All Topics  
List of automotive superlatives

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

List of automotive superlatives
 
 
  Topics List of automotive superlatives Topic Home

This page lists superlatives of the automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 industry - that is, the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and other such topics.

In order to keep the entries relevant, the list (except for the Firsts section) will be limited to automobiles built after World War II. Many odd vehicles emerged in the early days of the automobile industry. There is a section for early superlatives, however.

The list will also be limited to production road cars that meet the following conditions:

  1. Vehicles constructed principally for the transport of people rather than other primary purposes.
  2. 20 or more examples must have been made by the original vehicle manufacturer and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition - cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible
  3. They must be street-legal in their intended markets and capable of passing any tests or inspections required to be granted this status
  4. They must have been built for retail sale to consumers for their personal use on public roads - no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible


958 Subaru 360
Subaru 360

The Subaru 360 was the first automobile mass produced by Fuji Heavy Industries' Subaru division. Rather than a scaled-down conventional auto, it used a number of innovative features to produce a car to address government plans to produce a small "people's car" with an engine no larger than 360cc when most in Japan could not afford a car....
, 1960 Mazda R360
Mazda R360

The R360 was Mazda's first real automobile - a two-door, two-seat coup?. Introduced in 1960, it featured a short 69 inch wheelbase and weighed just 838 lb ....
 (Flat-twin
Flat-twin

A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft....
 gasoline) and 1963 Honda T360
Honda T360

The T360 was a tiny pickup truck from Honda. Introduced in June 1963, it was Honda's first production automobile.The T360 used a small 356 cc straight-4 engine....
 AS250E (Straight-4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
 gasoline).

008 Dodge Viper
Dodge Viper

The Dodge Viper is a V10 engine-powered sports car manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler LLC. Production of the two seat sports car began at New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995....
 (V10 engine
V10 engine

A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinder s in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note....
)











mean effective pressure
Mean effective pressure

The mean effective pressure is a quantity related to the operation of an internal combustion engine and is a valuable measure of an engine's capacity to do work that is independent of engine displacement....
 (MEP) is a useful comparison tool, giving the average cylinder pressure exerted on the piston.






See also List of bestselling vehicle nameplates
List of bestselling vehicle nameplates

This article contains a list of some of the bestselling passenger cars in automotive history since the introduction of the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1886....


-production vehicles are listed here.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'List of automotive superlatives'
Start a new discussion about 'List of automotive superlatives'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


This page lists superlatives of the automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 industry - that is, the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and other such topics.

In order to keep the entries relevant, the list (except for the Firsts section) will be limited to automobiles built after World War II. Many odd vehicles emerged in the early days of the automobile industry. There is a section for early superlatives, however.

The list will also be limited to production road cars that meet the following conditions:

  1. Vehicles constructed principally for the transport of people rather than other primary purposes.
  2. 20 or more examples must have been made by the original vehicle manufacturer and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition - cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible
  3. They must be street-legal in their intended markets and capable of passing any tests or inspections required to be granted this status
  4. They must have been built for retail sale to consumers for their personal use on public roads - no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible


Engine displacement
Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by the all pistons of an engine in a single movement from top dead center to bottom dead center....


Smallest

- 1958 Subaru 360
Subaru 360

The Subaru 360 was the first automobile mass produced by Fuji Heavy Industries' Subaru division. Rather than a scaled-down conventional auto, it used a number of innovative features to produce a car to address government plans to produce a small "people's car" with an engine no larger than 360cc when most in Japan could not afford a car....
, 1960 Mazda R360
Mazda R360

The R360 was Mazda's first real automobile - a two-door, two-seat coup?. Introduced in 1960, it featured a short 69 inch wheelbase and weighed just 838 lb ....
 (Flat-twin
Flat-twin

A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft....
 gasoline) and 1963 Honda T360
Honda T360

The T360 was a tiny pickup truck from Honda. Introduced in June 1963, it was Honda's first production automobile.The T360 used a small 356 cc straight-4 engine....
 AS250E (Straight-4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
 gasoline).

Largest

- 2008 Dodge Viper
Dodge Viper

The Dodge Viper is a V10 engine-powered sports car manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler LLC. Production of the two seat sports car began at New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995....
 (V10 engine
V10 engine

A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinder s in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note....
)

Dimensions


Overall

  • Longest - - 2006 Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed
    • Passenger car - - 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five
      Cadillac Fleetwood

      The Fleetwood Metal Body Company began business in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania on April 1, 1909 and continued as an independent automobile body builder until acquired in 1925 by the Fisher Body Company, a division of General Motors....
       
    • Commercial - - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
      Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

      The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a delivery van, chassis cab and minibus built by Daimler AG in D?sseldorf, Germany and Buenos Aires, Argentina and sold worldwide as a Mercedes-Benz model, except in North America where it is built from Complete_knock_down kits and sold as a Dodge and as a Freightliner LLC....
       LWB / Volkswagen Crafter
      Volkswagen Crafter

      The Volkswagen Crafter, introduced in 2006, is the largest 3 to 5 tonne van sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Crafter replaced the 31 year old Volkswagen LT nameplate....
       LWB
  • Widest - - 2002 Unimog U5000
    Unimog

    Unimog designates a range of multi purpose four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is in German and is an acronym for the German language "UNIversal-MOtor-Ger?t", Ger?t being the German word for machine or device....
  • Highest - - 2006 Rolls Royce Phantom
    Rolls-Royce Phantom (BMW)

    The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a British sedan automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, in the United Kingdom. It was launched in 2003. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coup?, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coup?, both based on the 2003 Phantom, are the most recent additions to the Rolls-Royce brand....
     ("Highest passenger car")
  • Shortest - - 1962 Peel P50
    Peel P50

    The Peel P50 was a three-wheeled microcar manufactured in 1962 and 1965 by the Isle of Man Peel Engineering Company. It retailed for pound sterling199 when new, and currently holds the record for the smallest-ever automobile to go into production....
     (3 wheels)
  • Lowest - - 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
    Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

    The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an extremely rare road car built by Alfa Romeo of Italy. Only 18 are reported to have been made, plus three design studies based on the 33 Stradale the 33.2, Iguana and Carabo....
     (18 produced)


Wheelbase

  • Longest (truck) - - 2006 Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Crew Cab
    Ford F-Series

    The F-Series is a series of pickup truck#North American full-size pickups from Ford Motor Company sold for over five decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150....
      (truck)
  • Longest (car) - - 1964 Mercedes-Benz 600
    Mercedes-Benz 600

    The Mercedes-Benz 600 was a large luxury automobile, intended to represent the absolute pinnacle of automotive engineering. When introduced in September, 1963, it had few competitors, except Rolls-Royce Limited and some US-made limousines....
     - longest wheelbase car
  • Shortest - - 1962 Peel P50
    Peel P50

    The Peel P50 was a three-wheeled microcar manufactured in 1962 and 1965 by the Isle of Man Peel Engineering Company. It retailed for pound sterling199 when new, and currently holds the record for the smallest-ever automobile to go into production....
    • (1000 or more produced) - - 1956 Isetta
      Isetta

      The Isetta was one of the most successful microcars produced in the post-World War II years—a time when cheap, short-distance transportation was most needed....


Track

  • Widest Front - - 2002 Unimog U5000
    Unimog

    Unimog designates a range of multi purpose four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is in German and is an acronym for the German language "UNIversal-MOtor-Ger?t", Ger?t being the German word for machine or device....
  • Widest Rear - - 2002 Unimog U5000
    Unimog

    Unimog designates a range of multi purpose four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is in German and is an acronym for the German language "UNIversal-MOtor-Ger?t", Ger?t being the German word for machine or device....
  • Narrowest Front - - Peel P50
    Peel P50

    The Peel P50 was a three-wheeled microcar manufactured in 1962 and 1965 by the Isle of Man Peel Engineering Company. It retailed for pound sterling199 when new, and currently holds the record for the smallest-ever automobile to go into production....
  • Narrowest Rear - - Isetta
    Isetta

    The Isetta was one of the most successful microcars produced in the post-World War II years—a time when cheap, short-distance transportation was most needed....


Weight

  • Heaviest - curb weight
    Curb weight

    Curb weight or Kerb weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables , a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo....
     - 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha Wagon
    Hummer H1

    The Hummer H1 is a civilian off-road vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle , which was created by AM General. The vehicle was produced from 1992 through 2006, and was the first of what became the Hummer line....
  • Lightest - DIN
    Din

    DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:-* A din is a loud noise.* Deen , an Arabic language term meaning "religion" or "way of life"....
     - 1962 Peel P50
    Peel P50

    The Peel P50 was a three-wheeled microcar manufactured in 1962 and 1965 by the Isle of Man Peel Engineering Company. It retailed for pound sterling199 when new, and currently holds the record for the smallest-ever automobile to go into production....
     (3 wheels)


Power


Most power

  • Petrol/Gasoline - (naturally-aspirated) - 500 kW (683 PS/680 hp) - 1995 McLaren F1 LM
    McLaren F1 LM

    The McLaren F1 LM is in short a track oriented edition of the McLaren F1. The LM is based on the McLaren F1 GTR with the necessary modifications in place to allow the modified GTR to be a road legal car, however without the engine intake restrictions imposed on the GTR racing edition by racing regulations....
     V12 engine
  • Petrol/Gasoline - (forced-induction) - 1187 horsepower SSC Ultimate Aero TT
  • Diesel
    Diesel

    Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
     - 368 kW (500 PS/493 hp) - Audi V12 TDI
    List of Volkswagen engines

    These petrol engines listed below are currently in use today, by various marques of automobiles, and commercial vehicles, of the Volkswagen Group.Since the Volkswagen Group is European, the internal combustion engine performance ratings are published using the International System of Units , a modern form of the metric system of figures....
     in the Audi Q7
    Audi Q7

    The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury SUV produced by Germany automaker Audi since its unveiling at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006....


