Cars have been an invaluable resource for humans, whether it’s for work, sport, leisure or general day-to-day life. We have learned to rely on them to make our lives much easier, and most can’t imagine having no access to a vehicle, be it their own or public transport such as buses or taxis. But how many avid drivers know the history of cars, and how horses and carriages switched to our vehicles of choice? Well, grab your Dolarian folks, because we’re going back in time to the revolution that shaped our future.
The Birth of the Car
And yes, that revolution would be the Industrial one. The Victorian era was a busy time in history for many countries in the world. Work became automated, choking the skies in a sea of smog as the machines of industry rose, replacing the everyday factory line-men with an automated equivalent. Many Victorians feared for their future, believing every job would soon be replaced by automation one way or another, leading to the obsoletion of humankind. But there were a few who saw this as the only way forward for the human race, seeing the advantages of technology and science as aids for humans rather than replacements, be it for work, leisure, or even, of course, transportation.
Steam-powered transportation, namely the steam engine train, grew fame as a fast and convenient way to journey to other cities, just a taste of what was to come for the folks in the latter years of the Victorian age. There was soon to be another vehicle, smaller in shape, and not shackled to tracks or reliant on horses. Yes, this would be the very first car.
In Germany in the year 1886, the very first car was born by Carl Benz, dubbed the Benz-Patent Motorwagen. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
But of course, the Adam of cars isn’t anything like the cars we are familiar with now. They were rudimentary, modeled after the drawn carriages that were the most common form of road transportation, with room for only one or at a stretch two passengers. As the illustration below demonstrates, it maintains a lot of the physical attributes of its animal-drawn predecessor, from its box shape to the large spoked wheels.
He patented the design but as you can imagine, it wasn’t mass-produced or available to the general public at affordable prices. But, between the years of 1888 and 1893, more vehicles were produced resulting in a total of 25 vehicle sales, which was just the beginning of the car craze.
The Early Life of Cars
The Benz line of cars was starting to grow in popularity garnering interest in Europe, but mostly notable, France. It was there Emile Roger began his own foray into vehicle production, availing himself a Benz license. And it proved to be a roaring success.
The French were more open to the use of automobiles than most other European countries, enjoying the convenience they added to their life. But, there were more ingenious inventions to come from the mind of Roger, adding the convenience and speed of engines to horse-drawn carriages.
Thus in 1882, the company known as Daimler was born with the invention of the carriage/car hybrid, opening the doors to more inventions. By 1895, 30 vehicles came from the factory doors of Daimler with the assistance of sister company Maybach.
Rise of the Boxermotor
1896 would mark the beginning of a real, exciting change in the world of automobiles, with the inception of the boxermotor. The internal-combustion flat engine would pioneer the way to the future of the automobile industry, forever marking the name Benz in the annals of history, securing a successful future for them.
But of course, they weren’t the only car manufacturing company, and the boxermotor was not the only engine. Our journey in telling the true tale of the history of cars will take us overseas, in next month’s blog post. I hope you will join me on the voyage to the promised land, as we will discuss George Seldon’s gasoline internal combustion engine, and more!
Here at The Car Finance Companies, we are the future of car purchasing and car financing, leaving difficult paperwork and lengthy processes in the past where they belong! With a team of highly skilled salesmen and mechanics, every car that leaves our showroom does so in perfect condition, and every sale is simple and hassle-free. Working closely with multiple reputable finance companies, we can secure financing even for people with the lowest credit scores. Visit our website or call us right now on 0151 523 4000 to begin your car financing journey!