Ford

Ford

When a person thinks about a Quadricycle they probably have something modern in mind, but it actually dates back to the year 1896. While working at the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit as chief engineer, Henry Ford built his first gas-powered vehicle. He called it the Quadricycle; and as the history of Ford proves, it was just the first of his many gasoline-powered vehicles the world would know. When Ford envisioned his idea, he probably had no idea the icon he and his vehicles would become.

When was the Ford Motor Company founded? Henry Ford may have built the first gasoline-powered vehicle in 1896, but it would not be until the morning of June 15, 1903, at 9:30 a.m. when Ford and eleven other stockholders signed and submitted official paperwork to Michigan’s Secretary of State Office. On June 16, 1903, the Ford Motor Company was officially incorporated. Before this date, twice Ford unsuccessfully attempted to form an automobiles manufacturing company.

How long has Ford been in business? One month after establishing the Ford Motor Company on June 16, 1903, assembly of the first Ford car was built at a manufacturing plant in Detroit on Mack Avenue. Small groups of workers built Ford cars by hand, producing only a few cars per day with parts special ordered by other companies. In 1908, Ford succeeded in his mission to build a reliable, efficient and affordable automobile for everyone and over the next decade, Model Ts were nearly half the cars owned in America.

In 1913, Ford developed the world’s first moving assembly line; his methods of mass-production – a direct result the sensational demand the “Tin Lizzie” caused, including use of interchangeable, standardized parts and large production plants – set the stage for the manufacturing industry. He also introduced a $5 wage for an eight-hour shift for workers, setting it as standard for industry wages.

Why is Ford important to history? Before Ford’s mass-production breakthrough, cars were for the rich and famous. His revolutionary assembly line inventions not only made cars affordable to every American, but created jobs with higher pay. During War times, his automobile factories were retooled to be Military Factories producing Army vehicles including airplanes.

“The only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today.” —Henry Ford

Where was Ford first founded? Ford Motor Company, incorporated on June 16, 1903, in Detroit, Michigan, rolled its first Ford car out of assembly in a manufacturing plant located on Mack Avenue. Mass-production assembly followed in 1913.

Ford – the Historic Icon

1903

• June 16 – Henry Ford, along with eleven investors sign and submit official paperwork to incorporate the Ford Motor Company in Michigan.

1908

• October 1 – Model T is introduced becoming one of the world’s most owned cars.

1911

• First Ford factory opens outside North America in Manchester, England.

1913

• October 7 – The world’s first automobile assembly line beings operations at the Highland Park Plant in Michigan.

1914

• January 5 - $5 per day wage for eight-hour shifts begin at Highland Park’s Model T Plant with 15,000 job seekers clamoring for 3,000 jobs.

• 1919

  • Henry Ford is succeeded by Edsel Ford as Company President.

  1920

  • Ford has a temporary shut down due to low sales.

  1922

  • Lincoln Motor Company purchased for $8,000,000.

  1941

  • March 1 – Military general purpose jeeps production begins and by February 1942 Ford had shifted completely to military production.
  • Ford introduces the Lincoln Continental.

  1943

  • At age 49, Edsel Ford dies of stomach cancer.
    Henry Ford resumes as Company President.

  • 1945

    • Lincoln and Mercury divisions combine.

    1947

    • Henry Ford dies at 83 years old of a cerebral hemorrhage.
    • Henry Ford II becomes company’s new Chairman.

    1954

    • Thunderbird (V8 engine) is introduced.
    • Crash testing begins at Arizona Proving Grounds.

    1956

    • Ford Motor Company common stock hits the marketplace selling 10,200,000 shares the first day.
    • Lifeguard safety option package – dash padding and seat belts – available as an upgrade.
    • Ford earns Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” award for its Lifeguard option package.

    • 1964

      • The Mustang – pony car class – goes on sale.

      1966

      • Three GT40 Mk II’s break Ferrari’s 6-year winning streak sweeping the 24 Hour of Le Mans.

      1976

      • Ford (Europe) introduces Fiesta.

