn-designed factory on a 16-acre site in Detroit. Reinforced concrete was used for the first time in an industrial building. The now derelict factory still exists, despite the many fires that have been there. Pierce-Arrow builds his first car, the Arrow.
1904: The USA produces more cars than France, holding this position until Japan takes over in 1980. Henry Leland founds the Cadillac Motor Car Co. through a reorganization of Henry Ford's Detroit Automobile. Henry Ford sets a new land speed record of 91 mph with a Model B, thanks in part to the Dodge engine. A success which proves to be very profitable for the company. Ransom E. Olds founds REO Motor Car Company, the name is now owned by Volvo.
1905: Alfred Buchi patents the turbocharger and production of the first copies starts.
1903-1906: It team of Armengaud and Lemale in France builds a working gas turbine engine. It used 3 separate compressors powered by a single turbine. The compression ratio could not exceed 3:1 due to the limited turbine temperatures. The turbine was not based on a Parsons like fan but on one Pelton wheel-like construction. The motor is so inefficient with only 3% thermal efficiency that the project is halted.
1904: The V8 engine has become popular in France and is used in airplanes and boats.
1904-1908: At least 240 new firms begin manufacturing automobiles in America. During the same period, William C Durant, a prosperous coachbuilder, bought the bankrupt Buick Motor Car Company in his town of Flint, Michigan. He wanted to boost the local economy by avoiding layoffs at the Buick factory. By 1908 Buick is the largest manufacturer in the USA. He sells 9,000 cars against 6,000 from Ford.
1905: A Brush Motorcar costs $800, a Ford Model K $2,800 and a good horse $150-$300. The USA produces 25,000 cars. Sylvanus F. Bowser invents a workable gas pump and opens the first 'filling station'. Olds introduces a simple model that immediately sells 5,000 units in the first year. The French Darracq is building a special car to break the world speed record. Two racing engines were coupled to a common crank and camshaft. It had 25.4 liters of capacity and 200 hp. The record was broken on 12/30 with a top speed of 176.46 km/h.
1906: Petrol cars are not 'everything', a Stanley Steamer sets a new country record for cars, 203 km/h.
1907: Ford Motor Company is worth $1 million. Henry buys out partner Malcomson and owns a 55.2% share. The Dodge Brothers and James Couzens remain minor shareholders. The USA now produces 43,000 cars. The Paris newspaper is sponsoring a long-distance car rally. Five participants will leave Beijing for Paris on June 10 and the winner will arrive on August 10, driving an Italia.
1908: New Zealand inventor Ernest Godward starts a motorcycle company in Invercargill and equips import engines with his own invention, a fuel-saving carburetor. These work just as well in cars as they do in motorcycles. It was widely used in defense and by public transport companies. Ford introduces the Model T and with this America says goodbye to the look of a carriage. The Model T lasted until 1927. The moment when the GM models were more stylized and the Model T started to become very antique. That was no problem after 15 million copies. By the use off the assembly line, production time was drastically shortened and it only lasted 93 minutes to build a Model T. Ford had a reputation of good quality, and powerful cars. Ford also had a reputation for good service, sending factory technicians into the field as early as 1904. This made a Ford the first car for all American classes. William C. Durant founds GM on September 16. It was a combination of Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile, among others. Ford's growth also kept Durant working, growing through acquisitions. In the first two years, the profits were already $29 and $49 million. Durant also owned several Ford dealerships and also had the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, a company that built 100,000 carriages a year by 1900 and supplied springs, axles and other important components to the auto industry.
1908: René Lorin patents the design for a ramjet engine, a thruster jet engine without moving parts such as compressors or turbines. John Willys buys the Overland Automotive Division of the Standard Wheel Company. Robert Craig Hupp, a longtime employee of Oldsmobile and Ford, co-founded Hupmobile with his brother. In 1910, Robert sells his share again and founds the short-lived RCH Automobile Company, later the Hupp-Yeats Electric Car Company.
1909: In Kansas City, George Pepperdine opens the Western Auto Supply Co., a mail order company that supplies parts for the Model T. The Model T was sold without tires, fenders, roof, windshield or lights. The buyer could buy as much aftermarket accessories as the car itself would have cost. 8 Targeting Detroit Businessmen on February 20 Hudson Motor Car Company on. The brand is named after Joseph L. Hudson's department store. He made capital and name available for the new company. The company was the first to use an oil pressure gauge, alternator indicator lights and a balanced crankshaft. In the fall, Durant almost had Ford enlisted but had to let the deal stall due to a $2 million shortfall for a down payment. James Couzens and Henry Ford had already agreed to an $8 million offer that Durant him had done on October 5 at the Belmont Hotel, near Durant's New York office. Ford (then 46) suffered from his spit and lay on the cold bathroom floor while Durant and Couzens were elsewhere in the hotel. Durant would buy Ford and Henry would walk into the sun. 6 years after starting his company, Ford was literally on his back. 1908 sales were at $ 9 million with a profit of $2.5 million. But Ford had bet on the outcome of the lawsuit surrounding George Selden's Selden Patent (see elsewhere on the site). Durant's Buick paid the fees. Nothing was certain for Henry. He could lose the business and that at a time when he invested heavily in the factory. Couzens had burned out and had suffer from migraines. Durant knew the stars favored a takeover. Durant didn't have to convince Ford, it was simply a matter of making the right offer.
Durant's 8 million was another 8 million than Ford's. Durant was a man of loans and stocks, Ford had no patience for that. Couzens passed the offer to Henry, who was lying on the floor, saying that he already agreed. OK. said Ford, but "gold on the table," that is, in cash. The deal was 2 million in GM stock, 4 million in 3 years at 5% interest and 2 million outright in gold (according to a New York Times report 10 years later). The New York City Bank (partnered with JP Morgan) declined the loan. The fact was that banks at that time were not positive about the car industry. Durant told Ford the deal fell through because he had no other avenues to explore. 14 months later, the judge ruled in Ford's favor in the Selden patent case. This gave Ford the courage to invest again.

1910-1929

1910: Er rijden inmiddels ongeveer 500.000 motorvoertuigen rond in de Verenigde Staten, waarvan 458.500 auto's zijn. De auto-industrie staat inmiddels op de 21e plaats gemeten naar productiewaarde binnen de Amerikaanse economie en heeft de koetsenindustrie in economisch opzicht voorbijgestreefd. De Durant-Dort Carriage Company levert carrosserieën voor Buick. William C. Durant kampt niet alleen met een tekort aan geld, maar ook aan ervaren personeel. Hij haalt Charles Nash naar Buick, waar deze op 13 december Vice President wordt. General Motors wordt getroffen door een teruglopende verkoop, waardoor Durant gedwongen wordt $13 miljoen aan nieuw kapitaal te zoeken. Een groep bankiers verstrekt uiteindelijk $15 miljoen, deels in contanten en deels in GM-aandelen. In ruil daarvoor verliest Durant zijn stemrecht binnen General Motors, dat wordt ondergebracht in een trust van bankiers. Bovendien moet hij aftreden als president van GM. Ford Motor Company opent daarentegen de nieuwe Highland Park-fabriek om de onverwacht grote vraag naar de Model T aan te kunnen. Bij het ontwerp van de fabriek wordt al rekening gehouden met toekomstige verbeteringen: machines worden vervangen zodra efficiëntere exemplaren beschikbaar komen. Durant raakt na zijn gedwongen vertrek bij General Motors overtuigd dat hij een nieuw automerk nodig heeft om terug te keren. Hij zoekt samenwerking met Louis Chevrolet, een Zwitsers-Franse coureur en technisch talent die naam heeft gemaakt met succesvolle races en technische ontwikkelingen. Met financiële steun van onder andere DuPont, geregeld door John J. Raskob van de DuPont financiële commissie, bereidt Durant de oprichting van een nieuw automerk voor.
Verkopen top 8:
1 Ford Motor Company 32.053 Model T begint de markt te veroveren
2 Buick 30.525 Sterk merk vóór de opkomst van Chevrolet
3 Willys-Overland 15.598 Overland was één van de grootste volumemerken
4 Studebaker / E-M-F 15.020 Studebaker stapte vanuit koetsen naar auto's
5 Cadillac 10.039 Luxe/premium, onderdeel van GM
6 Maxwell 10.000 Later onderdeel van Chrysler
7 Brush Runabout 10.000 Lichtgewicht auto, onderdeel van de vroege GM-groep
8 REO Motor Car Company 6.588 Opgericht door Ransom E. Olds
1911: Nadat de vrouw van een vriend overlijdt als gevolg van een ongeluk tijdens het aanslingeren van een automotor, geeft Henry Leland opdracht een veilige elektrische starter te ontwikkelen. Hij sluit hiervoor een contract met de Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO) van Charles Kettering voor de levering van 4.000 elektrische startmotoren. Cadillac introduceert deze elektrische startmotor op de modellen van 1912 en maakt daarmee het gevaarlijke aanslingeren grotendeels overbodig. In hetzelfde jaar wint Henry Ford definitief de rechtszaak rond het Selden Patent. De uitspraak maakt een einde aan de licentieclaims die jarenlang boven de Amerikaanse auto-industrie hebben gehangen en geeft fabrikanten meer vrijheid om auto's te bouwen zonder royalty's te betalen. William C. Durant en Louis Chevrolet richten de Chevrolet Motor Company op in Detroit. Chevrolet brengt zijn reputatie als coureur en technisch ontwikkelaar mee, terwijl Durant vooral de commerciële mogelijkheden ziet. De eerste Chevrolet-modellen zijn echter meer gericht op prestaties en luxe dan op de betaalbare massamarkt die Durant voor ogen heeft. De samenwerking tussen de twee mannen verloopt hierdoor steeds moeizamer.
