Ideas Of Automobiles Essay, Research Paper

Ideas of Automobiles

The first true components of an automobile may have

come from Otto Von Guericke, a 17th century German

physicist. Guericke was noted as the first person to make

metal pistons, cylinders, and connecting rods, the most

basic components in a reciprocating engine.

But the first automobile was believed to be the 1769 Cugnot

steamer, a three-wheeled tractor. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot

invented the Cugnot steamer. The steamer was noted to have

ran for 20 minutes at a speed of 2.25 miles per hour.

The Automotive Industry

The automotive industry started in 1893 when Charles and

Frank Duryea designed and built the first gasoline-engine-

propelled motor vehicle. This invention practically

started the whole automotive industry. During the next 30

years, many people tried to enter the industry, but only a

few were successful.

During the early years, every car was built entirely by

hand. This process was very slow and also very expensive.

This is the main reason so many early innovators went out

of business while the other ones were not profitable enough

to expand their business. Henry Ford changed that when he

introduced the assembly line. This both increased

production speed and decreased cost. This idea of mass

production revolutionized the automobile industry. Soon

all of the top auto producers would have an assembly line

of their own. The lower costs and faster delivery meant a

lower price, and the average family could afford and get

one. Ford’s Model T soon became the most popular car of

the time.

In 1929, America experienced a crash in the stock market

that left the thriving country poor and desperate. With

the decline in income, the demand for new automobiles

almost stopped. This huge decrease in demand for new

vehicles forced major cutbacks in spending, factories were

shut down, employees were laid off, and production was

almost halted. Many of the smaller plants couldn’t afford

to stay in business. The United States time of prosperity

had ended.

During the early 1940s, as Hitler rose to power in Germany,

our relationship with Japan grew more and more tense. When

Hitler invaded France and started the war, the United

States responded quickly. The United States started

producing many different pieces of war equipment. The auto

industry was the first to respond by reopening many of

there shut down plants and producing troop transport

vehicles, tanks, planes and just about anything else the

government wanted. By the order of President Roosevelt,

Ford Motor Company built a huge assembly plant in Michigan

to produce B-29 bombers. The war pulled the United States

out the great depression and started to improve the economy.

The war ended in 1945 and brought a fallen country back to

its feet. With the economy in great shape and prosperity

on the minds of many Americans, the auto industry thrived

again. The big three slowly took form. The big three

included General Motors, Chrysler, and the Ford Motor

Company. In the late 1950s, the United States saw the

beginning of foreign cars being imported. This posed very

little threat to the market share held by the big three

because the quality of the foreign cars, at this time, was

very poor.

The 1960s are best remembered as the muscle car era. This

was a time of low gas prices and high horsepower. During

this time, many new and exciting cars were built such as

the Pontiac GTO, Chevrolet Camero, and the Ford Mustang.

The Ford Mustang was, by far, the most popular car of the

decade. It was during this time that the automotive

industry became more sensitive to the demands of the

consumer, and product lines changed almost every year. The

cars kept getting bigger and faster. This was an era of

powerful and fast cars.

In the early 1970s, the United States felt a huge increase

in the price of gas. This marked the end of the muscle car

era and the beginning of the compact and sub-compact car

era. While the big three were hurrying to release a car

with better gas mileage, Honda introduced the first compact

car in the United States. In the early 1970s, Ford

introduced the Pinto. In hurrying to get a compact car on

the market, the quality people had come to expect had been

taken away. The Pinto was one of the most dangerous cars

ever built.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that the big three had changed

almost all of their cars to a smaller better gas mileage

type car. Ford had the Escort, Chrysler had the “K cars,”

and Chevrolet had the Nova. All of these cars also used a

front wheel drive system. During the 1980s the gas prices

stabilized, and the country experienced a period of

prosperity. This also changed what people looked for in

their cars. They wanted more power and innovation. At the

end of the decade, new improvements such as anti-lock

brakes, cruise control, and fuel injection had been put

into the cars.

The 1990s are an exciting time. In the world today

automobile makers are putting more effort in making the

consumer happier and loyal. They have introduced many new

innovations such as dual airbags, better rust protection,

and greater performance. With the millennium almost

turning, the most vital aspect of any company is its

ability to meet the changing demands of the consumer.

Ford Automotive Company

In 1896, Henry Ford built his first motor vehicle: the

“Quadricycle.” The Quadricycle was an automobile with a

two-cylinder, four-horsepower engine. This invention was

what marked the beginning of a legacy.

In 1908, Ford introduced the Model T. The Model T was the

most successful automobile in the country. This success

was due to the assembly line that Henry Ford invented.

This approach not only lowered the production costs but

also increased the amount of cars produced. By 1916 Ford

had produced one million cars. When Ford Motors released

the Model T they established itself as a leader in the

automotive industry. Ford continued to produce the Model T

until 1927. Ford produced about 16 million Model T s.

During the great depression, the demand for cars in the

United States dropped to an all-time low. Ford was forced

to shut down plants and lay off thousands of employees.

Ford found hope in the market overseas. Ford opened two

new plants, one in Germany, and one in England. In 1932,

Ford built the Model Y, a car designed specifically for

Europe.

The United States entered WWII in 1941, and was the same

year, that Ford started making utility vehicles “jeeps” for

the U.S. Military. In 1942 Ford Motor Company halted all

production of civilian car output and shifted to total

military production. During the war Ford built everything

from jeeps to airplanes. When the war ended in 1945 Ford

began to produce civilian vehicles again. WWII helped pull

America out of the great depression and give Ford a hand in

rebuilding its United States plants.

During the 1950s, the public began to want bigger cars.

Ford introduced the Thunderbird in 1954 and the Continental

Mark II in 1955. These cars helped satisfy the public’s

demand for a larger, roomier car. During the 1950s, Ford

became a publicly traded company and also introduced the

Ford credit program.

By 1960 Ford had sold 50 million cars. The 1960s were the

muscle car era. During this era the public’s demand had

shifted gears to a faster more sporty style car. Ford

introduced the Mustang in 1964 at the New York World’s

Fair. The Mustang was one of the best selling cars that

Ford had ever built. It was small, sporty, and cost about

30 percent less than people expected to pay. With the

Mustang leading the way Ford enjoyed the muscle car era

with good growth and market share.

The 1970 gas shortage took the United States by surprise

and the public’s demand changed overnight. The cry for a

smaller car with better gas mileage was heard throughout

the country. Ford responded with the Pinto, a small

economical car with one very large flaw; it was very unsafe

in a rear collision accident. This mistake would haunt

Ford for many years to come.

In the 1980s, Ford introduced both the Escort and the

Taurus; two of America’s best selling cars. The trend in

the automotive industry was getting back to power and

comfort with the baby boomers getting older. Most of the

cars Ford introduced were front-wheel drive, a trend that

started in the late 1970s. During the 1980s, the Ford F-

Series trucks were the best selling trucks.

Ford entered the 1990s strong and quick to meet the

changing demands of the consumer. Ford continued to remain

a leader in the 1990s. The Ford Taurus was named the best

selling car many times. The Ford F-Series trucks were also

named the best selling vehicle for 10 years. The latest

trend in the 1990s is in sport utility vehicles. Ford

recognized this market and is the industry leader in SUVs

with both the Ford Explorer and the Navigator.