      1985

      • Taurus sedan is introduced.

      1987

      • September 7 – Ford owns 75 percent of Aston Martin Lagonda, Ltd.

      1988

      • December 31 – The highest worldwide earnings (to date) of any automobile company reach $5,300,000,000.

      • 1989

        • December 1 – Ford buys Jaguar Cars for $2,500,000,000.

        1990

        • March 15 – Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle is introduced.

        1992

        • July 1 – Ford purchases 50 % of Mazda Motor Manufacturing – name changes to AutoAlliance International.

        1993

        • June 20 – First Ford dealerships open in China.

        1993

        • April 18 – The Taurus (FVV) multi-fuel powered (ethanol, gasoline or mixtures of both) Flexible-Fuel Vehicle production begins.

        1997

        • August 21 – New York City purchases first natural gas powered taxicabs from Ford.

        1998

        • Lincoln Navigator luxury SUV is introduced.

        2000

        • August – Due to 271 rollover deaths in Ford Explorers, Bridgestone/Firestone recalls 6,500,000 tires.

        2001

        • May – Bridgestone/Firestone claims Ford uses them as a scapegoat and dumps the company as their customer for recalling 13,000,000 more tires.

        • 2003

          • 100th anniversary

          2004

          • Ford introduces its premium sports car the GT.

          2005

          • July 11 – Ford’s Mercury Mariner (gas-electric SUV) hits the marketplace.
          • November 1 – Agreement from Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC to reimburse Ford $240,000,000 to help recover $2,000,000,000 cost for tires recall.
          • December 23 – Transfer of $2,000,000,000 to Jaguar Cars is announced.

          2007

          • SYNC introduced for 2008 vehicles.

          2014

          • Mustang hits its 50-year anniversary.
          Henry Ford’s vision of building easy to operate cars every American could afford may have started as a simple plan, but he is as much of an icon as his cars and trucks are today. Throughout the history of Ford, his ideals have remained standard practice for the company. Today, millions of Ford vehicles owned across the world are still known for their reliability, cost effectiveness, American muscle, luxury, family friendliness and quality cars that are built to withstand time. For such featured car order online ford cover to protect it against hazards, scrathes dust and many more.
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Lamborghini

Lamborghini

It's the latest chapter in the history of the Lamborghini Automobili company, which started as the brainchild of Italian founder Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Born in 1916, Ferruccio served as a mechanic in the Italian Royal Air Force during the Second World War before going into business building tractors based on surplus World War II military hardware.

By the mid-1950s, Lamborghini’s tractor company was growing at a rapid rate and by the time he expanded into constructing boilers and air-conditioning systems in 1960, Lamborghini had become one of Italy’s great industrialists.

With increased success brought great wealth, which led Ferruccio to purchase a fleet of sports cars – one of them a Ferrari 250GT. It was this acquisition that spawned the idea for Ferruccio Lamborghini to set up his own car company; in his opinion finding that the Ferrari was too noisy and rough for proper road cars, likening them to repurposed track cars.

Lamborghini designed and built his first car – the 350GTV – in only four months, just in time for an unveiling at the 1963 Turin motor show. Despite the favourable press reviews, the 350GTV was a one-off, with Lamborghini re-working the production model and calling it the 350GT.

Debuting at the 1964 Geneva Auto Show, the 350GT was powered by a de-tuned 270bhp 3.5-litre V12 mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The 350GT could accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.8sec and onto a top speed of 158mph – hugely impressive figures in its day. Only 120 examples were made.

Further revisions to the 350GT created the 400GT in 1965. Italian chassis engineer Gian Paulo Dallara tweaked the V12, increasing its displacement to 3.9 litres and a power hike to 320bhp at 6500rpm.

At the 1966 Geneva auto show, Lamborghini unveiled the 400GT 2+2, a stretched version of the 350GT/400GT that featured 2+2 seating with a revised roofline. Like its predecessors, the 400GT 2+2 was well received by motoring journalists, with revenue from sales of the 2+2 allowing Lamborghini to increase labour at his Sant’Agata factory to 170 employees.