1912: In de Verenigde Staten zijn 33.842 elektrische auto's geregistreerd. De nieuwe Highland Park fabriek, geopend in 1910, gaf Ford de ruimte om de productie sterk op te voeren. Waar Ford in 1910 ongeveer 32.000 Model T's bouwde, steeg dit naar circa 78.000 in 1912. De echte revolutie kwam echter in 1913, toen Ford de bewegende assemblagelijn introduceerde en productieaantallen explosief begonnen te groeien. Meer dan één op de vijf auto's in Amerika is inmiddels een Ford Model T; met circa 78.000 geproduceerde auto's heeft Ford ongeveer 22% van de Amerikaanse markt in handen. Het bedrijf beschikt over ongeveer 3.500 dealers verspreid over het land. In de Highland Park-fabriek worden door ingenieurs zoals Clarence Avery en Charles Sorensen productieprocessen geanalyseerd en verbeterd. Experimenten met efficiëntere materiaalstromen en transportbanden vormen de voorbereiding op de bewegende assemblagelijn die Ford in 1913 introduceert. Deze verbeteringen vormen de directe aanloop naar de bewegende assemblagelijn die een jaar later wordt ingevoerd. John Willys verandert de naam van zijn bedrijf in Willys-Overland Motor Company. Tot en met 1918 blijft Willys-Overland de grootste autofabrikant van de Verenigde Staten na Ford. Carl Wickman, autodealer in Hibbing, Minnesota, gebruikt een onverkochte zevenpersoons Hupmobile om mijnwerkers tegen betaling te vervoeren. Dit initiatief groeit uiteindelijk uit tot Greyhound Lines. Charles Nash besluit zich bij Buick meer te richten op verkoop en bedrijfsvoering en haalt Walter P. Chrysler over van de American Locomotive Company. Op advies van zijn werkgever James Storrow neemt Chrysler contact op met Nash, waarmee de basis wordt gelegd voor zijn latere carrière in de auto-industrie. DuPont betreedt de auto-industrie via investeringen in General Motors. Het chemieconcern levert niet alleen kapitaal, maar ontwikkelt later ook belangrijke materialen voor de auto-industrie, waaronder moderne lakken. De samenwerking met GM helpt het concern groeien en geeft GM toegang tot chemische kennis en financiële slagkracht.
Verkopen top 10:
1 Ford Motor Company 78.440 Model T domineert steeds sterker
2 Buick 19.000–20.000 Nog steeds de belangrijkste GM-poot
3 Willys-Overland 15.000–18.000 Overland werd een grote volumefabrikant
4 Studebaker 15.000–16.000 Had veel voordeel door de koetsenachtergrond
5 Maxwell Motor Company 12.000–15.000 Later belangrijk voor de oprichting van Chrysler
6 Cadillac 12.000–13.000 Luxe, technisch zeer vooruitstrevend
7 REO Motor Car Company 8.000–10.000 Van Ransom E. Olds
8 Packard 8.000–9.000 Groeiende luxefabrikant
9 Oldsmobile 7.000–8.000 Eén van de oudste automerken
10 Chalmers Motor Company 6.000–7.000 Middelgrote fabrikant
1913: Rond het midden van het jaar gebruikt Ford Motor Company bewegende assemblagelijnen voor de productie van magneto's, motoren en transmissies. Hierdoor daalt de productietijd van een magneto van ongeveer twintig naar vijf minuten. Al snel worden onderdelen sneller aangevoerd dan de monteurs ze kunnen verwerken. Tegen het einde van het jaar worden touwen en lieren gebruikt om complete chassis langs de assemblagelijn te trekken. Ook dit verhoogt de productiviteit aanzienlijk. De assemblagetijd van een compleet chassis daalt hierdoor van ongeveer 12,5 uur naar slechts 2 uur en 40 minuten. Deze werkwijze vormt de basis van de moderne massaproductie en zal de auto-industrie voorgoed veranderen.
De productie steeg hierdoor al naar zo'n 170.000 Model T's. Ondertussen steeg het aantal Ford dealers naar ruim 6.000. John Willys koopt een licentie om de door Charles Knight ontwikkelde sleeve-valve-motor toe te passen in de Willys-Knight-modellen. De Duesenberg Motor Company wordt opgericht door de Duitse broers Fred en August Duesenberg. Hun auto's groeien uit tot de technisch meest geavanceerde en prestigieuze Amerikaanse automobielen van hun tijd.Louis Chevrolet verlaat zijn eigen bedrijf nadat hij en Durant van mening verschillen over de toekomst van het merk. Chevrolet wil zich richten op technische prestaties en hoogwaardige auto's, terwijl Durant Chevrolet wil omvormen tot een betaalbare concurrent van Ford. Durant behoudt de controle over het bedrijf en gebruikt het succes van Chevrolet om zijn positie binnen de auto-industrie verder uit te bouwen.
1914: De beroemde uitspraak van Henry Ford dat de Model T alleen in iedere kleur leverbaar was, zolang het maar zwart was, wordt werkelijkheid. Tot 1913 is de Model T namelijk nog in verschillende kleuren verkrijgbaar en zwart hoort daar aanvankelijk niet eens bij. De vier beschikbare kleuren zijn gekoppeld aan specifieke carrosserievarianten. Zwart wordt uiteindelijk gekozen vanwege de lagere prijs en de betere duurzaamheid van de lak. Ford installeert een ononderbroken transportketen waarmee de chassis door de fabriek worden getrokken. Aan het einde van het jaar is de bouwtijd van een Model T hierdoor met ongeveer 1,5 uur afgenomen. Henry Ford belooft dat hij iedere koper $50 zal terugbetalen als er aan het einde van het jaar meer dan 300.000 Model T's verkocht zijn. Uiteindelijk verkoopt Ford 308.313 Model T's en keert het bedrijf ongeveer $15 miljoen uit aan de kopers. Door de enorme tijdswinst bij de productie voert Ford een 8-urige werkdag in met een loon van $5 per dag. Hiermee verdubbelt hij ongeveer het salaris van zijn arbeiders. Dit helpt niet alleen zijn personeel, maar ook de markt voor de Model T: zijn eigen werknemers worden potentiële klanten. Het loon van een Ford-arbeider komt overeen met ongeveer het weeksalaris van een Britse fabrieksarbeider. De koopkracht van een Ford-medewerker ligt daarmee ongeveer 2 keer hoger dan die van andere Amerikaanse arbeiders en ongeveer 6 keer hoger dan die van Britse arbeiders, uitgaande van een 6-daagse werkweek. Cadillac introduceert de eerste succesvolle in serie geproduceerde Amerikaanse V8-motor. De 5,4 liter V8 wordt direct een groot succes en er worden in het eerste jaar ongeveer 13.000 exemplaren verkocht. Nadat de Dodge Brothers Motor Company in 1913 wordt opgericht, bouwt Dodge in november 1914 zijn eerste auto: de Model 30. Deze auto introduceert verschillende zaken die later standaard worden in de auto-industrie. De auto heeft een volledig stalen carrosserie, hoewel eerdere voorbeelden hiervan al in 1911 werden gebouwd door onder andere Stoneleigh en BSA, een 12-volts elektrisch systeem dat pas vanaf de jaren 50 algemeen gebruikelijk wordt, een viercilindermotor met 35 pk tegenover de ongeveer 20 pk van de Ford Model T en een moderne glijdende tandwieloverbrenging. Door de inmiddels bekende kwaliteit van Dodge-producten groeit het merk snel en staat Dodge in 1916 al op de tweede plaats van Amerikaanse autofabrikanten. In het eerste productiejaar worden slechts ongeveer 250 auto's gebouwd, maar het jaar daarna stijgt dit aantal al naar 45.000. De prijs ligt echter ongeveer twee keer zo hoog als die van een Model T. Naast auto's bouwt Dodge ook één van de eerste fabriekstestbanen om de kwaliteit van de voertuigen te controleren. Nog voordat de productie gestart is, ontvangt Dodge al ongeveer 22.000 aanvragen voor een dealerschap. Toen later werd gevraagd waarom de Dodge Brothers Ford hadden verlaten, wordt John Dodge vaak geciteerd met de uitspraak: "Denk eens aan al die Ford-eigenaren die straks een auto willen." John Willys koopt de Electric Auto-Lite Company en richt in 1917 de Willys Corporation op om als holdingmaatschappij boven zijn verschillende bedrijven te fungeren.