Most torque

    • Petrol - N/A
  • Diesel - 1000 N·m (738 ft·lbf), Audi Q7 V12 TDI 6.0 L (5934 cc/362 in³) Twin Turbo V12


Most specific power (power to weight ratio)

  • 1045 hp/metric ton (1.91 lb/hp) - 2007 Caparo T1
    Caparo T1

    The Caparo T1 is a Great Britain RMR layout, two-seat automobile built by Caparo Vehicle Technologies, founded by design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead, engineers formerly involved in the development of the McLaren F1....
     V8 engine 575 hp (429 kW) and 470 kg (1036 lb)


Most specific engine output (power per unit displacement)

  • Petrol/Gasoline (naturally-aspirated) piston engine - 106.2 kW (125.2 PS/142.3 hp)/litre - 1994 JDM Suzuki Cultus
    Suzuki Cultus

    The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car first presented at the 25th Tokyo Motor Show, formally introduced to the Japanese domestic market in 1983 and ultimately manufactured in seven countries across three generations and marketed worldwide under more than a dozen nameplates — prominently as the Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro....
     Suzuka edition R13B
    List of Suzuki engines

    This is a list of automobile engines created by Suzuki:...
     (138 kW (188 PS/185 hp) 1.3 L I4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
    )


  • Petrol/Gasoline (forced-induction) piston engine - 149 kW (203 PS/200 hp)/litre 400 hp - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ400 (298 kW (405 PS/400 hp) 2.0 L I4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
     (The FQ400's status as a "production car" is disputed)
  • Diesel
    Diesel

    Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
     (naturally-aspirated) - 33.4 kW (45.4 PS/44.7 hp)/litre (100 kW (136 PS/134 hp) DIN
    Din

    DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:-* A din is a loud noise.* Deen , an Arabic language term meaning "religion" or "way of life"....
     3.0 L I6
    Straight-6

    The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
    ) - 1995 Mercedes E 300 D
    Mercedes-Benz E-Class

    The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive car cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. The E initially stood for Einspritzung, ; a new feature in volume production vehicles at the time that the E-Class first appeared, with the E as a suffix to the engine nomenclature in the 1950s....
  • Diesel
    Diesel

    Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
     (forced-induction) - 75.2 kW (102,2 PS)/litre (150 kW (204 PS) 2.0 L I4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
     twin-turbo) - 2007 BMW
    BMW

    , is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
     new 2L engines
    List of BMW engines

    BMW has used the following engines in its vehicles:...
  • Naturally-aspirated pistonless rotary engine
    Pistonless rotary engine

    A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more wikt:rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons....
     - 140.5 kW (191.1 PS/188.8 hp) /litre - Mazda RX-8
    Mazda RX-8

    The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the Mazda RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Mazda Wankel engine....
     Renesis
    Mazda Wankel engine

    All Mazda Wankel engine are essentially a single family ? they all derive from the first Felix Wankel experiments in the early 1960s. Over the years, displacement has been increased , and turbocharging has been added to great effect....
     (184 kW (250 PS/247 hp) JIS 1.3 L)


Most specific torque (torque per unit displacement)

The mean effective pressure
Mean effective pressure

The mean effective pressure is a quantity related to the operation of an internal combustion engine and is a valuable measure of an engine's capacity to do work that is independent of engine displacement....
 (MEP) is a useful comparison tool, giving the average cylinder pressure exerted on the piston.

  • Petrol (naturally-aspirated) - MEP 14.3 bar, 114 N•m (84 ft•lbf)/litre (370 N•m (273 ft•lbf)) - 2003 BMW M3
    BMW M3

    The BMW M3 is a high performance BMW M GmbH version of the popular BMW BMW 3 Series compact car automobile. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series....
     CSL
  • Petrol (forced-induction) - MEP 30.3 bar, 241.4 N•m (177.7 ft•lbf)/litre (482.1 N•m (355 ft•lbf)) - 2004 Mitsubishi Evo VIII
    Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

    The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo, LanEvo, or Evo, is a car manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors....
     MR FQ-400
  • Petrol (naturally-aspirated pistonless rotary engine
    Pistonless rotary engine

    A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more wikt:rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons....
    ) - MEP 21.5 bar, 170.8 N•m (126.0 ft•lbf)/litre (222 N•m (164 ft•lbf)) - 2005 Mazda RX-8
    Mazda RX-8

    The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the Mazda RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Mazda Wankel engine....
  • Petrol (forced-induction pistonless rotary engine
    Pistonless rotary engine

    A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more wikt:rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons....
    ) - MEP 28.4 bar, 226.3 N•m (166.9 ft•lbf)/litre (294 N•m (217 ft•lbf)) - 1995 Mazda RX-7
    Mazda RX-7

    The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a twin-rotor Wankel engine and a sporty FMR layout, rear-wheel drive layout....
     Turbo
  • Diesel - MEP unknown, 233 N•m (172.2 ft•lbf)/litre (500 N•m (369 ft•lbf)) - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class

    The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG. First introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W201 range, the C-Class was nicknamed the "Baby Benz" as it was the smallest model in the marque's lineup, until the 1997 arrival of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class....
     250CDI BlueEfficiency


Economy

  • Highest USA EPA
    United States Environmental Protection Agency

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an List of United States federal agencies of the federal government of the United States charged to Regulation of chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land....
     mileage - / - 2001 Honda Insight
    Honda Insight

    The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system....
     5-speed
    • Note: in 2007 the EPA changed its measurement standards, changing the rating to /
  • Lowest USA EPA mileage - / - 1987-1988 Dodge Ramcharger AW150 4WD
  • Lowest EU fuel consumption - - 2002 VW Lupo 1.2 TDI 5-speed
  • Highest EU fuel consumption - combined city/hwy 2008 Bugatti Veyron
    Bugatti Veyron

    The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine design Grand tourer car produced by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and was introduced in 2005 as the fastest production car in the world....
     16.4
  • Longest 90% range - 1500 km (932 mi) - 2005 Mercedes E220 CDI with 6-speed manual and optional fuel tank, calculated by using extra-urban Euro cycle mileage of


Price

  • Most expensive - $1,600,000 - 2006 Bugatti Veyron
    Bugatti Veyron

    The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine design Grand tourer car produced by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and was introduced in 2005 as the fastest production car in the world....
  • Most inexpensive - $125 - 1922 Briggs & Stratton Flyer ($1,364.22 in 2006, inflation adjusted)


Performance

  • Quickest 0-60 mph (roughly equal to 0-100 km/h):
    • 2.3 seconds - 2006 Ultima GTR
      Ultima GTR

      The Ultima GTR is a sports car manufactured by Ultima Sports Ltd of Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, and described by commentators as a supercar....
       
  • Quickest 0-200 km/h (124 mph) - 7.4 seconds - Auto Motor und Sport - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
  • Quickest 0-300 km/h time (185 mph) - 18.2 seconds, Auto Motor Und Sport - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
  • Quickest 0-400 km/h time (248 mph) - 55 seconds - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
  • Quickest 0-100-0 mph:
    • 9.9 sec - 2006 Bugatti Veyron
  • Highest top speed: SSC Ultimate Aero TT miles per hour


Sales

See also List of bestselling vehicle nameplates
List of bestselling vehicle nameplates

This article contains a list of some of the bestselling passenger cars in automotive history since the introduction of the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1886....
  • Best-selling models:
    • Best-selling vehicle nameplate - Toyota Corolla
      Toyota Corolla

      The Corolla is a line of subcompact car/compact cars produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966....
       (more than 32,000,000 sold in nine generations since 1966)
    • Best-selling single model - Volkswagen Beetle
      Volkswagen Beetle

      The Volkswagen Type 1 is an economy car produced by the Germany auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003. The car was originally known as K?fer, the German language word for "beetle," from which the popular English nickname originates....
       (21,529,464 of the same basic design sold worldwide between 1938 and 2003)
    • Best single-year sales - 1.36 million - 2005 Toyota Corolla
      Toyota Corolla

      The Corolla is a line of subcompact car/compact cars produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966....
      .
    • Best single-month sales - 126,905 - July 2005 Ford F-Series
      Ford F-Series

      The F-Series is a series of pickup truck#North American full-size pickups from Ford Motor Company sold for over five decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150....
       


Firsts

Full-production vehicles are listed here. Many were preceded by racing-only cars. This list only includes developments that lead to widespread adoption across the automotive industry.

Industry


  • First automobile manufacturer - Benz
    Benz

    Benz may refer to:...
     (1871), Panhard et Levassor
    Panhard

    Panhard is now a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005....
     (1889) (followed by Peugeot
    Peugeot

    Peugeot is a major France automobile brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citro?n. Its parent company PSA Peugeot Citro?n is the second largest carmaker in Europe, behind Volkswagen....
     in 1891)
  • First standardized automobile - Benz Velo
    Benz Velo

    Karl Benz followed his successful three-wheeled Benz Patent Motorwagen?which was patented as the first commercially available automobile on January 29, 1886 and put into production from 1886 through 1893?with the four-wheeled Benz Velo model of 1894....
     (1894) or Duryea Motor Wagon
    Duryea Motor Wagon

    The Duryea Motor Wagon was among the first standardization automobiles and among the first powered by gasoline. Fifteen Motor Wagons were built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, between 1893 and 1896....
     (1893)
  • First mass-produced automobile - Oldsmobile Curved Dash
    Oldsmobile Curved Dash

    The Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as the first high-volume mass-produced automobile. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907....
     (1901)
  • First auto company technical institute - General Motors Institute (now Kettering University
    Kettering University

    Kettering University is a university in Flint, Michigan, offering degrees in engineering, math, science, and business. The campus is located along the Flint River on property that used to be the main manufacturing location for General Motors Corporation....
    )
  • First automotive proving ground - Dodge Brothers Hamtramck, MI Test Track 1915


Engine types

  • V engine
    V engine

    A V engine is a common engine configuration for an internal combustion engine. The Cylinder_%28engine%29 and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes, so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft....
    • 1904 Marmon
      Marmon

      Marmon was an automobile brand name manufactured by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, from 1902 through 1933, and a brand of Texas-made premium trucks from 1963 through 1997....
       (V8) (few produced)
    • First commercially successful V - 1910 de Dion
      De Dion

      * Albert de Dion - automobile pioneer* de Dion-Bouton - automobile manufacturer* de Dion tube - automobile suspension ...
       CJ (V8)
  • Straight
    • 1903 Napier & Son
      Napier & Son

      D. Napier & Son Limited was a Great Britain engine and brass era automobile manufacturer and one of the most important aircraft engine manufacturers in the early- to mid-20th Century....
       Straight-6
      Straight-6

      The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
       (few produced)


Engine technologies

  • First carburetor
    Carburetor

    A carburetor or carburettor , is a device that blends Earth's atmosphere and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It was invented by Karl Benz before 1885 and patented in 1886....
     - 1896 Daimler
    Daimler

    Daimler may refer to:*Gottlieb Daimler, German automobile inventor...
  • First overhead cam engine - 1898 Wilkinson
  • First variable displacement
    Variable displacement

    Variable displacement is an automobile engine technology that allows the engine displacement to change, by deactivating Cylinder , for improved Fuel economy in automobiles....
     engine - 1905 Sturtevant
    Sturtevant

    Sturtevant may refer to:* Albert D. Sturtevant , American naval officer* Alfred Sturtevant , American geneticist* Butler Sturtevant , American landscape architect...
     38/45 six
  • First DOHC engine - 1921 Ballot
    Ballot (automobile)

    Ballot was a France automobile manufacturer who made cars between 1921 and 1932.The Ballot brothers, Edouard and Maurice, founded their company in 1905....
  • First Diesel
    Diesel

    Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
    -engined production car — 1935 Citroen
    Citroën

    Citro?n is a France automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by Andr? Citro?n, it was the world's first mass-production car company outside of the USA....
     Rosalie
    Citroën Rosalie