During 1965, Lamborghini’s three top engineers, Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and New Zealander Bob Wallace put their own time into development of a prototype – named P400 – that they envisioned as a road car with racing pedigree, capable of winning on the track as well as being driven on the road by enthusiasts.

Despite being the antithesis of Ferruccio’s original ‘Grand Touring’ ethos, the company founder allowed his engineers to go ahead, deciding the P400 would be useful as a marketing tool, if nothing more.

A version with bodywork penned by Bertone’s Marcello Gandini debuted at the 1966 Geneva motor show. Lamborghini's first mid-engined two-seater saw favourable reaction at Geneva with the P400 going into production the following year under a different name, with Lamborghini’s newly created trademark badge taken from the toughest and smartest of fighting bulls – Miura.

Early Miuras were powered by a transversely mounted 350bhp 3.9-litre V12 derived from the 400GT. At the 1968 Turin motor show, the Italian car maker pulled the wraps off the Miura P400S, which showcased newly added power windows, optional air conditioning, bright chrome trim around external windows and power up to 370bhp at 7000rpm. The last and most famous Miura – the P400SV or Miura SV – featured a power hike up to a heady 380bhp. In total, 764 Miuras were made.

In 1968, the replacement for the 400GT arrived in the form of the Lamborghini Islero. Named after a Miura bull which killed famed matador Manuel Rodriguez Manolete, it was essentially a rebody of the 400GT, but was powered by a 325bhp 3.9-litre V12 mated to a five-speed transmission and featured fully independent suspension and disk brakes. Even though Ferruccio Lamborghini believed the car represented a well-developed Gran Turismo product, it failed to attract buyers with only 125 units sold between 1968 and 1969.

The following year, design house Bertone persuaded Lamborghini to allow them to design a brand new four-seater. Crafted by Marcello Gandini, the result was a two-door coupé named the Espada. Again it was propelled by the Raging Bull’s trusty 3.9-litre V12 under the bonnet, which kicked out 325bhp and was the first Lamborghini offered with an optional automatic transmission. A total of 1,217 Espadas were built, making it the most successful Lamborghini model at the time.

n 1970, the Jarama was unveiled at that year’s Geneva motor show. Another Marcello Gandini-designed car, the Jarama was built on a shortened platform as the Espada and was available in two flavours – a 350bhp GT (1970-1973) and 365bhp GTS (1973-1976), both with the familiar 3929cc V12 unit shoehorned in the nose.

Also in 1970, Lamborghini pulled the wraps off its 2+2 mid-engined Urraco coupé at that year’s Turin auto show. The first model leaving the production line in 1973, the Urraco was a more affordable alternative to the contemporary Ferrari Dino and Maserati Merak.

Three versions were available – the entry-level P200 with a 180bhp 2.0-litre V8, P250 powered by a 217bhp 2.5-litre V8 and the range-topping 3.0-litre V8 P300 kicking out 247bhp. Top speeds ranged from 134mph to 162mph. From 1972 until 1979, 791 examples rolled off the production line

With the 1973 oil crisis taking a sledgehammer to sales of high performance cars, Lamborghini hit hard times and Ferruccio sold 51 per cent of his company to long-time friend and Swiss businessman Georges-Henri Rossetti for $600,000.

A year later Ferruccio Lamborghini sold his remaining 49 per cent stake in Lamborghini Automobili to Rene Leimer, a friend of Georges-Henri Rossetti. Having severed all connections with the cars and tractors that bore his name, Lamborghini retired to an estate in the province of Perugia in central Italy, where he would remain until his death.

In 1974 the Italian car manufacturer unleashed the eye-popping Lamborghini Countach. Yet another Marcello Gandini design, the Countach was initially powered by the traditional 3929cc Lamborghini engine kicking out 370bhp, which remained until 1982 when the Countach LP500S was launched. Equipped with a 4.8-litre V12 providing the fireworks, yet with the same power output of 370bhp, torque was up to 308lb ft at 4500rpm.