1915: Sinds 1911 heeft Durant's Chevrolet ongeveer 16.000 auto's geproduceerd. William C. Durant doet een poging om General Motors terug in handen te krijgen en biedt GM-aandeelhouders vijf aandelen Chevrolet voor ieder aandeel GM. De groei van Chevrolet zorgt ervoor dat Durant opnieuw invloed binnen GM krijgt. Western Auto Supply Company, gespecialiseerd in onderdelen voor de Ford Model T, verkoopt in dit jaar voor ongeveer $229.000 aan onderdelen. Door de sterk groeiende vraag opent het bedrijf naast de fabriek in Kansas City een tweede fabriek in Denver om de productiecapaciteit uit te breiden. Een autoband heeft in deze periode gemiddeld een levensduur van ongeveer 9 maanden. Door verbeteringen in rubber, constructie en productie zal dit tegen 1930 zijn toegenomen tot ongeveer 2,5 jaar. De totale jaarproductie van auto's in de Verenigde Staten bedraagt ongeveer 800.000 voertuigen. Ford neemt hiervan bijna de helft voor zijn rekening met 395.000 Model T's. Er rijden inmiddels ongeveer 2 miljoen auto's rond in Amerika. Willys-Overland produceert 91.780 auto's en blijft daarmee de nummer twee autofabrikant achter Ford. Henry Ford chartert het schip SS Oscar II en geeft het de bijnaam het "Peace Ship". Samen met een groep van ongeveer 150 vredesactivisten reist hij naar Europa met het doel om tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog te bemiddelen en vrede te bereiken. Ford verklaart: "Ik krijg de jongens uit de loopgraven voor Kerstmis." De missie loopt echter uit op een mislukking en wordt in de pers belachelijk gemaakt. De publieke kritiek en de schade aan Ford's reputatie leiden ertoe dat James Couzens zijn functie bij Ford neerlegt. Hij behoudt wel zijn aandelen en blijft hierdoor financieel zeer succesvol verbonden aan het bedrijf. Packard introduceert de Twin Six, de eerste productieauto van een Amerikaans merk met een V12-motor. Het model bevestigt Packards positie als één van de meest exclusieve autofabrikanten ter wereld. Packard concurreert rechtstreeks met merken als Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac en Europese luxeauto's.
1916: Auguste Rateau suggereert het gebruik van door uitlaatgassen aangedreven compressoren om de prestaties van vliegtuigmotoren op grotere hoogtes te verbeteren. Dit wordt gezien als één van de eerste concrete ideeën voor een turbocharger. Oldsmobile bouwt zijn eerste V8-model. De 4,0 liter V8 wordt echter geen groot succes en verdwijnt snel uit productie. Alfred P. Sloan verkoopt de zeer winstgevende Hyatt Roller Bearing Company aan General Motors voor $13,5 miljoen. Door deze verkoop wordt Sloan financieel onafhankelijk, maar hij is vooral geïnteresseerd in een leidinggevende positie binnen de snel groeiende GM-organisatie. Hij treedt toe tot GM als president van United Motors, een belangrijke producent van auto-onderdelen. De daaropvolgende vier jaar vormen een moeilijke periode voor Sloan, omdat hij moeite heeft met de flamboyante en soms chaotische leiderschapsstijl van William C. Durant. Wanneer Pierre S. du Pont, de chemie-industrieel en financier, in 1920 toetreedt om GM financieel te redden, ziet hij echter direct de managementkwaliteiten van Sloan. Samen zullen Du Pont en Sloan in de jaren twintig de basis leggen voor de industriële grootmacht die General Motors wordt. De Dodge Brothers en andere aandeelhouders klagen Henry Ford aan omdat hij, ondanks enorme winsten, geen dividend uitkeert op de aandelen van Ford Motor Company. Voor de Dodge Brothers betekent dit een gemiste opbrengst van ongeveer $1 miljoen per jaar. Henry Ford is namelijk woedend dat de Dodge Brothers het geld dat zij via hun aandelen verdienen gebruiken om hun eigen autofabriek uit te bouwen. Ford investeert alle winst in verdere expansie, waaronder de bouw van de enorme River Rouge-fabriek. Daarnaast probeert hij de afhankelijkheid van Dodge te beëindigen door eigen productiecapaciteit op te bouwen en personeel in dienst te nemen dat volledig onder zijn controle staat. De rechtbank stelt in 1919 de Dodge Brothers en de andere aandeelhouders in het gelijk en bepaalt dat Ford niet onbeperkt winst mag vasthouden zonder rekening te houden met de belangen van aandeelhouders (Dodge v. Ford Motor Co.). De rechter verplichtte Ford om miljoenen aan dividend uit te keren. Henry Ford was woedend dat hij door de rechter werd gedwongen geld aan de aandeelhouders te geven. Hij wilde 100% eigenaar worden van Ford Motor Company, maar de overige aandeelhouders wilden hun aandelen niet verkopen. Om ze op de knieën te krijgen, verzon hij een meedogenloos plan: In 1919 trad Henry Ford plotseling af als president van Ford Motor Company en droeg het roer formeel over aan zijn zoon Edsel. Vervolgens lekte hij in de pers dat hij een volledig nieuw, concurrerend automerk ging oprichten dat een nóg betere en goedkopere auto zou bouwen dan de Model T. Hij zei dat hij Ford Motor Company links liet liggen en zijn eigen gang zou gaan. Aandeelhouders raakten in paniek. Een Ford Motor Company zonder het genie van Henry Ford was in hun ogen waardeloos, en de dreiging van een nóg betere "Henry Ford-auto" zou het bestaande bedrijf kapotmaken. De aandelenkoers van Ford Motor Company stortte in door het gerucht. Vervolgens stuurde Henry Ford in het geheim tussenpersonen op pad om de nu "waardeloos" geworden aandelen voor een prikkie op te kopen van de geschrokken aandeelhouders. Het bod van een voor de aandeelhouder sonbekende partij was $ 7.500 per aandeel, dit vonden de meesten wel laag en opvallen maar men ging akkoord. Toen hij in juli 1919 eenmaal alle aandelen in handen had (inclusief die van de gebroeders Dodge), schrapte hij zijn plannen voor die zogenaamde "nieuwe auto" en keerde hij gewoon weer terug als baas van zijn eigen bedrijf. Het was een van de slimste en meest doortrapte chantage-acties uit de autogeschiedenis! Onder andere de Dodge Brothers en James Couzens doen hun aandelen van de hand. De Dodge Brothers ontvangen uiteindelijk ongeveer $25 miljoen, oftewel $12.500 per aandeel. Henry Ford, zijn vrouw Clara en zoon Edsel komen als grote winnaars uit de strijd en worden volledige eigenaren van Ford Motor Company, dat op dat moment wordt gewaardeerd op ongeveer een half miljard dollar. Andere autofabrikanten beginnen kredietmogelijkheden aan te bieden om klanten te kunnen laten concurreren met de lage prijs en beschikbaarheid van de Model T. De totale Amerikaanse autoproductie overschrijdt voor het eerst de grens van één miljoen voertuigen. Meer dan de helft daarvan zijn Ford Model T's. Ford produceert 734.811 exemplaren en vanaf 1 augustus kost een Model T Runabout slechts $345. Het brandstofverbruik ligt rond de 20 mpg (ongeveer 1 op 8,5). William C. Durant grijpt opnieuw de macht binnen General Motors, maar hierdoor komt Charles Nash in een moeilijke positie terecht. Durant biedt Nash een salaris van $1 miljoen om aan te blijven, maar Nash weigert. De voormalige GM-president richt zijn aandacht samen met James Storrow (kort voormalig GM-president en later lid van de raad van bestuur tot 1916) en Walter Chrysler op de mogelijkheid om Packard over te nemen. Wanneer Nash hoort dat de erfgenamen van de Jeffery Motor Company met pensioen willen gaan, besluit hij echter deze onderneming te kopen. Hij neemt de Thomas B. Jeffery Company over, bekend van het populaire Rambler-model. Durant probeert ondertussen Walter Chrysler terug te halen naar Buick en doet hem een uitzonderlijk aanbod: $10.000 per maand (ongeveer $165.000 in huidige waarde) met een bonus van $500.000 aan het einde van het jaar, of een aandelenpakket. Chrysler krijgt volledige zeggenschap over Buick zonder inmenging van anderen. Chrysler laat Durant het aanbod nogmaals herhalen en accepteert direct. De Dodge Brothers bouwen ondertussen een modern bedrijf met voorzieningen die voor die tijd uitzonderlijk zijn. De fabriek beschikt over een medische kliniek, een sociale afdeling voor werknemers en een afdeling genaamd de "Playpen", waar werknemers in hun vrije tijd konden sleutelen, experimenteren en nieuwe ideeën konden ontwikkelen. Dit staat in groot contrast met de autoritaire bedrijfsstijl en afdeling met zware jongens van Henry Ford, waarbij controle en discipline centraal staan. Louis Chevrolet richt samen met partners de American Motors Corporation op in Plainfield, New Jersey. Het bedrijf heeft geen relatie met het latere American Motors Corporation (AMC) uit 1954. Chevrolet is op dat moment vooral geïnteresseerd in technische ontwikkeling en het bouwen van hoogwaardige auto's. Chevrolet brengt vooral zijn naam, technische kennis en reputatie als coureur mee, maar de onderneming krijgt nooit de schaal van de grote Amerikaanse fabrikanten. De productie stopt al enkele jaren later.