    The original Citro?n Rosalie was a light-weight racing car that established a succession of records at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlh?ry. More generally the Rosalie was a range of three models/sizes of automobile that comprised the core of Citro?n model range between 1932 and 1938....
    .
  • Multi-valve
    Multi-valve

    In automotive engineering, an engine is referred to as multi-valve when each cylinder has more than two poppet valve. Such designs have been around since at least 1912 and perhaps earlier....
     engines
    • First 3-valve engine - 1924 Bugatti
      Bugatti

      Bugatti was founded in Molsheim, France, as a car maker by Ettore Bugatti, an Italian people man described as an eccentric genius.The original company is legendary for producing some of the most exclusive cars in the world as well as some of the fastest....
       Type 35
      Bugatti Type 35

      The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. It was the first vehicle to feature the famed Bugatti arch-shaped radiator....
       (Type 18
      Bugatti Type 18

      The Bugatti Type 18, also called the Garros, is an automobile produced from 1912 through 1914. Produced shortly after the start of the company, the design was something of a relic....
       had a 3-valve in 1912, but only 6 or 7 were made. The Type 35 used the engine from the 1922 Type 29 racing car.)
    • First 4-valve engine - 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix
    • First 5-valve engine - 1989 Oettinger - Germany 5V , 1989 Mitsubishi Dangan ZZ
      Mitsubishi Minica

      The Mitsubishi Minica is a kei car produced by Mitsubishi Motors for the Japanese domestic market since October 1962. It was first built by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, one of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' three regional automotive companies until they were merged in 1964....
       (Peugeot
      Peugeot

      Peugeot is a major France automobile brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citro?n. Its parent company PSA Peugeot Citro?n is the second largest carmaker in Europe, behind Volkswagen....
       had a triple overhead cam 5-valve Grand Prix
      Grand Prix motor racing

      Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to Endurance racing for car and driver....
       car in 1921).
    • First 6-valve engine - 1985 Maserati Biturbo
      Maserati Biturbo

      The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coup? featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V-6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior....
       2.0L V6 36V 261 hp (prototype)
    • First 3-valve Diesel
      Diesel

      Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
       - 1989 Citroën
      Citroën

      Citro?n is a France automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by Andr? Citro?n, it was the world's first mass-production car company outside of the USA....
       XM
      Citroën XM

      The Citro?n XM is an executive car that was produced by the France automaker Citro?n between 1989 and 2000. Citro?n sold 330,000 XMs during the model's 10 years of production....
    • First 4-valve Diesel
      Diesel

      Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
       - 1993 Mercedes-Benz
      Mercedes-Benz

      Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coach es, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz....
       C-Class
      Mercedes-Benz C-Class

      The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG. First introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W201 range, the C-Class was nicknamed the "Baby Benz" as it was the smallest model in the marque's lineup, until the 1997 arrival of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class....
       (OM604 engine)
    • First multi-valve
      Multi-valve

      In automotive engineering, an engine is referred to as multi-valve when each cylinder has more than two poppet valve. Such designs have been around since at least 1912 and perhaps earlier....
       turbocharged
      Turbocharger

      A turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. Like a supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the mass of air entering the engine to create more power....
       engine - 1980 Maserati
      Maserati

      Maserati is an Italy manufacturer of automobile racing and sports cars, established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident....
       Biturbo
      Maserati Biturbo

      The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coup? featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V-6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior....
       AM452


  • First carburetor
    Carburetor

    A carburetor or carburettor , is a device that blends Earth's atmosphere and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It was invented by Karl Benz before 1885 and patented in 1886....
     air filter - 1915 Packard
    Packard

    Packard was an United States luxury automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana....
     Twin Six
  • First crankcase ventilation - 1926 Cadillac V8 engine
    Cadillac V8 engine

    Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and today is the only General Motors Corporation division to retain its own V8 design....
  • First automatic choke
    Choke

    "Choke" may refer to:* Choking, obstruction of airflow into an organism's lungs* Choking, loss of confidence* Chokehold, a grappling hold performed on the neck that aims to render the opponent unconscious...
     - 1932 Oldsmobile
    Oldsmobile

    Oldsmobile was a brand name of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory....
  • First four-barrel carburetor
    Carburetor

    A carburetor or carburettor , is a device that blends Earth's atmosphere and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It was invented by Karl Benz before 1885 and patented in 1886....
     - 1941 Buick
    Buick

    Buick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Corporation. Since the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, it is GM's only North America-based entry-level luxury brand....
  • Fuel injection
    Fuel injection

    Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in gasoline Automobile engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
    • First FI engine - 1910 Adams-Farwell
      Adams-Farwell

      Adams-Farwell was a brass era American automobile manufacturer from Dubuque, Iowa, Iowa, founded by Herbert and Eugene Adams and Fay Oliver Farwell at the end of the 19th century....
       Diesel
      Diesel

      Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
    • First non-Diesel
      Diesel

      Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
       FI engine - 1952 Goliath GP 700 / Gutbrod Superior 600
    • First gasoline direct injection
      Gasoline direct injection

      Gasoline direct injection is a latest variant of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke cycle and Four-stroke cycle stroke petrol engines....
       - 1952 Goliath GP 700 / Gotbrud Superior 600
    • First electronic fuel injection
      Fuel injection

      Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in gasoline Automobile engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
       - 1968 Bosch
      Bosch

      Bosch is a popular surname in Catalan language and Dutch language; it means forest. It may refer to:Places*Bosch, Buenos Aires, Argentina...
       D-Jetronic - Volkswagen
      Volkswagen

      Volkswagen Passenger Cars, also known as VW, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany and is the original as well as the largest brand by sales volume within the Volkswagen Group....
       Type 3/Type 4
    • First Diesel
      Diesel

      Diesel or diesel fuel in general is any fuel used in diesel engines. The most common is a specific fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass to liquid or gas to liquid diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted....
       direct injection engine - 1986 Fiat Croma
      Fiat Croma

      The Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one built from 1985 to 1996 and the other since 2005....
       Turbo D i.d.
    • First electronic gasoline direct injection - 1996 Mitsubishi Galant
      Mitsubishi Galant

      The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. The name was derived from the French language word galant, meaning "chivalrous"....
      /Legnum 4G93 GDI I4
      Straight-4

      The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
    • First passenger car common rail
      Common rail

      Common rail direct fuel injection is a modern variant of direct fuel injection system for petrol engine and diesel engines.On diesel engines, it features a high-pressure fuel rail feeding individual solenoid valves, as opposed to low-pressure fuel pump feeding Unit Injector , or high-pressure fuel line to mechanical valves controlled by ca...
       diesel direct injection engine - 1997 Alfa Romeo 156
      Alfa Romeo 156

      The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italy automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155....
       JTD
  • First supercharged
    Supercharger

    A supercharger is an air Gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be provided and more work to be done per cycle, increasing the power output of the engine...
     car - 1921 Mercedes
    Mercedes (car)

    Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler....
     6/25/40 hp
  • First turbocharged
    Turbocharger

    A turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. Like a supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the mass of air entering the engine to create more power....
     car - 1962 Oldsmobile F-85
    Oldsmobile Cutlass

    The Oldsmobile Cutlass is an automobile made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass was introduced in 1961 as a unibody compact car....
     Turbo Jetfire
    Oldsmobile V8 engine

    The Oldsmobile Rocket V8 was the first post-war Overhead valve V8 at General Motors Corporation. Production started in 1949, with a new generation introduced in 1964....
  • First turbocharged diesel
    Turbodiesel

    Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines....
     car - 1978 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
    Mercedes-Benz W116

    The Mercedes-Benz W116 was a series of flagship vehicles produced from 1972 through 1980. The W116 automobiles were the first Mercedes-Benz models to be officially called Mercedes-Benz S-Class, although earlier sedan models had already unofficially been designated with the letter 'S' - for Sonderklasse or "special class."...
  • First variable-nozzle turbocharger
    Turbocharger

    A turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. Like a supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the mass of air entering the engine to create more power....
     - 1989 Shelby CSX-VNT
    Shelby CSX

    The Carroll Shelby CSX was a limited-production high performance automobile based on the turbocharged Dodge Shadow. These cars were offered by Shelby Automobiles Inc....
    /Garrett Systems
    Garrett Systems

    Honeywell Turbo Technologies is a unit of the Honeywell Transportation Systems division of Honeywell International. Formerly a manufacturer of turboprop engines and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies, the company has continued to manufacture high-end turbochargers and components for the automobile and truck industry....
  • First quad-turbocharged car - Bugatti EB110
    Bugatti EB110

    The Bugatti EB110 was a Mid-engine design sports car from Bugatti#Bugatti Automobili SpA, the 1990s successor to one of the most celebrated marques in automotive history....
  • First supercharged and turbocharged car - 1985 Lancia Delta S4
    Lancia Delta S4

    The Lancia Delta S4 is a Group B rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 World Rally Championship season and 1986 World Rally Championship season, until Group B cars were banned from competition by the FIA....
     (Homologation special, 200 road cars produced for Group B
    Group B

    The Group B referred to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rally racing regulated by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
     regulations)
  • First point ignition - 1910 Cadillac Model Thirty
    Cadillac Model Thirty

    The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Cadillac Model G....
    /Delco
    Delco

    Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
  • First electronic ignition - 1960 General Motors/Delco
    Delco

    Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
  • First alternator - 1960 Chrysler Corporation, Plymouth Valiant
    Plymouth Valiant

    The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth automobile division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976....
  • First flat-engine - 1905 Knox
  • First square engine - 1906 Premier
    Premier (automobile)

    The Premier Motor Manufacturing Company was organized in 1903 by George A. Weidely and Harold O. Smith in Indianapolis, Indiana. A 1903 Premier is on display in the Speedway Museum, Indianapolis....
  • First engine with removable cylinder head - 1908 Ford Model T
    Ford Model T

    The Ford Model T was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage....
  • First counterbalanced crankshaft
    Crankshaft

    The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank , is the part of an engine which translates reciprocation linear piston motion into rotation....
     - 1908 Mercer
    Mercer

    A mercer is a merchant or trader, more specifically a merchant who deals in textiles / mercery.Mercer may also refer to:...
     Type 35
  • First split-plane
    V engine

    A V engine is a common engine configuration for an internal combustion engine. The Cylinder_%28engine%29 and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes, so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft....
     crankshaft
    Crankshaft

    The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank , is the part of an engine which translates reciprocation linear piston motion into rotation....
     - 1923 Cadillac V8 engine
    Cadillac V8 engine

    Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and today is the only General Motors Corporation division to retain its own V8 design....
  • Variable valve timing
    Variable valve timing

    Variable valve timing, or VVT, is a generic term for an automobile piston engine technology. VVT allows the lift, duration or timing of the intake or exhaust Poppet valve to be changed while the engine is in operation....
    • First VVT engine - 1980 Alfa Romeo Spider
      Alfa Romeo Spider