Three years later, the engine was improved again – bored and stroked to 5.2 litres and given four valves per cylinder (quattrovalvole in Italian), this edition badged 5000QV. Power was now up to 449bhp with 0-62mph taken care of in 4.9sec and onto a top speed of 183mph. A 25th anniversary Countach was launched in 1988 named to celebrate the company’s 25th birthday. Mechanically, it was very similar to the 5000QV but sported much-changed styling.

Carrying on where the Urraco left off, the Lamborghini Jalpa was launched in 1981. Being much less expensive than the Countach and still designed by Bertone, the Jalpa was powered by a 3.5-litre V8 pumping out 255bhp at 7000rpm and covering the 0-60mph dash in 6.0sec. In 1988, after falling sales, new owners Chrysler pulled the plug on Jalpa production.

In 1986, Lamborghini took a punt – launching their first four-wheel-drive vehicle – the hefty LM002 SUV. Dubbed the “Rambo Lambo”, its aggressive styling and powerful engine made it a success for the Italian car maker. Equipped with a 290-litre fuel tank and a 5.2-litre V12 from the Countach, production ceased in 1993 with 328 examples made.

In January 1990, the Diablo was launched. Once again penned by Marcello Gandini, the Diablo was powered by a mid-mounted 5.7-litre 48-valve V12 producing 492bhp, accelerating the car from 0-62mph in 4.5sec and not letting up until 202mph.

The Diablo VT was introduced in 1993, with the addition of four-wheel drive. The special-edition Diablo SE30 followed in 1994 to commemorate Lamborghini’s 30th anniversary giving the SE30 a power hike to 523bhp. A facelifted Diablo arrived in 1999 after Audi AG took over the reins of Lamborghini the previous year, culminating in the VT 6.0 which pumped out a hefty 550bhp.

Lamborghini’s new German parent company played an important role in the creation of the Diablo’s replacement - the Murciélago. The new flagship car being styled by Lamborghini’s head of design, Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, the first-generation 6.2-litre V12 produced 572bhp which was mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

A Murciélago roadster open-top car was introduced in 2004 with the second-generation LP 640 launched in 2006, peaking with the ultimate version of the Murciélago,  the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce in 2009 – with 661bhp on tap and rocketing the car from 0-60mph in 2.8sec and onto 214mph. Limited to just 350 examples, it cost £270,000.

In 2003, Lamborghini targeted the baby supercar market with the unveiling of the all-wheel drive Gallardo. Powered by an Audi-derived 5.0-litre V10, output was increased from 493bhp to 513bhp in 2006 when the open-top Gallardo Spyder debuted.

A limited edition Gallardo – the LP 550-2 Balboni – was revealed in 2009, to pay homage to Lamborghini’s legendary test driver Valentino Balboni. It was the first rear-wheel drive Lamborghini to appear from Sant’Agata since the first-generation Diablo and featured a 542bhp 5.2-litre V10 with a top speed of 200mph and 0-62mph time of 3.9sec. The Gallardo is the most successful car to come out of the gates of Sant’Agata with over 13,000 cars sold.

In 2007, Lamborghini realised that building ultra-expensive limited-run hyper cars could be a tangible money-maker, so they built 20 examples of the 650bhp Reventon, which instantly sold out. With a recorded top speed of 221mph, it was officially the most expensive Lamborghini at that time – with a price tag of £840,000.

At the 2011 Geneva motor show, Lamborghini pulled the wraps of its Murciélago replacement – the Aventador. The car’s shape was inspired heavily from the Reventon and their Estoque concept car and is powered by Lamborghini’s new 700bhp 6.5-litre V12 engine – the first all-new V12 engine since the 3.5-litre unit found in the 350GT almost 50 years ago.

The Aventador shatters the 0-62mph dash in 2.9sec and will carry on accelerating up to 217mph. Following recent Lamborghini tradition, an Aventador Roadster was launched in 2012 with Lamborghini claiming identical performance figures for its open-top variant.