1919-03-06-detroit-free-press-thu-mar-6-1919-detroit-headline-that-fords-will-leave-the-bu

1917: Chevrolet introduceert zijn eerste V8-motor in de Series D, een 4,7 liter met bovenliggende kleppen die zichtbaar zijn aan de buitenzijde van de cilinderkoppen. Deze motor is technisch vooruitstrevend, maar wordt na de overname van Chevrolet door General Motors in 1918 uit productie genomen omdat GM zich meer gaat richten op betaalbare en economische modellen. Chevrolet zou pas in 1955 opnieuw een V8 introduceren: de beroemde small-block V8. In de Verenigde Staten rijden inmiddels ongeveer 4,8 miljoen voertuigen rond, terwijl de rest van de wereld samen slechts ongeveer 720.000 voertuigen telt. Charles Nash hernoemt zijn onderneming naar Nash Motors. Dankzij een groot overheidscontract voor de levering van vrachtwagens tijdens de oorlogsinspanning groeit Nash sterk en wordt het bedrijf de grootste producent van trucks in de Verenigde Staten. Henry M. Leland en zijn zoon Wilfred verlaten Cadillac en richten de Lincoln Motor Company op. Het bedrijf wordt opgericht om tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog Liberty V12-motoren te produceren voor de Amerikaanse oorlogsinspanning. De naam Lincoln wordt gekozen ter ere van president Abraham Lincoln, de eerste Amerikaanse president op wie Henry Leland ooit had gestemd. De fabriek wordt uitgerust met moderne productiefaciliteiten en na afloop van de oorlog besluiten de Lelands om hun kennis en fabriek te gebruiken voor de productie van een nieuwe luxeauto.
1918: Henry Ford draagt formeel de leiding van Ford Motor Company over aan zijn zoon Edsel Ford. In de praktijk blijft Henry echter een dominante rol binnen het bedrijf spelen. Hij blijft zich intensief met de dagelijkse gang van zaken bemoeien en maakt het Edsel moeilijk om zelfstandig leiding te geven. De spanningen tussen vader en zoon zullen de komende jaren blijven toenemen. Chevrolet wordt onderdeel van General Motors. Het merk groeit onder GM uit tot het belangrijkste volumemerk en zal uiteindelijk belangrijker worden dan Buick. Chevrolet wordt de directe concurrent van Ford dankzij betaalbare modellen, efficiënte productie en een brede prijsklasse. Door meningsverschillen over de technische en commerciële koers verliest Louis Chevrolet steeds meer invloed binnen American Motors Corporation. Net als eerder bij Chevrolet ligt zijn interesse vooral bij techniek en prestaties, terwijl investeerders en managers zich richten op productie en verkoop. Het bedrijf blijft zonder grote doorbraak en verdwijnt uiteindelijk begin jaren twintig.
1919: Hudson introduceert het budgetmerk Essex om beter te kunnen concurreren met Ford en Chevrolet. Essex richt zich op betaalbare auto's voor de groeiende middenklasse en wordt uiteindelijk een belangrijk onderdeel van de groei van Hudson. Willys-Overland wordt getroffen door een grote staking die maanden duurt en het bedrijf financieel zwaar onder druk zet. Walter Chrysler neemt na drie jaar ontslag als directeur van Buick. William C. Durant koopt zijn aandelen in General Motors terug voor $10 miljoen. Chrysler begon in 1911 bij Buick met een salaris van $6.000 per jaar en verlaat het bedrijf als één van de rijkste mannen in Amerika. Kort daarna wordt Chrysler door bankiers gevraagd om hun investeringen in Willys-Overland te redden. Hij stelt een uitzonderlijke voorwaarde: een salaris van $1 miljoen per jaar en volledige vrijheid om gedurende twee jaar zijn eigen koers te bepalen, ongeacht het uiteindelijke resultaat. De bankiers accepteren zijn voorwaarden. Chrysler weet Willys-Overland binnen korte tijd weer financieel gezond te maken en bewijst daarmee opnieuw zijn uitzonderlijke kwaliteiten als manager. In 1919 richt General Motors de General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) op. Hoewel autofinanciering al eerder bestond via dealers en andere kredietconstructies, maakt GM hiermee een grote stap door financiering centraal binnen het eigen concern te organiseren. Klanten kunnen hierdoor hun auto in termijnen betalen, waardoor een grotere groep Amerikanen toegang krijgt tot een nieuwe auto. GMAC wordt daarmee een belangrijk onderdeel van de strategie van General Motors om niet alleen auto's te produceren, maar ook de verkoop ervan actief te ondersteunen. Deze combinatie van productie, distributie en financiering vormt later één van de belangrijkste concurrentievoordelen van GM ten opzichte van Ford. Firestone en Ford werken steeds nauwer samen. Firestone levert banden voor miljoenen Model T's en wordt één van de bekendste voorbeelden van een gespecialiseerde toeleverancier die dankzij massaproductie van auto's zelf ook groot wordt. In 1919 koopt GM een meerderheidsbelang in Fisher Body, waarmee GM meer controle krijgt over het ontwerp en de productie van carrosserieën.

Edison, Ford en Firestone

1910-1929

1910: There were about 500,000 vehicles in the USA, of which 458,500 were cars. The industry was now in 21st place production value in the American economy and the carriage industry was already surpassed in every economic sense. The Durant-Dort Carriage Company supplied bodies for Buick. Durant was not only short of money but also good staff. He brought Nash to Buick and became Vice President there on December 13. GM was hit by a drop in sales that forced Durant to seek $13 million in cash from bankers. The bankers lent this money for $15 million and $6 million in GM stock. The bankers also stripped him of his voting rights within GM and had to relinquish it to a trust of bankers, and he had to resign as President of GM. Ford Motor Company, on the other hand, opened its Highland Park plant to meet the unexpectedly high demand for the Model T. There were already made agreements that machines had to be demolished and replaced when more efficient ones had been developed. Willy's-Overland produced 18,200 cars, making it No. 2 behind Ford. Ford sold 32,053 Model Ts. Durant teamed up with Louis Chevrolet to form the Chevrolet Motor Company, backed by Du Pont of money 'arranged' by John J Raskob, board member of the Du Pont Financing Committee. Buoyed by Chevrolet's success and Du Pont's money, Durant began buying GM stock. By 1915, Durant, Chevrolet and Du Punt had majority ownership in GM, which allowed Durant to walk into a GM board meeting and take over again.
1911: After a friend's wife died starting a car with a crank, Henry Leland contracted Charles Kettering's firm Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co (later called Delco) to supply 4,000 starter motors. Leland built this in from the Cadillac model year 1912. Ford wins from the Selden patent.
1912: There were 33,842 electric cars registered in America. Henry Ford can already build 26,000 Model Ts a month at his Highland Park factory. That even without the production lines. Ford thus had a capacity of 300,000 T's per year. More than 1 in 5 cars (22%) were a Ford. Ford had 3,500 dealers throughout the United States. Studies were carried out at Ford by Clarence Avery that led to the installation of conveyor belts that transported parts to the workplaces. John Willys renames his firm Willys-Overland Motor Company. Until 1918 it was the largest producer after Ford. Carl Wickman, a car dealer in Hibbing, MN, uses an unsold seven-seater Hupmobile as the first vehicle of what would later become Greyhound. Charles Nash wants to join Buick focused more on sales and logistics and hired Walter P. Chrysler, who was then working for the American Locomotive Company. His boss James Storrow had tipped him to contact Nash.
1913: Round By the middle of the year, the Ford Motor Company was using assembly lines to assemble magnetos, engines and transmissions. As a result, a magneto could be built in 5 minutes instead of 20. The parts were soon delivered faster than the mechanics could keep up with. Towards the end of the year, ropes and windlasses were used to pull the chassis to its terminus, again increasing productivity. The chassis could now be built in 2 hours and 40 minutes instead of 12.5 hours. John Willys buys a license to use Charles Knight's sleeve-valve engine in the Willys-Knight cars. Duesenberg is founded by two German brothers. Their cars were considered the best of the time.