      The Alfa Romeo Spider is a roadster produced by the Italy manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1966 to 1993 .Widely regarded as a design classic, it remained in production for almost three decades with only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes....
       2.0 L
    • First electronic VVT - 1987 Nissan 300ZX
      Nissan 300ZX

      The Nissan 300ZX, also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z, is a sports car that was produced by Nissan. It comprises the third and fourth generations of the Nissan Z-car line-up, respectively given the chassis designations Z31 and Z32....
       VG30DE
      Nissan VG engine

      The VG engine family consists of V6 piston engines designed and produced by Nissan for several vehicles in the Nissan lineup. The VG series started in 1983 becoming Japan's first mass produced V6 engine....
       NVCS
      N-VCT

      Nissan Variable Cam Timing is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Nissan. N-VCT was first introduced in 1987 on the VG30DE engine....
       V6
  • First gas turbine
    Gas turbine

    A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a flow of combustion gas. It has an upstream compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
     car - 1950 Rover
    Rover (car)

    The Rover Company was a British automobile manufacturing company originally founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry....
     JET 1 (Experimental only; no gas turbine car ever reached real production)
  • Wankel engine
    Wankel engine

    The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine which uses a rotary combustion engine to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating piston engine....
    s
    • First Wankel engine
      Wankel engine

      The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine which uses a rotary combustion engine to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating piston engine....
       - 1964 NSU
      NSU Motorenwerke AG

      NSU Motorenwerke Aktiengesellschaft, , was a Germany manufacturer of automobile and motorcycles, which was founded in 1873. It was acquired by Volkswagen Group in 1969....
       Spider
    • First 2-rotor Wankel - 1967 Mazda Cosmo
      Mazda Cosmo

      There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were GT cars, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand....
       (60 preproduction examples were produced and registered earlier)
    • First 3-rotor Wankel engine
      Wankel engine

      The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine which uses a rotary combustion engine to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating piston engine....
       - 1991 Mazda Cosmo
      Mazda Cosmo

      There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were GT cars, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand....
    • First turbo
      Turbocharger

      A turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. Like a supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the mass of air entering the engine to create more power....
       Wankel engine - 1982 Mazda Luce
      Mazda Luce

      Mazda used the Luce name on its largest sedan s in Japan from 1969 until 1990. These vehicles were exported under a variety of names, including Mazda RX-4, Mazda 929, and Mazda Cosmo....
      /Cosmo
      Mazda Cosmo

      There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were GT cars, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand....
    • First front-wheel drive car with Wankel engine - 1966 NSU Ro 80
      NSU Ro 80

      The NSU Ro 80 was a technologically advanced large sedan -type automobile produced by the Germany firm of NSU Motorenwerke AG from 1967 until 1977....
  • First Miller cycle
    Miller cycle

    In engineering, the Miller cycle is a combustion process used in a type of four-stroke internal combustion engine. The Miller cycle was patented by Ralph Miller , an United States engineer, in the 1940s....
     engine - 1996 Mazda Millenia
    Mazda Millenia

    The Mazda Millenia was originally planned as the second of three luxury cars for Mazda's luxury brand, Mazda#Marques. As Mazda's dwindling finances no longer permitted the launch of the Amati brand, the Millenia was launched in the autumn of 1993 in Europe and Japan under the Mazda brand....
  • First Atkinson cycle
    Atkinson cycle

    The Atkinson-cycle engine is a type of internal combustion engine invented by James Atkinson in 1882. The Atkinson cycle is designed to provide efficiency at the expense of power and is beginning to see use in modern hybrid electric applications....
     engine - 1997 Toyota Prius
    Toyota Prius

    The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle....
  • First Hydrogen vehicle
    Hydrogen vehicle

    A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its on-board fuel for motive power. The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft....
     - BMW Hydrogen 7
    BMW Hydrogen 7

    The BMW Hydrogen 7 is a limited production hydrogen vehicle built by German automobile manufacturer BMW. The car is based on BMW?s traditional gasoline powered BMW 7 Series line of vehicles, and more specifically the 760Li....
     (Germany)
  • First California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
     ULEV emissions
    Ultra Low Emission Vehicle

    An ultra low emission vehicle is a vehicle that emits extremely low levels of air pollutants compared to other vehicles. The term may be used in a general sense, but in some jurisdictions it is defined in law; low and ultra low emission vehicles may be given tax or other advantages, while high emission vehicles may suffer restrictions or addi...
     compliant - 1995 Honda Accord
    Honda Accord

    The Honda Accord is the series of midrange automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in most automotive markets throughout the world....
  • First sleeve valve
    Sleeve valve

    The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the more common poppet valve. They saw use in some pre-World War II luxury cars, sports cars, the Willys-Knight car and light truck, and saw substantial use in aircraft engines of the 1940s, such as the Napier Sabre and Bristol Hercules and Bristol Centaurus....
     - 1909 Daimler
    Daimler

    Daimler may refer to:*Gottlieb Daimler, German automobile inventor...
     (used Charles Knight 1903 design)


Hybrid vehicles

  • First gas-electric hybrid - 1899 Lohner-Porsche
    Ferdinand Porsche

    Prof. Dr. Ing h.c. Ferdinand Porsche was an Austria-Hungary automotive engineering. He is best known for creating the Volkswagen Beetle as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles, and for his contributions to advanced German tank designs: Tiger I, Tiger II and the Elefant....
     Mixte (about 300 produced)
  • First modern hybrid car - 1904 Auto-Mixte
    Auto-Mixte

    Auto-Mixte build cars between 1906 and 1912 under license from Pieper, after Henri Pieper died. From 1912 to 1914 the cars are made as Pescatore, named after the owner....
     (Belgium
    Belgium

    * A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
    )
  • First modern hybrid car - 1994 Audi 80 Duo(Germany)
  • First hybrid bus
    Bus

    A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus can generally seat a maximum of anywhere from 8 to 200 passengers; many more passengers than a minivan....
     - 1997 Hino
    Hino Motors

    Hino Motors, Ltd. , commonly known as simply Hino, is a manufacturer of diesel trucks, buses, and other vehicles based in Tokyo, Japan. Since 1973 the company has been the leading producer of medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks in Japan....
     (Japan)
  • First all-wheel drive hybrid - 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid
    Ford Escape Hybrid

    The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004, is a Gas-electric hybrid vehicle powered version of the Ford Escape SUV developed by the Ford Motor Company....
  • First hybrid SUV
    Sport utility vehicle

    A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing description for a vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis. Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on or off-road ability, some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan....
     - 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid
    Ford Escape Hybrid

    The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004, is a Gas-electric hybrid vehicle powered version of the Ford Escape SUV developed by the Ford Motor Company....
  • First hybrid luxury car - 2005 Lexus RX 400h
    Lexus RX 400h

    The Lexus RX Hybrid is a hybrid car crossover SUV sold by Lexus since 2005. The RX Hybrid uses the Lexus RX body design and a Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain which combines a V6 gasoline engine with electric motor....
     (introduced January 2004)
  • First hybrid pickup truck
    Pickup truck

    A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads....
     - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid
    Chevrolet Silverado

    The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.As of 2007, the Silverado pickup is the 2nd largest volume vehicle in the United States, behind the Ford F-Series pickup truck....


Body

  • First sedan — 1911 Speedwell Motor Car Company
    Speedwell Motor Car Company

    The Speedwell Motor Car Company was an early United States automobile manufacturing company producing cars from 1907 to 1914. The company's factory was next to the Wright Brothers aircraft works in Dayton, Ohio....
  • First motorized truck
    Truck

    File:Red truck USA.JPGA truck is a type of motor vehicle commonly used for carrying goods and materials. Some light trucks are relatively small, similar in size to a passenger automobile....
     — October 1896 Daimler
    Daimler-Benz

    Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and engines which was founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest?which was valid until year 2000?was signed on May 1 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie....
  • First production closed-body car - 1910 Cadillac Model Thirty
    Cadillac Model Thirty

    The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Cadillac Model G....
  • First monocoque
    Monocoque

    Monocoque, from Greek language for single and French for shell , is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin....
     - 1924 Lancia Lambda
    Lancia Lambda

    The Lancia Lambda was an innovative automobile produced from 1922 through 1931. It was list of automotive superlatives car to feature a load-bearing monocoque-type body, and it also pioneered the use of an independent suspension ....
  • First shatter-resistant windshield glass - 1926 Cadillac
    Cadillac

    Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, mainly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico....
  • First coupé convertible - 1934 Peugeot 401
    Peugeot 401

    The Peugeot 401 was a Mid-size car model from Peugeot produced in 1934 and 1935. It was introduced at the 1934 Paris Motor Show and was produced until August 1935....
     D Eclipse
  • First Pickup
    Pickup

    Pickup, Pick up or Pick-up may refer to:*Pick up , an electromagnetic device which detects vibrations from a musical instrument.*Magnetic cartridge, also known as pickup, a transducer used for the playback of gramophone records on a turntable or phonograph....
     / Utility
    Utility

    In economics, utility is a measure of the relative satisfaction from, or desirability of, consumption of various goods and services. Given this measure, one may speak meaningfully of increasing or decreasing utility, and thereby explain economic behavior in terms of attempts to increase one's utility....
     (Ute) - 1934 Ford Coupé utility
    Coupé utility

    The coup? utility combines a two-door "coup?" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin?using a light-duty unibody automobile platform rather than a pickup truck's heavier duty body-on-frame construction....
  • First safety windshield
    Windshield

    The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, automobile, bus, motorcycle, or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of Laminated glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are Polyurethaned into the window frame....
     - 1948 Tucker Torpedo (popout safety glass)
  • First fiberglass
    Fiberglass

    Fiberglass, , is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; the resulting composite material, properly known as fiber-reinforced polymer or glass-reinforced plastic , is called "fiberglass" in popular usage....
     body - 1952 Woodill Wildfire (low production)
  • First MPV - 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla
    Fiat Multipla

    The Fiat Multipla is a compact MPV manufactured by Italian automaker Fiat since 1998. Based on the Fiat Brava, the Multipla is quite unlike any other on the market....
  • First retractable hardtop
    Convertible

    A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
     - 1934 Pourtout Lancia Belna Eclipse-coachbuilt
  • First hatchback
    Hatchback

    Hatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a single, top-hinged tailgate or large flip-up window....
     - 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4
    Aston Martin DB2/4

    The DB2/4 is a sports car sold by Aston Martin from 1953 until 1957. It was based on the Aston Martin DB2 model it replaced, but featured 2+2 seating and a novel hatchback, well ahead of the times....
  • First fiberglass
    Fiberglass

    Fiberglass, , is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; the resulting composite material, properly known as fiber-reinforced polymer or glass-reinforced plastic , is called "fiberglass" in popular usage....
     monocoque
    Monocoque

    Monocoque, from Greek language for single and French for shell , is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin....
     - 1956 Berkeley
    Berkeley cars