That same year, the Italian car maker released the super-extreme Lamborghini Sesto Elemento for track use only. With a kerb weight of 999kg and powered by a 570bhp 5.2-litre V10, the Sesto Elemento can sprint from 0-62mph in just 2.5sec. All 20 examples were sold with a price tag of around $2.5 million.

Not content with that creation, Lamborghini unleashed another outrageous ultra-hyper car in the form of the Lamborghini Veneno at the 2013 Geneva motor show. Based on the Aventador and built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini, it is equipped with a brutal 740bhp 6.5-litre V12. Only three production cars were produced, each costing €3.1 million.

Lamborghini has also confirmed that its 600bhp Urus SUV concept will go into production in 2017. With Lamborghini’s wild Egoista concept car also showcased for the first time last month, a special edition 50th anniversary Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario and a Gallardo replacement mooted for next year, the future looks very bright – in more ways than one – for the Italian car maker.

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Mazda Cars

Mazda Cars

Mazda, also referred to as the Mazda Motor Corporation, is a multinational automaker based in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Having produced over 1.5 million vehicles in Japan and manufacturing plants around the world for global sale in 2015, Mazda was rated as the fifteenth biggest automaker by production worldwide. Its name was developed when the company produced its first three-wheeled truck. The term "Mazda" is associated with Ahura Mazda, the God of Light. The company hoped the name would brighten the image of the compact vehicles that they produced.

At its inception, Mazda began as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., LTD. and was founded in Hiroshima, Japan on January 30th, 1920. Seven years later, Toyo Cork Kogyo decided to change its name to Toyo Kogyo Co., Ltd. During this period, the company began to experience financial struggles and was forced to accept the help of several Hiroshima based business leaders to save them from bankruptcy. Toyo Kogyo originally specialized in manufacturing machine tools, but with a new decade came a change in the company’s direction. During 1931, Toyo Kogyo switched from manufacturing machine tools to producing automobiles; releasing the first Mazda-Go Autorickshaw.

During the 1960s, Mazda was inspired by the NSU Ro 80, a four-door, front-engine sedan marketed and manufactured by the West German firm NSU, and poured numerous resources into the development of the Wankel rotary engine. This was done to differentiate the company from the other Japanese auto businesses in the market. During this time the company formed a business alliance with NSU and began to manufacture the limited-production Cosmo Sport in 1967. Today, Mazda continues to manufacture the Pro Mazda Championship line and is the only auto manufacturer that still produces Wankel-type engines for automobiles. NSU, as well as other companies, gave up designing Wankel-type engines back in 1970. Even General Motors tried to use the engine in its prototype Corvette, but the vehicle never made it to production.

As production began to increase, Mazda began exporting vehicles at a breathtaking pace. They began to manufacture both rotary-powered and piston-powered automobiles, soon finding their vehicles being distributed around the world. In 1968, Mazda made its way into Canada with MazdaCanada. Two years later, Mazda moved into the American market with Mazda North American Operations and found great success. Mazda manufactured its own pickup truck, the Mazda Rotary Pickup, which was based on the piston-powered B-series model. This vehicle was solely targeted at buyers in North America. Did you know that Mazda has been recognized as the only auto manufacturer to have ever manufactured a pickup truck with a Wankel engine?

Mazda’s rotary engines were quite successful, but the company was set back by the oil crisis that took place in 1973 where members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries enacted an embargo that targeted all nations that were perceived as having supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Affected countries included Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. During this time, citizens around the world began to focus on vehicles with better fuel efficiency, causing Mazda’s fuel-guzzling rotary-powered automobiles to lose favor with the public.

With its fall from grace in the US and foreign markets, Mazda was saved by the timely intervention of the business leaders in Japan like the Sumitomo Keiretsu Group also known as Sumitomo Bank. Mazda then focused their energy on manufacturing cars with piston engines and began producing a wide variety of four-cylinder models throughout the 70’s. Mazda renewed its focus and began manufacturing rotary engines for sports vehicles. It started with the lightweight RX-7 in 1978 and continued forward with the more modern RX-8. This change of direction also led to the development of the Mazda Roadster AKA the Mx-5 or Miata, yet another lightweight sports car. The owners of Mazda Miata MX-5 must select high quality, durable miata car cover which will give you the protection that you need. Order online today!