1914: Henry Ford's famous statement that the T was only available in any color as long as it was black became a reality. Until 1913, the T was available in all kinds of colors, black was not even included. The 4 available colors belonged to a specific body. Black was chosen for its price and durability. Ford installed a continuous chain to pull the chassis through the factory. By the end of the year, the construction time of the T had decreased by 1.5 hours. Henry promised to return everyone $50 if more than 300,000 T's were sold by the end of the year. At the end of the period, Ford paid out $15 million to 308,313 people. Because of the huge time savings in building, Ford instituted an 8-hour workday with a wage of $5. This doubled the salary. With this he helped the market of the Model T buyer. His own employees. It was the equivalent of a week's salary for a British factory worker. Purchasing power was thus 2x that of other American workers and 6x that of British (assuming a 6-day work week). Cadillac built the first (5.4) V8 engine. 13,000 were sold immediately in the first year. After founding the Dodge Brothers Motor Company in 1913, Dodge built its first car, the Model 30, in November. This car has many things made standard, all-steel body, although these were already built in 1911 by Stoneleigh and BSA, 12-volt electrics, commonplace only from the 1950s, 35 hp, as opposed to the 20 hp of the Model T and a sliding gear transmission. Due to the now well-known quality of the Dodge products, they were already number 2 in 1916. The first sold only 250, but the following year already 45,000. However, the price was double that of a Model T. In addition to the cars, Dodge also built the first test track at a factory to ensure quality. Even before production started, there were already 22,000 applications for a dealership. When asked why Dodge let Ford go, John Dodge is said to have said 'think of all those Ford owners who want a sleek car'. John Willys buys the Electric AutoLite Company and establishes the Willys Corporation in 1917 to act as a holding company.
1915: Since 1911, Durant's Chevrolet has produced 16,000 cars. Durant is offering GM shareholders 5 Chevrolet shares for each GM share. Western Auto Supply Co, the Model T specialist, sold $229,000 worth of parts and opened next door to its Kansas City plant a second plant in Denver to keep up with demand. A car tire had a life expectancy of 9 months, by 1930 that was 2.5 years. Annual production in the USA amounted to 800,000 cars. There are already 2 million cars in America. Willys-Overland produces 91,780 of these and is still the No. 2. Henry Ford chartered the SS Oscar II and named it the 'Peace Ship'. He sailed it to Europe with a group of anti-war activists and wanted to negotiate peace. He said, "I'll get the boys out of the trenches for Christmas." Public embarrassment over this (ultimately failed) peace mission led James Couzens to resign from his position, but he kept his shares.
1916: Auguste Rateau suggests using exhaust gas powered compressors to improve performance at higher altitudes. This became the first example of a turbocharger. Oldsmobile builds its first (4.0) V8 car. Alfred P. Sloan sold the highly profitable Hyatt Roller Bearing Company to GM for $13.5 million. The sale made Sloan a rich man. However, he was more interested in a position as a manager within the giant GM organization. He joined the company as president of United Motors, a parts manufacturer. The next 4 years were a struggle for Sloan. He had a hard time with Durant's flamboyant style. However, when Pierre S Du Pont (chemical magnate) joined in 1920 to save GM, he quickly saw the management skills from Sloan. Du Pont and Sloan would create GM's industrial greatness in the 1920s. The Dodge Brothers, among others, sued Henry Ford, who owned 55.2% of the Ford Motor Company, for failing to pay dividends on the stock. This equated to $1 million a year for them. Henry wasn't happy that the Dodges were building cars on his dividend. Ford put all of its profits into expansion, building the River Rouge factory and replacing the Dodge Brothers and their staff with its own staff that was easier to control and replace at any time. The court ruled in favor of the Dodge Brothers and other shareholders. This angers Ford so much that he concocted a ruse about leaving Ford and starting a brand new company to compete with Ford with a smaller, cheaper car so that the stock would be worth less unless the Dodge Brothers and other small shareholders sell their shares. would sell to him. Reluctantly, they did what Ford wanted, they already knew it was a fraud, partly because of a strangely low offer of 7,500 per share from a mysterious party. The Dodge Brothers and James Couzens, among others, sold their shares, not knowing what Ford would do differently. The Dodge Brothers received $25 million (12,500 per share). Henry Ford and his wife and son emerged victorious and became the owners of the Ford Motor Company, which was worth half a billion dollars at the time. Other manufacturers offered credits on their cars because they couldn't compete with Ford otherwise. US annual production exceeded one million for the first time. More than half were Model Ts. Ford sold 734,811, as of August 1, a runabout cost $345. The consumption of a Model T was 20 mpg (± 1 in 8.5). Durant takes the lead at GM, but this puts Charles Nash in a difficult position. Durant offers him a $1 million salary to stay, but he declines. The now former GM president wanted to buy Packard along with James Storrow (ex-GM president for two months and later a member from the board of directors until 1916 ) and Walter Chrysler who had also left after Durant returned to GM. Nash heard that the heirs of the Jefferey Motor Company wanted to retire. So he bought the Thomas B. Jeffery Company, their most famous model was the Rambler. Durant pulled Chrysler back for 3 years with an unheard of salary offer. Chrysler got an offer from $10,000 per month (now $165,000) with a $500,000 year-end bonus or stock. He was allowed to run Buick without anyone else's influence. Walter let William repeat the offer and immediately agreed. The Dodge Brothers ran a modern company that had a medical clinic, a social department and a department called 'playpen' where people could repair or even repair things on their own time. to invent. Stark contrast to Henry Ford's tough guys and all.
1917: Chevrolet introduces its first V8, a 4.7 liter. After merging with GM in 1918, this was again discontinued and the focus was on more economic models. The valves were visible on this engine. It was not until 1955 that Chevrolet again produced a V8, a small-block. There are now 4.8 million vehicles in America and only 720,000 in the rest of the world. Charles Nash Renames His Company Nash Motors. He received a government procurement contract to supply a truck for the war effort. Nash became the largest producer of trucks in the USA.
1918: Henry Ford formally hands over the management of the Ford Motor Company to his son Edsel. However, he continued to interfere heavily with the company and frequently got in the way of Edsel.
1919: Hudson introduces budget Essex brand to compete with Ford and Chevrolet. Willys-Overland is hit by a major strike that lasts for months. Chrysler resigns as director of Buick after 3 years and Durant buys back his shares of GM for $10 million. He started at Buick in 1911 at $6,000 a year and left as one of the richest people in the United States. Not much later, he was asked by bankers to save their investments in Willys-Overland. He mentions a salary of $1 million a year and is allowed to work. He can do what he wants for two years. Regardless of the outcome, he would be paid. He makes Willys-Overland healthy again in no time.
1920: William Joseph Stern reports to the The Royal Air Force that there is no future for turbines in aircraft. He bases his argument on the low efficiency of existing compressor designs. Through Stern's magnificence is his report so convincing that there is little interest in turbines. This wouldn't last long, though. Hydraulic four-wheel brakes were introduced. The annual production of cars was already 2.3 million, France produced 40,000 and was therefore the No. 2. Total world production was 2.4 million. Dodge is still the No. 2 in sales. Both brothers died the same year from the Spanish flu. The company passed into the hands of the brothers' widows and his deputies, Frederick Haynes, emerged as the new president. During the 1920s, Dodge drops back to number 7 in sales. Dodge became known for building light trucks, in addition to which they also market trucks from the Graham brothers from Indiana. The Graham brothers would later build Graham-Paige and Graham cars. The recession brought John Willys to his knees. The investors enlisted Walter P. Chrysler to put things in order. He had retired after many clashes with Durant. He didn't need a new job and no extra money, he had made good money with GM stocks and railroads. He asked for and got the incredible salary of $1 million a year for the 2 year contract. He would also be paid whatever the outcome. The Willys Six was the first to be scrapped, the model was a nightmare. There was a plan by three young engineers, but that was pushed aside by the investors. Willys wanted to regain control of the company as soon as possible. Chrysler, however, wanted the new model itself and already advertised the model as Chrysler Six, a product of the Willys Corporation.
1921: Maxime Guillaume patents the 'axial-flow' gas turbine'. This uses several steps in the compressor and turbine combined with a single large combustion chamber. For the 2nd time, Durant has to leave GM. Ford currently controls 61% of the US market. GM's market share was only 12%. Durant raised $7 million and formed Durant Motors Inc. by purchasing the estate of the bankrupt Locomobile Corp. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Durant still had his business magic, and he quickly raised an additional $5.5 million to buy America's most modern factory bequeathed to bankrupt Willys-Overland, the Elizabeth factory. This one belonged to Duesenberg and was used for war production. The prototype of the Chrysler Six (A product of the Willys Corporation) was also purchased. Chrysler also wanted Willys' estate and made an offer for the shares. The shareholders put Chrysler out of the way. His idea backfired. However, he had also been approached by the Maxwell Chalmers Motor Company, which also had the water on their lips. Willys shareholders allowed Chrysler to provide its services there as well. He still managed to reduce Willys' deficit from $48 million to $18 million and he left in 1921 with the money in his pocket. To raise money for Willys, some Willys parts auctioned. Chrysler sent a representative to the auction and he was not allowed to bid more than $5 million for the $14 million plant in Elizabeth. However, competition was fiercer than expected and Durant buys the plant for $5.2 million. The sale of the New Process Gear Company also raised $10 million. The Durant factory went on to build the inexpensive 1922 'Star' for $348 and the Chrysler Six model became the 1923 Flint. However, the model could not be compared with the design of the 3 young engineers. Ford simply went below the price of the Star and drove Durant off the market. With the $15.2 million, John Willys was able to get things back on track and continue his business.
1922: In the first full year under Sloan, GM sells 457,000 vehicles and makes a profit of $61 million. At the urging of Edsel Ford, the Ford Motor Company buys the new Lincoln Motor Co. from Henry Leland who founded the brand in 1921. GM's management entrusts Chevrolet to an ex-Ford employee, William Knudsen. With assembly lines and Du Pont's colorful paints, Knudsen makes Chevrolet more competitive, especially against Ford. In 1922 the first balloon tires were introduced for cars. John Willys gets the company back in the black.