    Berkeley Cars Ltd of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England produced small cars with engines from 322 cc to 700 cc between 1956 and 1960. In 1991 a new company, Berkeley Developments, was formed to restore original cars and in 1993 they started to build complete T60 models....
     SA322
  • First SUV
    Sport utility vehicle

    A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing description for a vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis. Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on or off-road ability, some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan....
     - 1916 Ford Model T
    Ford Model T

    The Ford Model T was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage....
  • First Crossover - 1955 GAZ M72
    GAZ-M20 Pobeda

    The GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" is a passenger car produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1946 until 1958. It was also licensed to Poland Fabryka Samochod?w Osobowych....
  • First all-aluminium
    Aluminium

    Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white and ductile member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al; its atomic number is 13....
     body - 1932 Riley Kestrel
    • First all-aluminum space frame - 1990 Honda NSX
      Honda NSX

      The Honda NSX is a sports car produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automobile industry Honda. It used a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and was powered by an all-aluminum V6 engine four-stroke cycle featuring Honda's unique "variable valve timing and lift electronic control" system....
  • First carbon fiber monocoque
    Monocoque

    Monocoque, from Greek language for single and French for shell , is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin....
     - 1993 McLaren F1
    McLaren F1

    The McLaren F1 is a sports car designed and manufactured by Gordon Murray and McLaren Automotive. On March 31, 1998, it set the record for the fastest production car in the world, 240.1 mph , which it held until the introduction of the Bugatti Veyron in 2005....
  • First stress-bearing engine acting like a structural member - 1995 Ferrari F50
    Ferrari F50

    The Ferrari F50 was a RMR layout halo car sports car made by Ferrari. The F50 was introduced in 1995 to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary....
  • First aerodynamic
    Automotive aerodynamics

    Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. The main concerns of automotive aerodynamics are reducing drag , reducing wind noise, minimising roadway noise and preventing undesired lift forces at high speeds....
     design - 1921 Rumpler
    Rumpler

    The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of airplanes when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen....
     Tropfenwagen
  • First body made of recycled material - 1954 Trabant
    Trabant

    The Trabant is an automobile produced by former East Germany auto maker HQM Sachsenring GmbH in Zwickau, Sachsen-Anhalt. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc....
     P70
  • First tricar - 1902
  • First cyclecar
    Cyclecar

    Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s....
     - 1910 GN
    GN

    GN may refer to:* Guinea , a nation in West Africa* .gn, the Internet top-level domain for Guinea* Great Northern Railway , a railway that ran from St....
    /1910 Bédélia
    Bédélia

    B?d?lia was the archetype of the French cyclecars.This automobile was manufactured by the Bourbeau et Devaux Co. of Paris from 1910 to 1925 to a design by Robert Bourbeau....
  • First production station wagon
    Station wagon

    A station wagon in American English, Australian English, Canadian English and New Zealand English usage and an estate car in British English usage, is a passenger automobile with a car body style similar to a sedan but with the roofline following the full, sometimes extended rear cargo area, i.e. ending with a more vertical door...
     (estate) - 1923 The Star
    Star (automobile)

    The Star was an automobile marque that was assembled by the Durant Motors Company between 1922 and 1928. Also known as the Star Car, Star was envisioned as a competitor against the Ford Model T....


Transmission

  • Manual transmission
    Manual transmission

    A manual transmission is a type of Transmission used in automotive applications. It generally utilizes a driver-operated clutch operated by a pedal or lever, for regulating torque transfer from the engine to the transmission, and a gear-shift either operated by hand or by foot ....
    s
    • First synchronized transmission - 1929 Cadillac
    • First overdrive
      Overdrive (mechanics)

      Overdrive can refer to two different things.An overdrive is a device which was commonly used in automobiles to allow the choice of an extra-high overall gear ratio for high speed cruising, thus fuel efficiency, at the cost of less torque....
       - 1934 Chrysler Airflow
      Chrysler Airflow

      The Chrysler Airflow is an automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation from 1934 to 1937. The Airflow was the first full-size American production car to use streamliner as a basis for building a sleeker automobile, one less susceptible to drag ....
    • First modern cone synchromesh transmission - 1952 Porsche
      Porsche

      Porsche SE or Porsche is a Germany automotive industry of luxury vehicle automobiles, which is majority-owned by the Porsche family and Pi?ch families....
       356
      Porsche 356

      The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop and convertible configurations....
    • First 5-speed manual - 1948 Lancia Ardea
      Lancia Ardea

      The Lancia Ardea was a small sedan produced by the Turin firm between 1939 and 1953. Its unusually short bonnet/hood reportedly contained the smallest V4 engine ever commercilised....
    • First 6-speed manual - 1986 Porsche 959
      Porsche 959

      The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....
    • First 8-speed manual - 1960 Moskvitch 410/411
      Moskvitch 410

      The Moskvitch 410 is a automobile which was made by Soviet manufacturer Moskvitch from 1957. The 410 was conceived as a four wheel drive version of the Moskvitch 402....
  • Automatic transmission
    Automatic transmission

    An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
    s
    • First automatic transmission - May 1939 Oldsmobile
      Oldsmobile

      Oldsmobile was a brand name of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory....
       Hydra-Matic (also the first 4-speed automatic)
    • First torque converter
      Torque converter

      A torque converter is a modified form of fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a Wiktionary:prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load....
       automatic - 1948 Buick
      Buick

      Buick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Corporation. Since the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, it is GM's only North America-based entry-level luxury brand....
       Dynaflow
      Dynaflow

      Dynaflow was the trademark name for a type of automatic transmission developed and built by General Motors Corporation' Buick Motor Division from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s....
    • First non-planetary automatic - 1968 Honda
      Honda

      is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan.The company manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, scooter , robots, jet aircrafts and jet engines, all-terrain vehicle, water craft, electrical generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and aeronautical and other mobile technologies....
       Hondamatic
      Hondamatic

      The Hondamatic was Honda's first automatic transmission. It was produced from 1973 through 1979. The Hondamatic name is used on all automatic transmissions from Honda....
    • First 5-speed automatic - 1991 BMW
      BMW

      , is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
       E34
      BMW E34

      The BMW E34 is the version of the BMW 5 Series automobile built from mid-1987 to 1996, with the Touring model ending June 1996. It replaced the BMW E28 in 1988 and was replaced by the BMW E39 in 1996....
       5-Series and E36
      BMW E36

      The E36 automobile platform was the basis for the 1991-2000 BMW 3 Series entry-level luxury car / compact executive car. It was the successor to the BMW E30 and was eventually replaced by the BMW E46 in 1999....
       320i/325i ZF 5HP18
      ZF 5HP18 transmission

      The 5HP18 was List of automotive superlatives 5-speed automatic transmission for passenger cars. Introduced in 1991 on the BMW BMW E36 BMW 3 Series and BMW E34 BMW 5 Series, the 5HP18 was designed for longitudinal engines and produced by ZF Friedrichshafen AG....
    • First 6-speed automatic - 2002 BMW
      BMW

      , is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
       E65 7-Series ZF 6HP26
      ZF 6HP26 transmission

      The 6HP26 was the first 6-speed automatic transmission in a production passenger car. Released by ZF Friedrichshafen AG in 2000, it was manufactured by ZF Getriebe GmbH in Saarbr?cken, Germany....
    • First 7-speed automatic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz
      Mercedes-Benz

      Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coach es, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz....
       7G-Tronic
      7G-TRONIC

      7G-TRONIC is Mercedes-Benz's trademark name for its seven-speed automatic transmission. This fifth-generation transmission was introduced in the Fall of 2003 on 8-cylinder models, and was the first seven-speed automatic transmission ever used on a production vehicle....
    • First 8-speed automatic - 2007 Lexus LS 460
      Lexus LS

      The Lexus LS is a full-size car luxury vehicle Sedan that serves as the Flagship car model of Lexus. The original Lexus LS 400, the first Lexus to be developed, was introduced as the luxury marque's debut model in 1989....
  • First limited slip differential
    Limited slip differential

    A limited slip differential is a modified or derived type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in rotational velocity of the output shafts, but does not allow the difference in speed to increase beyond a preset amount....
     - 1956 Studebaker
    Studebaker

    File:StudebakerArabellaOct08Ornament.jpgStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker, was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, Indiana....
  • First continuously variable transmission
    Continuously variable transmission

    A continuously variable transmission is a Transmission which can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values....
     - 1958 DAF 600
    DAF 600

    The DAF 600 is a small family car that was DAF Trucks's first production passenger car: it was first presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show in February 1958 and was in production by 1959, although the firm had published the first details of the car at the end of 1957....
     "A-Type"
  • First toroidal continuously variable transmission
    Continuously variable transmission

    A continuously variable transmission is a Transmission which can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values....
     - 1999 Nissan Cedric
    Nissan Cedric

    The Nissan Cedric is a large automobile produced by Nissan Motors since 1960. It was developed to provide upscale transportation, competing with the Prince Skyline and Prince Gloria which were later merged into the Nissan family....
     and Nissan Gloria
    Nissan Gloria

    The Gloria is a large automobile made from 1959 by the Prince Motor Company, and later by Nissan Motors since its merger with the former - hence being originally marketed as Prince Gloria and later as Nissan Gloria....
-

Layout

  • First FR layout car - 1895 Panhard
    Panhard

    Panhard is now a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005....
     et Levassor
  • First RR layout
    RR layout

    In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine design, Rear-wheel drive layout is one which places both the Internal combustion engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle....
     car - 1896 Hertel
  • First front-wheel drive
    Front-wheel drive

    Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
     - 1924 Tracta
    Tracta

    Tracta was a French car maker based in Asni?res, Seine, that was active between 1926 and 1934 . They were pioneers of front wheel drive vehicles....
     (Gregoire-Tracta)
  • First transverse
    Transverse engine

    A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an east-west engine....
     front-wheel drive
    Front-wheel drive

    Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
     - 1931 DKW
    DKW

    Dampf Kraft Wagen or DKW is a historic automobile and motorcycle marque. In 1916, the Denmark engineer J?rgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings....
     F1
    • First transverse
      Transverse engine

      A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an east-west engine....
       FWD
      Front-wheel drive

      Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
       I5
      Straight-5

      The straight-5 or inline-5 is an internal combustion engine with five Cylinder aligned in one row, sharing a single engine block and crankcase....
       - 1993 Volvo 850
      Volvo 850

      The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan /saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Sweden manufacturer to be exported to North America....
    • First transverse
      Transverse engine

      A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an east-west engine....
       FWD
      Front-wheel drive

      Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
       I6
      Straight-6

      The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
       - 1970 Austin Kimberley
      Austin Kimberley

      The Australian Austin Kimberley and Austin Tasman "X6" models of 1970 were a range of Leyland Australian designed front-wheel-drive sedans based on the Austin 1800 platform....
       and Austin Tasman
    • First transverse
      Transverse engine

      A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an east-west engine....
       FWD
      Front-wheel drive

      Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
       V8
      V8 engine

      A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinder s mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
       - 1985 Cadillac DeVille
      Cadillac DeVille