Due to Mazda’s financial troubles in the 1960s, they formed a partnership with Ford Motor Company until 2015. With Ford holding a 7% financial stake in Mazda, both companies began a series of joint projects. The two started cooperating even before their partnership when the Mazda B-Series inspired a Ford Courier variation for the North American market. At the beginning of 1976, Mazda sold their Titan and Bongo cab-over trucks with Ford badging. In the spring of 1980, Mazda began supplying Ford with manual transaxles. Notably, the Mazda Familia platform was utilized in Ford models such as the Escort and the Laser. Later, the Capella architecture made its way into Ford’s Probe and Telstar sports models.

During the 1980s, Ford began to hold a larger financial stake in Mazda of 20%. They gained an additional 5% in 2002. Ford-badged Mazda vehicles began replacing much of Mazda’s original lineup in the Asia-Pacific markets where the Telstar and Laser replaced the European sourced Cortina and Escort After Mazda experienced a closure of its assembly plant in New Zealand, they established a joint venture with Ford New Zealand known as the Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ). In South Africa, Ford’s local subsidiary merged with Sigma Motor Corporation to form the new corporation Samcor. The result didn’t provide terrific results because Ford and Mazda customers weren’t impressed with the sharing of models. In Australia, the 323 and 626 were fully imported. The only vehicles that were assembled locally were the Telstar and Laser. On the Japanese front, The Telstar and Laser were sold side by side with other vehicles that wore the Mazda badge.In North America, Mazda built a new plant in Flat Rock, Michigan where the mainstream 626 sedan and its companion the Mazda MX-6 sports coupe was manufactured. Ford and Mazda continued to help one another as their partnership continued to flourish. An example of their flourishing collaboration can be found in the Mazda 121, a variant of the Ford Fiesta that was built in plants located in South Africa and Europe. Mazda even attempted to sell some of Ford’s vehicles in Japan through its dealer group Autorama.

Furthermore, Mazda helped Ford to develop the 1991 Explorer. Mazda sold the two-door vehicle as the Mazda Navajo. However, the campaign only ran from 1991 to 1994 and was considered to be a failure. One the other hand, the Ford version, which offered both two-door and four-door variants, was wildly successful. In fact, it held the title of the top-selling sport-utility vehicle in the United States for over a decade. Impressed by Ford’s success, Mazda based its B-series trucks on Ford’s Ranger pickup trucks from 1994 until 2010.

Interested in alternative engine technology, Mazda unveiled the first Miller cycle engine ever to be used in an automotive vehicle through the introduction of the Millenia luxury sedan in 1995. Though the Millenia, as well as the Miller cycle engine, were ultimately discontinued in 2002, a resurgence occured in 2008 with the introduction of a smaller version of the Miller-cycle four-cylinder engine for use in its Demio. In regards to Wankel technology, Mazda is the only automaker to utilize Miller-cycle engines in their vehicles. Owners of such an automaker must choose mazda car covers to protect against scratches, dust, environmental damage, UV rays, and other hazards that can cause premature wear.

During the 1990s, Ford increased its stake in the company to 33.4%. In June 1996, Henry Wallace was appointed as president of the company and began to restructure Mazda. He introduced new plans to integrate closer with Ford and launched Mazda’s digital innovation program in a bid to hasten the development of new products. Wallace also took control of overseas distributors, manufacturing facilities and dealerships, which resulted in reduced cost reductions in Mazda’s overall production. Following Wallace, James Miller took over in 1997 and Ford executive Mark Fields was head of the company in 1999.

Due to the financial crisis of 2008, Ford revealed that they would be selling 20% of their shares, thus reducing their stake in the Japanese car company to 13.4% and surrendering total control of the company. The following day, Mazda made announced that it would buy back 6.8% of shares for around $185 million USD. The rest would be purchased by various business partners. Furthermore, Takashi Yamanouchi would replaceHisakazuImaki as the chief executive. Ford eventually reduced their stake to only 3% on November 18, 2010, claiming that they wished to explore new emerging markets. After that, it is believed that the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group became the largest shareholder. Finally, Ford sold their remaining shares to Mazda in September 2015. Fortunately, both companies have remained strategic partners and continue to engage in joint ventures.