1923: Edgar Buckingham of the United States National Bureau of Standards' publishes a report on jets. He comes to the same conclusion as W. J. Stern. The turbine engine is not efficient enough and consumes 5 times as much fuel as a piston engine. Yale invents the electric forklift. In Chicago, Yellow Cab director D. Hertz buys a small rental company founded in 1918 and created the Hertz Drive-Ur-Self system. For the first time, more closed than open cars were also sold. Half of the cars were now bought on credit. America now produced 3.7 million cars. The Model T accounted for 52% of this. America has 13 million cars and there are 108 companies that build cars. Of these, 10 companies provide 90% of production. GM sold 800,000 vehicles and had a profit of $80 million. Du Pont replaced Durant with Sloan, enabling him to fulfill his dream as head of GM.
1924: Walter Chrysler introduced his own version of the Chrysler Six to Maxwell Chalmers. He borrows $5 million from Chase Securities for this. For the 2nd year, Ford produced over 2 million Model Ts. The price dropped to $290. More than half of the cars in the world were Model Ts. The owners of Auburn sell the brand to EL Cord.
1925: De Hesselman engine from the Swedish engineer Jonas Hesselman is presented. It is the first application of a direct injection petrol engine with a spark ignition. The Maxwell Car Company became the Chrysler Corporation. Walter P. Chrysler . sold from the Maxwell sold 80,000 cars in 1925. He also sold 32,000 cars under the Chrysler name. He made a profit of $17 million and immediately paid Chase back. In Waltham, Mass. developed Francis Davis de first effective power steering that he installed in a Pierce-Arrow from 1921. The first successful systems were installed in trucks during the 2nd World War, the first production models were only equipped with power steering from 1951. Fuel consumption in America is 473 gallons per year. The Model T Roadster costs just $260. 10,000 dealers sell the Model T. The Dodge widows sell the company to the investment company Dillon, Read & Co for $146 million, the largest transaction ever. On October 1, Dodge Brothers Inc. 51% of Graham Brothers for $13 million. The rest will be bought on May 1. The Graham brothers held management positions until their departure in 1927. The Graham Brothers brand would continue until its acquisition by Chrysler in 1929. Wilhelm Pape patents a design for a constant volume engine. John Willys buys Cleveland's FB Stearns Motor Company and starts building the luxury Stearns-Knight car. They make big profits. The cars are level with Pierce-Arrow and Duesenberg.
1926: Alan Arnold Griffith publishes his groundbreaking thesis 'Aerodynamic Theory of Turbine Design' which explores the low confidence in jet engines would boost. In it he shows that the existing compressors are not good enough and that important improvements can be made by not making the blades flat, but by giving them a support base. He then proves mathematically that a practical engine is certainly possible and demonstrates this by building a turboprop. Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-powered rocket. Overland production was discontinued and replaced by the Whippet brand. Willys brings a small 4-cylinder car on the market with which he thinks he can beat Ford. Prices range from $525 to $850. During the introduction day, 14 million people visited the Willys showrooms. Sales went in the right direction. The small engine with 35 hp could handle the car well, it was light and narrow. The engine was an important one, even though people didn't know it yet. This 'go-devil' would later power 10,000 Jeeps. Because of this car, Edsel Ford always pointed out to his father that he had to renew. By 1929, 320,000 had been built with a profit of $187 million. Armory Haskell targets the Triplex Safety Glass Co. based on a 1910 patent he bought from the inventor. Safety glass cost $8.80 per 0.1 m2. $200 dollars for all the glass in your Cadillac. Henry Ford took an interest in the product and financed the company. In America, only 43 companies still produce cars. No new American manufacturer entered the market after this year. GM introduces Pontiac as a brand alongside Oakland. America produces 4 million cars. Due to fierce competition from Chevrolet, Ford is selling the Model T with starter motor for $350. Unheard of 10 years ago, but financing car purchases had become quite normal. Installment purchases now accounted for 2/3 of all sales. With the car leading the way, installment buying is fast becoming the standard in America for all luxury products. EL Cord, owner of Auburn Automobile buys Duesenberg.
1927: Aurel Stodola publishes his "Steam and Gas Turbines". This will be the reference for jet propulsion engineers in the USA. Between 1927 and 1930, Chevrolet buys and destroys 650,000 used cars. This is in an attempt to boost new sales. It was also the last year for the Model T. Sales were only 1/2 of the previous year. A total of 15,458,781 Model Ts were to be built. Even for $200, Ford couldn't sell them anymore. People preferred to buy a used car with more options. America already had 20 million cars. Ford laid off 100,000 employees. Ford then simply closed the factories and started rebuilding everything for Model A production. The US auto industry was now No. 1 in economic value and No. 3 in export. There was one car for every 4.5 Americans, and 55% of families owned a car. The number of companies involved in the automotive industry is increasing back from 108 to 44. The phenomenal growth of the past 20 years was over. The market had shifted to used cars and these played a major role in car sales. The market for new sales was saturated. Used car sales exceeded new car sales and fleet sales. Used cars in mint condition cost as much as a Model T, and the stylish Chevrolets cost just $200 more than a Model T. For the first time, Chevrolet's sales surpassed Ford's. dodge, no. 7, sold by Dillon, Read & Co to Chrysler due to declining sales due to lack of auto market knowledge and poor decisions. The Graham brothers buy the Paige-Dtroit Motor Company, manufacturer of Paige and Jewett cars, for $4 million. They supplied Graham-Paige cars and, for a short time, light trucks until Dodge reminded them that the sale of Graham Brothers prohibited this. They had some success in racing and they made their own engines and bodies. Alfred P. Sloan sees gaps in GM's price range and fills the gap with the new LaSalle Brand. This brand is just below Cadillac. Harley Earl designs the car as a sleeker model than a Cadillac.
1928: Chrysler advertised a 112 hp Chrysler Imperial 80 as the 'most powerful car'. Stutz responds with a 113 hp model. Chrysler motors introduces the Plymouth brand to compete with Chevrolet and Ford. They have a high compression engine and hydraulic brakes on all 4 wheels. Plymouth would continue to exist until 2001. From the 1970s until recent years, the brand was a mishmash of Chrysler, Dodge and Mitsubishi models. By losing its own identity, Chrysler decided to stop the brand. The Prowler was Plymouth's last own model, the PT Cruiser would be released as Plymouth. Due to the disappearance of the brand, the model was released as Chrysler. On August 4, 1928, DeSoto introduced for the 1929 model year to compete with the mid-range models from Studebaker, Willys and GM. The Dodge purchase was completed just after its founding. This left two brands in the middle class. Studebaker takes charge at Pierce-Arrow. Both companies remained independent in the market and did not get any worse. Pierce-Arrow got more dealers. The old 6 cylinder engine was phased out and replaced by an L-Head line 8 engine.
1929: Due to the depression, some brands of Willys disappeared. Stearns-Knight, founded in the mid-1920s, was the first to be dissolved. John Willys suddenly withdrew as president. He sold his shares for $25 million. He continued as a board member. He was gone before the stock market crashed on October 29. 4.5 million cars are sold in America. GM sells 1.9 million vehicles with a net profit of 248 million after tax. The depression depresses profits to such an extent that in 1932 only 1/3 of this record profit remains. GM survived the depression well and paid out dividends every year. In 1939 they were back at the level of 1929. The large capital needed to build cars according to the mass production system caused a significant loss of industry within the industry. The big three account for 80% of sales. In the last year of the great growth, 5.3 million vehicles were produced, this was only done again in 1949. There were 26.7 million vehicles in America and 317 billion miles off. Every year. Hudson and Essex produced 300,000 cars in 1 year, including plants in Belgium and England, making it the largest car manufacturer this year after Ford and Chevrolet. EL Cord establishes his own brand 'Cord' and builds the first front wheel drive car available to the public. Durant Motors loses a lot of its money during the stock market crash. William was one of the biggest players and single-handedly tried to regain confidence in the market by buying shares to indicate that there was still confidence in the stock market. That plan failed and he lost his last fortune. Nash was No. 4.

1930-1963

1930: Annual production falls to 2.4 million due to the depression. In Britain, where the car was still a luxury item, 237,000 cars were built, taking over the 2nd place from France, where 230,000 cars were built. Newcomer Japan produced 500. Total world production was 4.1 million. Fuel consumption in America averaged 599 gallons per car per year. John Willys becomes ambassador to Poland. Willys releases an 8 cylinder model, it couldn't be timed worse....
1931: Whippet was disbanded and renamed Willys. America now had 830,000 miles of asphalt highways and they drove 347 billion km with 26 million vehicles. The latest models of the Durant brand roll off the production line. Durant has tried to compete with GM with Star, Durant and Locomobile. Unfortunately, he doesn't succeed. Even his last company, a bowling alley, goes bankrupt within a year. He lives the rest of his life (1947) on a GM pension arranged by Alfred Sloan and gifts from Walter Chrysler. He never lost his dignity and charm.