      The DeVille name has been used on many of Cadillac's luxury car models. After the Cadillac Fleetwood was dropped from the Cadillac lineup the DeVille became the largest Cadillac sedan .The DeVille name was replaced by DTS for the 2006 model year....
    • First transverse
      Transverse engine

      A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an east-west engine....
       all-wheel drive - 1968 Austin Ant
      Austin Ant

      The Austin Ant was a small four-wheel drive vehicle designed by Sir Alec Issigonis for the motor manufacturer British Motor Corporation . Although the Ant is widely regarded as a military vehicle, some sources suggest it was conceived with civilian use in mind as well....
       (never entered production)
  • First four-wheel drive
    Four-wheel drive

    Four-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 , or AWD is a four-wheeled vehicle with a Powertrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously....
     vehicle - 1910 Caldwell Vale
    Caldwell Vale

    The Caldwell Vale was an Australian automobile built from 1907 to 1913. Few technical details have survived about the marque, fewer than a dozen examples of which appear to have been made....
     or 1911 Four Wheel Drive
  • First all-wheel drive car - 1966 Jensen FF
    Jensen FF

    The Jensen FF was a four-wheel drive Grand tourer automobile produced by the United Kingdom manufacturer Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1971. Far preceding the Audi Quattro, it was the list of automotive superlatives equipped with 4WD and an anti-lock braking system — the Dunlop Rubber Maxaret electro-mechanical system used hitherto...
  • First FR layout transaxle
    Transaxle

    A transaxle, in the automotive field, is a major mechanical component which combines the functionality of the transmission , the differential and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....
     - 1950 Lancia Aurelia
    Lancia Aurelia

    The Lancia Aurelia is considered by many to be the first true Gran Turismo automobile. Designed by Vittorio Jano, the Aurelia was launched in 1950 and production lasted through the summer of 1958....
     (the 1914 Stutz Bearcat
    Stutz Bearcat

    The Stutz Bearcat was an United States luxury high-performance sports car made by the Stutz Motor Company. An evolution of the company's 1911 prototype roadster and Indianapolis 500 racer, the Bearcat name lasted from 1912 through 1924 and the DV-32 Straight-8 powered Bearcats and Super Bearcats of 1931-33....
     featured a primitive transaxle)
  • First MR
    MR layout

    In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine design, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment....
     car - 1921 Rumpler
    Rumpler

    The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of airplanes when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen....
     Tropfenwagen
  • First MR
    MR layout

    In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine design, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment....
     AWD car - 1984 Ford RS200
    Ford RS200

    The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car produced by Ford Motor Company from 1984 through 1986. The road-going RS200 was based on Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 road legal versions be built....
     (Homologation special, 200 road cars produced for Group B
    Group B

    The Group B referred to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rally racing regulated by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
     regulations.)


Suspension

  • First torsion bar suspension - 1921 Leyland
  • First front independent suspension
    Independent suspension

    Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other....
     - 1911 Morgan
    Morgan Motor Company

    The Morgan Motor Company is a United Kingdom automobile manufacturer. The company was founded in 1909 by H.F.S. Morgan and was run by him until 1959....
     three wheeler
  • First hydraulic shock absorber
    Shock absorber

    A shock absorber in common parlance is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damping shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy....
    s - 1933 Hudson (Monroe)
  • First coil spring
    Coil spring

    A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces....
    /shock absorber
    Shock absorber

    A shock absorber in common parlance is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damping shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy....
     suspension - 1934 Cadillac
    Cadillac

    Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, mainly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico....
    , Chrysler, and Hudson
  • First four wheel brakes - 1909 Argyll
    Argyll (automobile)

    Argyll was a Scotland motor car marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990....
     (developed by Arrol-Johnson)
  • First MacPherson strut
    MacPherson strut

    The MacPherson strut is a type of automobile suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot, widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earl S....
     suspension - 1949 Ford Vedette
    Ford Vedette

    The Ford Vedette was a large car manufactured by Ford SAF in their factory in Poissy from 1948 to 1954. Introduced at the 1948 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, it was designed entirely in Detroit , but featured the Poissy-made 2158 cc Aquillon sidevalve V8 engine of Ford's Ford Flathead engine, the same as in pre-war Matford cars....
  • First Chapman strut
    Chapman strut

    A Chapman strut is an automobile suspension device. Being a strut, it is designed to act as both a shock absorber and a wheel location device....
     suspension - 1958 Lotus Elite
    Lotus Elite

    The Lotus Elite name was used for two vehicles from Lotus Cars....
  • First air suspension
    Suspension (vehicle)

    Suspension is the term given to the system of spring , shock absorbers and Linkage that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose ? contributing to the car's car handling and brake for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road no...
     - 1958 Cadillac Brougham
    Cadillac Brougham

    Cadillac has used the Brougham name since 1916. In the 1950s, the name appeared as the four-door designation for the Cadillac Eldorado. The Eldorado Brougham protoype model appeared in 1955, then as a limited production model from 1957 through 1960....
  • First self-levelling suspension
    Self-levelling suspension

    Self-levelling refers to an automobile Suspension system that maintains a constant ride height of the vehicle above the road, regardless of load....
     - 1955 Citroën DS
    Citroën DS

    The Citro?n DS is an executive car that was produced by the France manufacturer Citro?n between 1955 and 1975. Citro?n sold nearly 1.5 million D-series during its 20 years of production....
  • First electronic adjustable suspension dampers - 1981 Nissan Skyline
    Nissan Skyline

    The Nissan Skyline is a mid-size car originally produced by the Japanese automaker Prince Motor Company starting in 1957 and later by Nissan Motors after the two companies merged in 1966....
  • First electronically-controlled suspension - 1983 Toyota Soarer
    Toyota Soarer

    The Toyota Soarer was a personal luxury car Grand tourer coup? sold by Toyota in Japan from 1981 to 2004. The Soarer d?buted in 1981 with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyota Crown, which took the form of an angular two-door coup?....
     (Japan-market model) / 1983 Mitsubishi Galant
    Mitsubishi Galant

    The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. The name was derived from the French language word galant, meaning "chivalrous"....
     ECS
  • First active air suspension - 1987 Mitsubishi Galant
    Mitsubishi Galant

    The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. The name was derived from the French language word galant, meaning "chivalrous"....
     active ECS
  • First active hydraulic suspension - 1990 Nissan Infiniti Q45a (FAS-fully active suspension)
  • First active anti-roll bars - 1994 Citroen Xantia Activa (Active Roll Stabilization)
  • First active differential - 1986 Porsche 959
    Porsche 959

    The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....
     PSK (limited production of 200 vehicles)


Brakes

  • First four wheel brakes - 1909 Argyll
    Argyll (automobile)

    Argyll was a Scotland motor car marque manufactured from 1899 to 1932, and again from 1976 to around 1990....
     (developed by Arrol-Johnson)
  • First power brake
    Power brake

    Power brake may refer to:* Hydraulic brake* Power attenuator ...
    s - 1919 Hispano-Suiza
    Hispano-Suiza

    Hispano-Suiza was an originally Spain-Switzerland luxury automotive and engineering firm ? actually, from 1923 on, two different companies ? best known for their cars, engines and weapons designs in the pre-World War II period....
     H6
    Hispano-Suiza H6

    The Hispano-Suiza H6 was an ultra-luxurious automobile from the 1920s. Introduced at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, the H6 was produced until 1933....
     (mechanically assisted)
  • First four wheel power brakes - 1919 Hispano-Suiza H6
  • First vacuum-assist power brakes - 1928 Pierce-Arrow
    Pierce-Arrow

    Pierce-Arrow was an United States automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active between 1901 and 1938. Best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial motor truck, Fire apparatus, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles....
  • First hydraulic power brakes - 1921 Duesenberg
    Duesenberg

    Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality, record-breaking roadsters....
     Model A
  • First standard disc brake
    Disc brake

    The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. A brake disc , usually made of cast iron or ceramic composites , is connected to the wheel and/or the axle....
    s - 1949 Crosley Hot Shot
  • First antilock braking system - 1966 Jensen FF
    Jensen FF

    The Jensen FF was a four-wheel drive Grand tourer automobile produced by the United Kingdom manufacturer Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1971. Far preceding the Audi Quattro, it was the list of automotive superlatives equipped with 4WD and an anti-lock braking system — the Dunlop Rubber Maxaret electro-mechanical system used hitherto...
     (Dunlop Maxaret system, previously used in aviation)
    • First electrical antilock braking system - 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III
      Lincoln Continental Mark III

      See Lincoln Mark for a complete overview of the Lincoln Mark Series.The Lincoln Continental Mark III was a personal luxury car produced by Lincoln and sold in North America in the 1969 through 1971 model years, although it actually became available in early 1968....
    • First electronic antilock braking system - 1978 Mercedes-Benz
      Mercedes-Benz

      Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coach es, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz....
       S-Class
  • First electric parking brake
    Emergency brake

    In trains, control of Emergency brakes is made available to the travelling passengers. Activating the brake will cause the train to automatically stop....
     - 2002 BMW E65/E66
    BMW E65/E66

    The E65/E66/E67/E68 automobile platform was the basis for the previous BMW BMW 7 Series. It replaced the BMW E38 for the 2002 model year. The car was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2001, and was launched in Europe on November 17 2001....
  • First diagonally split, dual brake circuits - 1962 Saab 95
    Saab 95

    The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab Automobile. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the Saab 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960....
    /96
    Saab 96

    The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab Automobile. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the Saab 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it opened new markets for the company....
  • First asbestos
    Asbestos

    Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals. The word asbestos is derived from a Greek language adjective meaning inextinguishable....
    -free brake pads - 1983 Saab Automobile
    Saab Automobile

    Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish automaker and currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors. It is the exclusive automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden....
  • First electro-hydraulic brakes - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class / 2001 Toyota Prius
    Toyota Prius

    The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle....
  • First regenerative brake
    Regenerative brake

    A regenerative brake is a mechanism that reduces vehicle speed by converting some of its kinetic energy into another useful form of energy. This captured energy is then stored for future use or fed back into a power system for use by other vehicles....
    s - 1997 Toyota Prius
    Toyota Prius

    The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle....