After parting ways with Ford, Mazda suffered its biggest annual loss in 11 years and raised more than 150 billion yen ($1.9 billion USD) in a record-breaking share sale to replenish their depleted capital. A portion of the raised capital was used to build an auto plant in Mexico, which was built in a joint venture with Sumitomo Corporation. Mazda’s most recent endeavors include its partnership with Toyota in May 2015. Mazda supplies Toyota with SkyActiv gasoline and diesel engine technology for Toyota’s exchange of hydrogen fuel cell systems.

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Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Cars

Generally speaking, a hybrid car is any car that uses more than one fuel source. Nowadays, however, we mainly use the term to describe cars that combine a gas-fueled internal combustion engine with a battery-driven electric motor. Until recently such hybrid electric vehicles (or HEVs) were relatively rare, but the success of the Toyota Prius has raised public awareness of these gas-saving vehicles and spawned a number of similar cars from manufacturers such as Honda (the Honda Insight) and Ford (the Ford Fusion Hybrid). In fact, these fuel efficient vehicles are one of the most rapidly growing segments within the auto industry. They help us achieve the ideal of green driving.

In the late 19th and very early 20th centuries, back when the idea that cars must run on gasoline wasn't yet set in stone, inventors tinkered with a number of ways in which automobiles could be powered -- including electricity, fossil fuels, steam and combinations of these things. The history of hybrid electric vehicles, however, began shortly after the dawn of the 20th century. Here are some of the highlights of that history

1900: The Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil makes it debut at the Paris Exposition. Although initially a purely electric vehicle, designer Ferdinand Porsche soon added an internal combustion engine to recharge the batteries, making it the first hybrid electric vehicle.

1917: Woods Motor Company introduces the Woods Dual Power, a hybrid electric vehicle with a 4-cylinder internal combustion engine. The Dual Power had a top speed of around 35 miles per hour (56.3 kilometers per hour). It was not a success.

1960s and 1970s: Electrical engineer Victor Wouk builds a prototype HEV based on the Buick Skylark. When the U.S. government decided not to invest in the vehicle's further development, Wouk ran out of money and abandoned the project.

1968: GM develops the GM 512, an experimental vehicle that runs on electricity at low speeds and gasoline at high speeds.

1989: Audi demonstrates the experimental Audi Duo. It combines a 12-horsepower electric motor with a 139-horsepower internal combustion engine. Audi develops further generations of the Duo over much of the following decade.

1997: In response to a challenge from Executive Vice President Akihiro Wadi to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles, Toyota introduces the Prius and begins marketing it in Japan.

1999: Honda introduces the Insight.

2000: Toyota begins marketing the Prius (as a 2001 model) in the United States.

2002: Hybrids start to become fairly common in the marketplace. Honda introduces the Accord Hybrid. Many more hybrid cars follow over the next few years.

2004: Ford introduces the first hybrid SUV, the 2005 Ford Escape.

On the next page we'll take a closer look at the very first hybrid car, the Lohner-Porsche Electromobile. This ingenious early motor vehicle shows that eco-friendly driving isn't just a modern concept.

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Honda Civic

Honda Civic

For more than 40 years now, the Honda Civic has been a popular car among American drivers based on a reputation for affordability and reliability. There have been many models leading up to the current 2015 Honda Civic, and each has built upon the success of previous models. The history of the Honda Civic is rich with accolades.

Our Honda dealership opened in 1973, the first year the Civic was released. From the very start and continuing through our relocation to Raynham, Massachusetts, we’ve been privileged to see the Civic grow, change, and continue to improve year after year. Here’s our look back at nine incredible generations of the Honda Civic, and a look forward to the tenth.