1932: Pontiac delivers a the V8 of predecessor Oakland for years. This V8 was soon replaced by the smoother Line 8. In June, Sloan is in talks with the GM management team to close down Cadillac. The idea was to follow Packard and start selling lower in the market. LaSalle would then become GM's top brand. A young engineer, Nicholas Dreystadt, asked for 10 minutes during which he made a proposal to save the Cadillac line. Like many car manufacturers, sales were discriminated against. Cadillacs were not sold to blacks. Dreystadt said many influential blacks still bought Cadillacs, often through a white friend. Why not sell to blacks too? In this low-volume but high-margin segment, a small expansion of the market is already profitable. Dreystadt was given 18 months to try. By 1934 Cadillac was already profitable and by 1940 sales had increased by 1000%. In addition to being a small step in eliminating discrimination in marketing, the Dreystadt initiative was also seen as the first effective example of niche marketing in the auto industry. Hudson phases out Essex in favor of Terraplane. In 1932 and 1933 the models were still delivered as Essex-Terraplane, from 1934 only as Terraplane. Amelia Earhart was used for promotion. Willys withdraws from the Canadian market. With the Ambassador, Nash has a high-quality product that is even nicknamed the Kenosha Duesenberg. Nash stepped down as president and wanted George W. Mason as executive vice president but had to buy Kelvinator.
1933: Willys-Knight production is discontinued and the company again nearly goes bankrupt. Willy returns immediately to save the company. Pierce-Arrow shows the Silver Arrow to the audience. These super luxury cars cost $10,000 during the heyday of the Depression. Only 5 will be sold. The car was built at Studebaker. They also helped build a cheaper, bareer version, unfortunately this didn't help. The sales slogan was 'Suddenly it's 1940'. Due to the crisis, Marmon stops car production. The brand has introduced the interior mirror.
1934: In England Morris Motors was the first British manufacturer to use went to make the assembly line. Income distribution, the availability of good alternative transport systems and the British emphasis on quality meant that the market for cars was limited. Before that time, no manufacturer had the sales figures that could justify mass production. The definition of the car as a luxury product perpetuated the British tradition of small-scale operation.
1935: Oklahoma City became the first city in the world to have parking meters, car production from 1900 already reached 50 million vehicles. There was one car for every 5 Americans. The union for assembly workers of car manufacturers was founded, the 'United Automobile Workers'. John Willys dies of a heart attack just after he returned from Poland after his divorce to run his old business again.
1936: The French Engineer René Leduc rediscovered René Lorin's design and successfully demonstrates the world's first working thruster jet engine. Willys-Overland Motor Company reorganizes and becomes Willys-Overland Motors. Durant went bankrupt with $1 million in debt and $250 in assets. With only 22% of the market, Ford had fallen back to #3. GM had 43% and Chrysler 25%. So together they had 90% of the market. Pierce-Arrow . builds from 1936 a number of caravans, the Pierce-Arrow Travelodge. A super luxurious fast and safe V12 car was also built. The Rio Grande Southern Railroad Builds 5 Pierce-Arrows and 5 Buicks for use on the track. These all still exist. The rescue plan for Willys is still approved. All the real estate will go to a new BV, Willys Real Estate Realization Corp. The remaining companies were owned by Willys-Overland Motors Inc. The unused buildings were rented out. The company remained profitable but not like before.
1937: Sir .'s first successful run Frank Whittle's jet propelled gas turbine. GM recognizes the UAW union as a collective bargaining group. This after a sit down strike that got out of hand. Hirth-Heinkel tests Versuchsbau . in March the HeS1 experimental hydrogen centrifugal jet engine. Duesenberg stops production due to the bankruptcy of EL Cord's empire. The last two models were built between 1938 and 1940. The production of the Cord and Auburn models also stops. Charles Nash transfers his company into Nash-Kelvinator.
1938: Joseph W. Frazer switched from Chrysler to Willys. He wanted to improve the 4 cylinder engine so that it could withstand the abuse the Jeep would get in the 2nd world war. Ex-Studebaker engineer Delmar Roos needed two years to run the engine that could run for a maximum of 2 hours for 150 hours. In the end it works, the 'Go Devil' was ready for the war. The industry was still suffering from the depression, producing only 2.5 million vehicles. Britain produced over 10% of the world production of 4 million, namely 445,000. Japan produced 24,000. Pierce-Arrow was the only luxury car maker that hadn't built a cheaper model to make money. As a result, the company had to file for bankruptcy in 1938. All properties were auctioned on May 13, 1938. Graham-Paige had a new model designed that was well received everywhere and won many awards, the public did not like the model. Between 6,000 and 13,000 were sold in 3 years. Edsel Ford launches the new Mercury brand to also include models between the cheap Ford and the luxury Lincoln to be able to sell. The brand was discontinued in 2010. In recent years, it was mostly Ford models with a Mercury logo. In the beginning Mercury's were fast cars, this was repeated in 2003 with the Marauder.
1939: The Heinkel He 178 V1, a turbojet prototype aircraft makes its maiden flight powered by a HeS 3 engine. GM Introduces the First Successful Automatic Transmission, the Hydra-Matic. Available exclusively at Oldsmobile. This was a test, if it goes wrong, people wanted to not destroy the good name of Cadillac, Standard of the World. Sales went so well that from 1941 Cadillacs were also available with an automatic transmission. The big three again had 90% of the market, the remaining 10% was divided between Hudson, Nash, Packard, Studebaker and Willys-Overland. Graham-Paige made a deal with Hupp Motor Co. They would build a model based on the Cord 810/812 together with Huppmobile. To stay in business, Hupp had bought the molds from Cord but lacked the money to build the car. Graham agreed to build the Hupmobile Skylark while allowing them to use the Cord's molds for their own model, the Hollywood. The designer of the Lincoln Zephyr, John Tjaarda, designed the model. The recessed headlights and large hood unfortunately disappeared. The new model had separate headlights and rear-wheel drive. Orders came in, unfortunately there were production problems, which caused the delivery time to increase enormously. This closed Jump the doors.
1940: July 11, the government orders 135 manufacturers to create a vehicle that would meet defense requirements. They were given 11 days to design and then 49 days to build a prototype, after which 70 vehicles had to be delivered within 75 days. Only American Bantam and Willys-Overland made an offer. Bantam received the order, despite Willys-Overland's lower offer, because they were obliged to deliver the prototype and the 70 test vehicles on time. Bantam did not have the financial stability to ensure a good supply of vehicles. The government therefore also gave the blueprints to Willys and Ford. They were able to see if improvements were needed during the Bantam test. Ford's improvements were made on the Willys. In November, Ford and Willys also delivered their prototypes (the Pygme and the Quad). However, the pressure on defense was already so high that all three parties were ordered to build 1,500 units. The Bantam was called the BRC 40, the Willys the MA (Military model A) and the Ford GP (Government Passenger car). After the delivery of the last BRC 40, Bantam stopped production. Rural fuel consumption in America averaged 733 gallons per year. GM is discontinuing the LaSalle line of models. Despite the brand sold better than Cadillac. People had learned from the Packard One Twenty and wanted to prevent a cheap model from degrading the name of the brand. They bought prestige, and therefore Cadillac. The Packard One Twenty sold 72% more than the other models. GM didn't want that fate for Cadillac, so they decided to stop LaSalle and bring the 1941 models to the other brands.
15 May 1941: The Gloster E.28/39 is it first British jet-powered aircraft to fly. It uses the Power Jets W.1 turbojet designed by Frank Whittle and others.
1941: In July 1941, the defense wanted to standardize the production of the Jeep and decided to 1 manufacturer to give the next order of 16,000 units. Per vehicle there was paid $740. Willys was commissioned, also because of the 'Go Devil' engine. The vehicle was now called MB. In October it became clear that Willys-Overland could not make enough GPs (general purpose). Ford also got a contract. Ford made 280,000 GPWs (W for Willys) and Willys-Overland built 363,000. 51,000 units went to Russia under a lease contract. Around this time, GM's chief designer, Harley Earl, walks into Lockheed's hangar where he spotted the new P-38 Lightning. This aircraft inspired Earl for the design of the new post-war cars. The propellers were reflected in the bumper tips that were soon named 'Dagmars' after the busty TV personality of those years. The tail fins first appeared on the 1948 Cadillac. This was the beginning of the fins that reached their peak in 1959 and 1960. After that, these design elements quickly ended. Partly due to the succession of Earl by Bill Mitchell. Ford was called by the National Labor Relations Board forced to allow collective bargaining.
1942: Max Bentele, Germany, discovers that blades of turbines can break if the vibrations within the resonance range. A phenomenon that is already known in the USA. The U.S. auto industry produces 20% of war equipment worth a total of $29 billion.
1942: July 18, the jet-powered Messerschmitt Me 262 flies for the first time.
1945: The first Volkswagen is produced and will remain in production for a long time to come, surpassing the Model T's production success. America's mobile fleet was severely outdated by the war. Of the 25 million registered vehicles, half were more than 10 years old. After the 2nd World War, Dodge makes grateful use of the good reputation it has built up during the war. Dodge was known to the public and grateful soldiers as a manufacturer of heavy duty trucks and ambulances.