Driver-aids

  • First standard rear-view mirror - 1912 Marmon
    Marmon

    Marmon was an automobile brand name manufactured by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, from 1902 through 1933, and a brand of Texas-made premium trucks from 1963 through 1997....
  • First power steering
    Power steering

    Power steering is a system for reducing the steering effort on vehicles by using an external power source to assist in turning the wheel.The earliest known patent related to power steering was filed on August 30, 1932, by Francis W....
     - 1951 Imperial
    Imperial (automobile)

    Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's prestige automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 through 1983.The Chrysler Imperial had been the company's most luxurious model, and in 1955 when the company decided to introduce a separate luxury brand, Imperial was the natural choice for the nameplate of the ne...
  • First cruise control
    Cruise control

    Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the rate of motion of a motor vehicle. The driver sets the speed and the system will take over the throttle of the car to maintain the same speed....
     - 1957 Imperial
    Imperial (automobile)

    Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's prestige automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 through 1983.The Chrysler Imperial had been the company's most luxurious model, and in 1955 when the company decided to introduce a separate luxury brand, Imperial was the natural choice for the nameplate of the ne...
  • First traction control - 1985 Volvo 760
  • First drive-by-wire throttle - 1988 BMW 750iL
  • First electrochromic rear-view mirror - 1989 Lexus LS
    Lexus LS

    The Lexus LS is a full-size car luxury vehicle Sedan that serves as the Flagship car model of Lexus. The original Lexus LS 400, the first Lexus to be developed, was introduced as the luxury marque's debut model in 1989....
  • First dynamic stability control system/Electronic Stability Program/Vehicle Stability Control - 1995 BMW 7-Series/Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
    Mercedes-Benz CL-Class

    The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a full-sized grand tourer produced by the Germany automaker Mercedes-Benz, which stands for Comfort Leicht in German, or Comfort Light in English....
    /Toyota Crown Majesta
    Toyota Crown Majesta

    The Toyota Crown Majesta is a full-size premium luxury automobile, similar to the Jaguar XJ, Mercedes S-Class, Infiniti Q and BMW 7 series. The Toyota Crown Majesta shares a stretched variant of the UZS platform series from the smaller Toyota Crown and Lexus GS/Toyota Aristo, however, it is not just a upper trim level of the Crown sedan, the...
  • First adaptive cruise control - 1997 Toyota Celsior
  • First heads-up display - 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
    Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

    The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was a mid-size car produced by General Motors for the United States market. It was always at the top of the Oldsmobile Cutlass range....
    /1988 Nissan Silvia
    Nissan Silvia

    The Nissan Silvia is the name given to the company's long-running line of Sports car based on the Nissan S platform. Although recent models have shared this chassis with other vehicles produced by Nissan , the name Silvia is not interchangeable with the chassis codes....
  • First factory GPS navigation - 1990 Mazda Cosmo
    Mazda Cosmo

    There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were GT cars, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a halo vehicle for the new Mazda brand....
    , 1991 Toyota Soarer
    Toyota Soarer

    The Toyota Soarer was a personal luxury car Grand tourer coup? sold by Toyota in Japan from 1981 to 2004. The Soarer d?buted in 1981 with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyota Crown, which took the form of an angular two-door coup?....
  • First night vision
    Night vision

    Night vision is the ability to see in a dark environment. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range....
     - 2000 Cadillac DeVille
    Cadillac DeVille

    The DeVille name has been used on many of Cadillac's luxury car models. After the Cadillac Fleetwood was dropped from the Cadillac lineup the DeVille became the largest Cadillac sedan .The DeVille name was replaced by DTS for the 2006 model year....
  • First power door locks
    Power door locks

    Power door locks allow the driver or front passenger to simultaneously lock or unlock all the doors of an automobile or truck, by pressing a button or flipping a switch....
     - 1914 Scripps-Booth
    Scripps-Booth

    Scripps-Booth was a United States automobile company based in Detroit, Michigan which produced motor vehicles from 1913 through 1923.The company was founded by artist and engineer James Scripps Booth , who also built the Bi-Autogo ....
  • First self parking
    Advanced Parking Guidance System

    Advanced Parking Guidance System is an automatic parking system first developed by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2004 for its latest Lexus models and also the Japanese market Hybrid vehicle Prius models....
     - 2004 Toyota Prius
    Toyota Prius

    The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle....
     


Passive Restraint

  • First car to come standard with safety belts
    Seat belt

    A seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop....
     - 1958 Saab GT 750
    Saab GT750

    Saab GT750 is an automobile from Saab Automobile produced between 1958 and 1960. The GT750 was a sporty version of the Saab 93, mainly aimed at the US market....
     ( )


Active restraint

  • First airbag
    Airbag

    An airbag is a Automobile safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly in an automobile collision, to prevent vehicle occupants from striking hard interior objects such as steering wheels....
    s - 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado
    Oldsmobile Toronado

    The Toronado was a two-door coupe produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992.The name "Toronado" has no meaning, and was originally invented for a 1963 Chevrolet show car....
  • First car to come standard with dual airbags - 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo
  • First six-airbag system - 1994 Audi A8
    Audi A8

    The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury vehicle built by the Germany automotive industry Audi, to replace the Audi V8 as its Flagship#Automotive. First brought to the market in 1994, most versions of the A8 have featured quattro permanent four-wheel drive as standard, as well as a multitronic or Tiptronic automatic transmission....
  • First head airbags - 1997 BMW 7-Series


Tires

  • First use of pneumatic tires - 1895 Peugeot
    Peugeot

    Peugeot is a major France automobile brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citro?n. Its parent company PSA Peugeot Citro?n is the second largest carmaker in Europe, behind Volkswagen....
     L'Eclair (Michelin
    Michelin

    Michelin based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne r?gion of France, is primarily a tire manufacturer, currently the world's second largest....
    )
  • First standard pneumatic tires - 1896 Bollée
    Léon Bollée Automobiles

    L?on Boll?e Automobiles was a French company founded by L?on Boll?e in Le Mans to build a first vehicle called "Voiturette".The Boll?e family, all car makers, created three brands:...
     Voiturette
  • First radial-ply tires - 1949 Michelin
    Michelin

    Michelin based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne r?gion of France, is primarily a tire manufacturer, currently the world's second largest....
     "X" (patented in 1946)
  • First self-repairing tires - 1950 Goodyear
    Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company

    The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Today it is the third largest tire company in the world after Bridgestone and Michelin....
  • First run flat tire - 1974 Mini 1275GT
    Mini

    The Mini is a small Automobile that was produced by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers....
     (Dunlop
    Dunlop Rubber

    Dunlop Rubber was a British company which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was taken over by BTR plc in 1985....
     Denovo; optional)


Lighting

  • First electrical lighting - 1898 Columbia
    Columbia (automobile)

    Columbia was a name used by several automobile companies:*Columbia Automobile Company of Hartford, Connecticut which operated between 1899 and 1913....
     electric
  • First standard lights - 1904 "Prest-O-Lite" acetylene
    Acetylene

    Acetylene is the chemical compound with the symbol carbonhydrogen. It is the simplest alkyne.As an alkyne, acetylene is Saturation because its two carbon atoms are Chemical bond together in a triple bond....
  • First standard electrical lights - 1908 Peerless
    Peerless

    Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles....
  • First integrated electrical and lighting system - 1912 Cadillac Model 1912
    Cadillac Model Thirty

    The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Cadillac Model G....
     Delco
    Delco

    Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
  • First "dipping" headlights - 1915 Guide Lamp Company
  • First dual-beam headlight - 1924 Bilux
  • First retractable headlights - 1936 Cord
    Cord Automobile

    Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
  • First directional headlamps - 1930s Tatra
    Tatra (car)

    Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer in Koprivnice, Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, a wagon and carriage manufacturer, and in 1897 produced the first motor car in central Europe, the Pr?sident....
  • First fog lights - 1938 Cadillac
  • First auto-dimming headlights - 1952 Cadillac Autronic Eye
  • First auto-on/off headlights - 1964 Cadillac Twilight Sentinel
  • First headlight wipers - 1970 Saab
    Saab Automobile

    Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish automaker and currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors. It is the exclusive automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden....
     (95
    Saab 95

    The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab Automobile. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the Saab 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960....
    , 96
    Saab 96

    The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab Automobile. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the Saab 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it opened new markets for the company....
    , 99
    Saab 99

    The 99 is an automobile produced by Saab Automobile from 1968 to 1984....
    )
  • First AC
    Alternating current

    In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. An electric charge would for instance move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward, over and over again....
     HID
    High-intensity discharge lamp

    A High-intensity discharge lamp is a type of electric light which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube....
     lights - 1991 BMW 7-series
    BMW E32

    In 1987, BMW introduced the second generation of the BMW 7 Series, known internally as the E32. Aimed at the high end of the luxury market, the car offered some of the latest innovations in automotive technology, and a new, top-of-the-line V12 engine....
  • First DC
    Direct current

    Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as battery , thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type....
     HID
    High-intensity discharge lamp

    A High-intensity discharge lamp is a type of electric light which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube....
     lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
    Lincoln Mark VIII

    See Lincoln Mark for a complete overview of the Lincoln Mark Series.Introduced for the 1993 model year, the completely new Lincoln Mark VIII was a large, rear-wheel drive Grand tourer luxury car coupe that was the successor to the Lincoln Continental Mark VII....
  • First neon
    Neon

    Neon is the chemical element that has the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. Although a very common element in the universe, it is rare on Earth....
     lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
    Lincoln Mark VIII

    See Lincoln Mark for a complete overview of the Lincoln Mark Series.Introduced for the 1993 model year, the completely new Lincoln Mark VIII was a large, rear-wheel drive Grand tourer luxury car coupe that was the successor to the Lincoln Continental Mark VII....
  • First all-LED
    Light-emitting diode

    A light-emitting diode , is an electronic light source. The LED was discovered in the early 20th century, and introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962....
     tail lights - 1998 Maserati 3200 GT
    Maserati 3200 GT

    The Maserati 3200 GT is an automobile produced by Maserati from 1998 to 2001. The luxury coup? was styled by Italdesign, whose founder and head Giorgetto Giugiaro previously designed, among others, the Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Bora and Maserati Merak....
  • First bi-xenon HID headlamps - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
    Mercedes-Benz CL-Class

    The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a full-sized grand tourer produced by the Germany automaker Mercedes-Benz, which stands for Comfort Leicht in German, or Comfort Light in English....
  • First low beam, front position light and sidemarker LED
    Light-emitting diode

    A light-emitting diode , is an electronic light source. The LED was discovered in the early 20th century, and introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962....
     headlights - 2008 Lexus LS600h
    Lexus LS

    The Lexus LS is a full-size car luxury vehicle Sedan that serves as the Flagship car model of Lexus. The original Lexus LS 400, the first Lexus to be developed, was introduced as the luxury marque's debut model in 1989....
  • First all-LED
    Light-emitting diode

    A light-emitting diode , is an electronic light source. The LED was discovered in the early 20th century, and introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962....
     headlights - 2008 Audi R8 (road car)


Electrical system

  • First magneto
    Magneto (electrical)

    This article is about an electrical generator component used in engine and some old telephones. For other uses of the term, see Magneto . A magneto is a device used in the ignition system of gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to provide pulses of high voltage electrical power to the spark plugs....
     - 1897 Lanchester
  • First twin-spark engine - 1921 Bentley 3 Litre
    Bentley 3 Litre

    The 3 Litre was the sports car that put Bentley on the automotive map. It was a large car compared to the tiny, lightweight Bugattis then dominating racing, but its innovative technology and strength made up for its weight....
  • First electric self-starter - Arnold
    Arnold (automobile)