First Generation: 1973 to 1979

The Honda Civic arrived just at the right time for Easton drivers. Thanks to the 1973 oil crisis and the 1975 EPA emissions standards, Americans were done with muscle cars and they were searching for fuel-efficient vehicles. Enter the subcompact Civic, which started as a coupe, hatchback, and station wagon. The Civic was incredibly popular upon release and gave Honda their first major foothold in the US.

Second Generation: 1980 to 1983

With its second generation, the Honda Civic grew closer to what we know today. The vehicle itself got bigger, and a four-door sedan body style was added for the first time. What was notable for this generation was the introduction of a special FE (fuel economy) trim designed to boost gas mileage and a sport S trim. This last one hinted at the Civic Si models to come.

Third Generation: 1984 to 1987

The Honda Civic’s third generation got a little bigger and introduced another new body style: a fastback coupe with just two seats called the Civic CRX. Fuel economy continued to get better for these models and Honda also made them a little sportier. Si models were finally released during this generation, giving performance enthusiasts in Raynham and throughout the country a Civic all their own.

Fourth Generation: 1988 to 1991

Honda closed out the decade with some major modifications. Perhaps the most important change was to add double-wishbone suspensions for the front and back. Handling was greatly improved, and the change allowed the Civic to start to become a vehicle of choice for tuners who made aftermarket modifications to turn it into a sports car. Size and performance were increased again. This was also the last generation for the two-seat CRX model.

Fifth Generation: 1992 to 1995

The first all-new generation for the 1990s, the Honda Civic continued to modernize with standard side airbags on all models and the introduction of anti-lock brakes on some trims, making the Civic much safer for drivers in Easton, Raynham, and elsewhere. Honda introduced the four-seat, two-door coupe body style for this generation, while also trying to replace the CRX with a new del Sol model. It was a two-seat coupe that was longer than the standard Civic, and it featured a lowered rear window and removable roof to give it an appearance similar to a convertible. This generation was also when Honda added their variable-valve timing VTEC engines to the Civic.

Sixth Generation: 1996 to 2000

Honda finished the ‘90s by restyling the Civic, though changes to this generation weren’t as major as the previous ones. While the Civic had always been a great choice for fuel-savvy drivers, Honda changed the game again by introducing a natural gas-powered Civic for this generation.

Seventh Generation: 2001 to 2005

The Honda Civic successfully made it through Y2K and emerged with a dramatic redesign. By switching the double-wishbone front suspension to McPherson struts, Honda was able to make the Civic’s interior much more spacious. In turn, this bumped the Civic up from subcompact to the compact car class. Of course, one of the most notable additions to this generation was the very first Honda Civic Hybrid, showcasing Honda’s desire to offer a variety of fuel-efficient options for their customers.

Eighth Generation: 2006 to 2011

During its first year, the eighth-generation Civic was recognized as both the 2006 “North American Car of the Year” and 2the 006 Motor Trend “Car of the Year.” Honda continued with the Hybrid, Natural Gas, and Si models while changing how they approached the coupe and sedan body styles. For this generation, Honda began using different platforms for the coupe and sedan, giving them different driving dynamics.

Ninth Generation: 2012 to Present

This brings us up to the current generation. While the 2012 Honda Civic was redesigned from its predecessor, the 2013 Honda Civic continued to push the bar forward by making features like Pandora internet radio, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera standard, which was unheard-of for a compact car. The 2014 Honda Civic Coupe offered Easton drivers even more upgrades to design and performance. As for the current 2015 Honda Civic model, Honda has given buyers more options with a new SE level trim, as well as incredible fuel ratings at up to 41 mpg highway and 31 mpg city

Tenth Generation: Upcoming 2016 Honda Civic

It appears that Honda is going to continue defining the history of the compact segment with the recent unveiling of the new Honda Civic Concept at the 2015 New York Auto Show in April. This definitive concept will be the basis for the upcoming 2016 Honda Civic. It promises aggressive styling, a new turbocharged engine, and a variety of formats including a Coupe, Si, five-door hatchback, and a new Type-R performance-based model that’s sure to produce plenty of thrills.

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