1946: Sam Baylin developed the Baylin engine, a 3-stroke internal combustion engine with rotary pistons. A rough and complex example of the later Wankel engine. Willys-Overland introduces the popular CJ, the civilian version of the Willys war Jeep. Willys was active in the niche market and the CJ would be produced for decades to come. Graham-Paige starts production of the 1947 Frazer and they also started producing agricultural machinery under the name Rototiller.
1947: Graham-Paige shareholders agree to transfer all assets to Kaiser-Frazer in exchange for 750,000 shares of Kaiser-Frazer. The Graham factory on Warren Avenue was sold to Chrysler. They built Desotos and later Imperials from model years 1959 to 1961.
1948: Introduction of the first tires that did not require an inner tube. Preston Tucker hits the market with the Torpedo. A revolutionary model. It is believed that the Big Three has everything to do with the fact that no more than 51 of them were produced. Charles Nash dies.
1949: The Texaco Combustion Process is patented. In the early 1950s, engineers at The Texas Company (today Chevron) developed a 4-stroke engine with a fuel injector that worked according to the Texco Combustion Process. In contrast to the normal 4-stroke petrol engine that has a separate inlet valve, the TCP motor has an inlet valve with a built-in shroud that supplies air to the cylinder in a tornado-like fashion. The fuel is then injected and ignited by a spark plug. The inventors claimed that their engine could run on any petroleum-based fuel of any octane rating and even some alcohol-based fuels. This without pinging! Although development was quite advanced before the 1950s, no known commercial applications are known. Packard introduces its own Ultramatic automatic transmission, although smoother than GM's Hydra-matic, acceleration was very slow. Packard was the only independent manufacturer to develop its own automatic transmission.
1950: American production accounts for 2/3 of the world total. Due to the high demand for cars, America builds 8 million cars out of a total world production of 10.5 million. Britain builds 784,000, making it No. 2 again. Japan only builds 32,000. 200,000 units of each model had to be built in America to be profitable.
1950s: American companies begin developing a crankshaftless engine concept.
1951: The Frazer brand is withdrawn from the market after many clashes between Kaiser and Frazer. Willys produces passenger cars up to and including 1955.
1953: Chrysler delivers 'Airtemp', an efficient air conditioner in its cars. This puts them ahead of GM who will only offer it from the 1953 model year. The more luxurious Imperials received 12v as standard and both the 6v and 12v versions of the other models received a 1-piece windscreen. Chrysler's first automatic, the PowerFlite, was also delivered. Kaiser Motors, created by the departure of Joseph W. Frazer, merged with Willys-Overland to form Willys Motors Inc.
1954: AMC is founded by the merger of Nash Kelvinator and Hudson Motor Car. It was the largest merger of our time. Between 1916 and 1922 there was already a company called American Motors Corporation, this company was co-founded by Louis Chevrolet. The merger created America's 4th largest automaker with $355 million in assets and $100 million in working capital. Studebaker and Packard also merge and deliver their new V8 and Ultramatic automatic transmission to AMC for the 1955 Nash Ambassador. Packard hoped to take advantage of Studebaker's dealer network. Studebaker hoped to take advantage of Packard's strong financial position. Studebaker, however, was a company that released the wrong models at the wrong time and could not supply enough good-selling models. The intention was for the 4 companies to merge, but with the death of Nash's CEO, George Mason, this dream never became a reality.
1955: 13.7 million vehicles are produced worldwide. The USA remains a giant with 9.2 million, but Britain is growing strongly and produces 1.3 million. Japanese production has doubled to 69,000 cars since 1950. Fuel consumption in America averages 790 gallons per year. Ford introduces Corvette competitor Thunderbird. The namesake gets a tailor-made suit and a coffee cup with the name Thunderbird on it. Chevrolet introduces the first V8 in years, the small block 283. Half of all cars sold had a 6 cylinder. US sales were at 7.2 million. Less than 52,000 of these were imports. Chrysler registers the Imperial name as its own brand. men wanted to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln. Because the brand was supplied by Chrysler dealers, there was no own brand identity, this did the brand no good, yet the brand lasted until 1983. In 1990 it was taken out of the stable again to disappear again in 1993. In April Imperial will advertise the first transistor radio for the car. An option that costs $150. To make room for the brand, the other brands began to move into Desoto's territory. In 1955 George Romney, father of Mitt Romney presidential candidate, took over the helm at AMC and the company focused on small cars.
1956: AMC switches to its own V8 in combination with the GM Hydra-matic and Borg Warner transmissions and phases out the Packard V8 and automatic transmission due to their relatively high price. Packard itself releases the Clipper models under the Clipper brand name. This makes the Packard-Clipper combination a copy of Lincoln-Mercury. However, due to the bad reputation that Packard now has, sales continue to drop further and further.
1957: Felix Wankel has his first working prototype of the Wankel engine, the DKM 54. It was the first breakthrough after diesel in 1895. Manufacturers showed an immediate interest in the new design. Advantages were that this engine was 25% lighter, smoother to use and cheaper to produce, disadvantages were higher fuel consumption and high wear. Among others, GM and Mercedes dived in. Despite significant investments, only Mazda has regularly come up with models with a Wankel engine. It has never been a success. The electric golf cart is produced by Lektro. Due to the large numbers needed to be profitable, Nash and Hudson merged to form American Motors, these brands have now been phased out and Rambler is taking over, sales are booming. In 1969 the Rambler brand would disappear again and all cars would be marketed as AMC. This caused problems when the Eagle 4x4 was marketed as American Eagle in the 1980s. Sales fell sharply due to the lack of modern cars. The banks stopped lending and they were rescued in 1980 by a loan from Renault in the form of 59% of the shares. Jeep introduced its successful new Cherokee line. Due to the high costs of the AMC adventure, Renault had to cut costs in its own country and closed a few factories and laid off 10,000 workers. Only 3 options remained, AMC bankrupt explain, pump in more money or sell AMC. Renault's board member Georges Besse says that AMC is doing well, the new engines are a good move, the modern Bramalea factory has just opened and the new Jeep models seem to be running well. Unfortunately is becoming Besse in 1986 murdered by the communist anarchist Action Directe in retaliation for the murder of a member by a Renault security guard. In 1987 Chrysler, which was already going to collaborate with AMC/Renault, buys AMC. It became the Jeep-Eagle division. Lee Iacocca (head at Chrysler) it was to do Jeep. In addition, Lee saw the underrated talents of the AMC management, the possibilities of the extra dealers and of course the new factory. The purchase of AMC was even necessary for Chrysler's survival. Packard production stops and the Clipper brand name disappears again.
1958: Only 8% of cars sold are imports, half of them are Volkswagens. Ford introduces its new brand Edsel. The brand would only exist for 3 years. One could not get used to the design of these new cars. It was also not understood whether the model was above or equal to a Mercury. The quality also lagged behind the normal Ford and Mercury models. The 1957 and 1958 Packards were Studebaker Presidents with extra chrome. The last Packard came off the line in July 1958. Studebaker instructed the staff to sell their Packards and drive Studebakers. A bright spot was the distribution agreement with Mercedes-Benz. Studebaker could use this agreement to generate extra cash flow and at least be able to sell cars if Studebaker production stopped. The Packard name could still be used for the import version of the Facel Vega from France. This would then be equipped with a Packard V8 and many other Packard style elements. However, Mercedes-Benz did not allow this original Chrysler V8 equipped model to be imported with the risk of breaking the agreement.
1960: Due to the crisis of 1958, Desoto's sales are so disappointing that the brand announces it will stop in November 1960. Due to the large stock of parts, many new cars are still being built and delivered to the Chrysler and Plymouth dealers that were designated to sell Desoto. They were not compensated by Chrysler. In December, new cars were still delivered that were sold at a loss by the dealers. Orders that could not be completed were completed with the delivery of a Crysler Windsor. Research showed that people would rather buy an entry-level Chrysler than a Desoto. Dodge, on the other hand, introduced the Custom Royal in the mid-1950s with which they already entered the Desoto market. Desoto, on the other hand, started to look more and more like Dodge And Chrysler with a different grill and taillights. Chrysler management did nothing about this, however, and in a market in which an own brand identity is very important, this was the death knell for desoto.
1962: Rambler uses a double master cylinder 6 years before it is mandatory. The automatic transmission with the neutral position between reverse and drive (PRND) was also used early on. This would become mandatory in 1968. The Packard name disappears from the name of the organization that is now only called 'Studebaker Corporation'. The new Avanti is also introduced. Ironically, it was suggested that this model be introduced as Pacakrd or even Pierce Arrow. Pierco Arrow was a brand that fell under the Studebaker flag in the 1920s and 1930s.
1963: Willys Motor Inc. changes its name to Kaiser-Jeep Corp. With this, the name Willys disappears. Overland will return regularly as a Jeep performance.

I have not attempted with the above to mention everything that has happened in the history of the automobile. Errors may be reported with proof, then I will correct it. 1963 is a randomly chosen end year.....