    File:Benz-velo.jpgThe Arnold was the one of the first automobiles manufactured in the United Kingdom. It was produced in East Peckham, Kent between 1896 and 1898....
     (copy of the Benz Velo
    Benz Velo

    Karl Benz followed his successful three-wheeled Benz Patent Motorwagen?which was patented as the first commercially available automobile on January 29, 1886 and put into production from 1886 through 1893?with the four-wheeled Benz Velo model of 1894....
    ) before 1900.
  • First electric windows - 1938 Buick Y
  • First combination key and ignition switch - 1949 Chrysler
  • First AC
    Alternating current

    In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. An electric charge would for instance move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward, over and over again....
     alternator - 1960 Valiant
    Plymouth Valiant

    The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth automobile division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976....
  • First sealed battery
    Battery (electricity)

    In electronics, a battery or voltaic cell is a combination of one or more electrochemical cell Galvanic cells which store chemical energy that can be converted into electric potential energy, creating electricity....
     - 1971 Pontiac
    Pontiac

    Pontiac is a brand of automobiles, produced by General Motors Corporation that has been sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico since 1926....
     "Freedom Battery"
  • First multiplexed wiring - 1987 Cadillac Allanté
    Cadillac Allanté

    The Allant? was Cadillac 's first venture into the ultra-luxury roadster market. The vehicle was sold from 1987 through 1993, with roughly 21,000 models built over its 7-year model run....
  • First integrated car systems control - 1987 Toyota Soarer
    Toyota Soarer

    The Toyota Soarer was a personal luxury car Grand tourer coup? sold by Toyota in Japan from 1981 to 2004. The Soarer d?buted in 1981 with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyota Crown, which took the form of an angular two-door coup?....
     (    Electro Multi Vision)


Climate control

  • First windshield defroster - 1928 Studebaker
    Studebaker

    File:StudebakerArabellaOct08Ornament.jpgStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker, was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, Indiana....
  • First windshield washer - 1937 Studebaker
    Studebaker

    File:StudebakerArabellaOct08Ornament.jpgStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker, was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, Indiana....
  • First air conditioning
    Air conditioning

    An air conditioner is an appliance, system, or Mechanism designed to extract heat from an area via a refrigeration cycle. In construction, a complete system of heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning is referred to as "HVAC." Its purpose, in a building or an automobile, is to provide comfort during either hot or cold...
     - 1938 Studebaker Commander
    Studebaker Commander

    The Studebaker Commander is the model-name of a long succession of automobiles produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana and Studebaker of Canada Ltd of Walkerville, Ontario and, later, Hamilton, Ontario ....
  • First rear window defogger - 1948 Cadillac
  • First heated seats - 1966 Cadillac
  • First automatic climate control - 1964 Cadillac
  • First digital climate control - 1975 Rolls-Royce Camargue
    Rolls-Royce Camargue

    The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a two-door coup? introduced in March 1975. The Camargue's body, built in London by Rolls-Royce's coachbuilding division Mulliner Park Ward, was designed by automotive designer Paolo Martin at Pininfarina ? the Camargue was Rolls-Royce's first post-war production model not to be designed in-house....
  • First ventilated seats - 1998 Saab 9-5
    Saab 9-5

    The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab Automobile. It was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000....


In-car electronics and entertainment

  • First original-equipment radio - 1923 Springfield
  • First navigation system
    Automotive navigation system

    An automotive navigation system is a Global Navigation Satellite System designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database....
     - August 1981 Honda Accord
    Honda Accord

    The Honda Accord is the series of midrange automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in most automotive markets throughout the world....
     (analog, dealer-installed)
    • First navigation system with acoustic output - 1989 Infiniti Q45
      Infiniti Q45

      The Infiniti Q45 is a full-size luxury car that served as the flagship of Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006, when the Q45 was no longer exported....
    • First digital navigation system - 1990 Acura Legend
      Acura Legend

      The Acura Legend, sold as the Honda Legend outside the United States, Canada, and parts of People's Republic of China, was a sporty luxury vehicle sold from 1986 to 1995 as both a sedan and a coupe....
    • First GPS
      Global Positioning System

      The Global Positioning System is a global navigation satellite system developed by the United States Department of Defense and managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing....
       navigation system - 1990 Mazda Eunos Cosmo
  • First active audio volume control - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
    Chevrolet Corvette

    The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by General Motors since 1953. The car was originally designed by Harley Earl, and named by Myron Scott after the fast corvette....
     Bose
    Bose

    Bose may refer to:* Bose Corporation, an audio company* Bose-Einstein condensate, a state of matter predicted by Satyendra Bose and Albert Einstein...
    /Delco
    Delco Electronics

    Delco Electronics Corporation was the automotive electronics design and manufacturing subsidiary of General Motors Corporation based in Kokomo, Indiana....
     Gold Series
  • First telematics assist
    Telematics

    The term telematics is used in a number of ways:File:Lexus Gen V navigation system.jpg* The integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT ....
     system - 1996     tie 1997-model Cadillac Seville
    Cadillac Seville

    The Cadillac Seville is a luxury car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of United States automaker General Motors as a limited production specialty model in the 1950s and 60s....
     (OnStar
    OnStar

    OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation that provides subscription-based telecommunication, in-vehicle security, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States and Canada....
    ) and Lincoln Continental
    Lincoln Continental

    The Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. Over the next 63 years, despite these cars sharing underpinnings with less-expensive Ford automobiles, Continental was usually a distinctively styled, highly equipped luxury car....
     (Motorola
    Motorola

    Motorola, Inc. is an United States, multinational, Fortune 100, telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets, also designing and selling wireless network infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmission base stations and signal amplifiers....
     RESCU)
  • First Bluetooth
    Bluetooth

    Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables....
    -capable audio system - 2000 Chrysler
  • First active noise cancellation - 2005 Acura RL
    Acura RL

    The Acura RL is the flagship car of Honda's North America luxury brand Acura. The current third-generation RL is a badge engineering version of the Acura Legend and was introduced into the North American market in September 2004 as a 2005 model....


Other

  • First steering wheel - 1899 Packard
    Packard

    Packard was an United States luxury automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana....
  • First speedometer
    Speedometer

    A speedometer is a device that measures the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle.Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards....
     - 1901 Oldsmobile
    Oldsmobile

    Oldsmobile was a brand name of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory....
  • First tilt-away steering wheel - 1912 Peerless
    Peerless

    Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles....
  • First dash-mounted fuel tank gauge - 1914 Studebaker
    Studebaker

    File:StudebakerArabellaOct08Ornament.jpgStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker, was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, Indiana....
  • First tilt-away steering column - 1928 Buick
    Buick

    Buick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Corporation. Since the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, it is GM's only North America-based entry-level luxury brand....
  • First turn signals - 1939 Buick
    Buick

    Buick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Corporation. Since the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, it is GM's only North America-based entry-level luxury brand....
  • First split folding rear seats - 1959 Auto Union
    Auto Union

    Auto Union was an amalgamation of four Germany automobile manufacturers, established in 1932 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as an independent subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
     Universal (    Fiat
    Fiat

    Fiat S.p.A. Fiat based cars are constructed all around the world?the largest concern outside Italy is in Brazil . It also has factories in Argentina and Poland....
     patented the system in 1978)
  • First tilt/telescope steering wheel - 1965 Cadillac
  • First four wheel steering - 1985 Nissan Skyline
    Nissan Skyline

    The Nissan Skyline is a mid-size car originally produced by the Japanese automaker Prince Motor Company starting in 1957 and later by Nissan Motors after the two companies merged in 1966....
     HICAS
  • First composite
    Fibre-reinforced plastic

    Fibre-reinforced plastic are composite materials made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibers are usually fiberglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic....
     wheels - 1989 Shelby CSX
    Shelby CSX

    The Carroll Shelby CSX was a limited-production high performance automobile based on the turbocharged Dodge Shadow. These cars were offered by Shelby Automobiles Inc....
  • First active exhaust - 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT


American types

  • First standardized American automobile - Duryea Motor Wagon
    Duryea Motor Wagon

    The Duryea Motor Wagon was among the first standardization automobiles and among the first powered by gasoline. Fifteen Motor Wagons were built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, between 1893 and 1896....
     (1896)
  • First American electric car
    Electric car

    An electric car is a type of Alternative fuel vehicle car that utilizes electric motors and motor controllers instead of an internal combustion engine ....
     - Detroit Electric
    Detroit Electric

    Detroit Electric was an automobile brand produced by the Anderson Electric Car Company in Detroit, Michigan. Anderson had previously been known as the Anderson Carriage Company , producing carriages and buggies since 1884....
     (1907)
  • First American hybrid SUV
    Sport utility vehicle

    A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing description for a vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis. Usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on or off-road ability, some SUVs include the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan....
     - Ford Escape Hybrid
    Ford Escape Hybrid

    The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004, is a Gas-electric hybrid vehicle powered version of the Ford Escape SUV developed by the Ford Motor Company....


Pre-War

  • Best-selling pre-war vehicle - Ford Model-T (15,000,000 sold between 1908 and 1928)
  • Least-expensive full-featured automobile - 1927 Ford Model-T ($300 is about $3500 in inflation-adjusted 2005 dollars)
  • Largest vehicle - Bugatti Royale
    Bugatti Royale

    The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine....
     - 21 ft (6.4 m) long, 180 in (4.57 m) or 170 in (4.32 m) wheelbase depending on model
  • Largest pre-war Straight-4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
     - 21495 cc (1312 in3) - 1912 Benz 82/200
  • Largest pre-war Straight-6
    Straight-6

    The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
     - 21112 cc (1288 in3) - 1905 Panhard et Levassor
    Panhard

    Panhard is now a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005....
     50 CV
  • Largest pre-war Straight-8
    Straight-8

    The straight-8 or inline-8 engine is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine with all eight cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
     - 12763 cc (779 in³) - 1929 Bugatti Royale
    Bugatti Royale

    The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine....
     production car; the prototype had a 14726 cc engine
  • Largest pre-war V12 - 11310 cc (690 in³) - 1933 Hispano-Suiza Type 68bis


See also

  • Units of measurement
    Units of measurement

    The definition, agreement and practical use of units of measurement have played a crucial role in human endeavour from early ages up to this day....
    • International System of Units
      International System of Units

      The International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is generally a system devised around the convenience of the number ten....
    • United States customary units
      United States customary units

      The United States Customary System for units of measurement, also known in the United States as English, Imperial or standard units, is the primary and most commonly-used system of units of measurement in the United States....
    • Imperial units
  • Power
    Power (physics)

    In physics, power is the rate at which mechanical work is performed or energy is transmitted, or the amount of energy required or expended for a given unit of time....
  • Torque
    Torque

    Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis . Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
  • Mass
    Mass

    In physical science, mass refers to the degree of acceleration a body acquires when subject to a force: bodies with greater mass are accelerated less by the same force....