The Thinking Behind Cars
Why was it called the Austin Seven? The 1923 Austin Seven was the most important car in British motoring history, bringing independent travel to the masses. The car was called Austin 7 because of its horsepower. Early cars in Britain were taxed on a formula …
Some cars may not be remarkable in themselves but they introduce an innovation of huge importance. One such was the 1929 Cadillac 341B. We look at the old crash gearboxes of the past, and the smooth-shifting successor. The 1929 Cadillac 341B was launched with a …
Henry Ford perfected mass-production with the assembly of his 1908 Model T. As his technique got better, prices of the car plummeted. When announced in 1908 the price of the Model T Ford was $825, or $26,211 today (£21,284). Within five years the Model T’s …
Let me introduce you to the 1915 Smith Flyer, also known as the Briggs and Stratton “Red Bug”: the Cheapest Car in the World at $125 (equivalent to $1930 today). The Smith Flyer was essentially a wooden board with four bicycle wheels and two seats …
The 1908 Model T Ford was probably the most important car ever made, providing affordable mass transport for a rising American middle class and becoming the symbol of the United States’ great surge of modernization in the early 20th century. One of the cleverest parts …
It’s the most famous quote in car history: ‘You can have any colour you like, as long as it’s black’. Were Model T Fords really only available in black? Contrary to common belief, Model T Fords did not only come in black, in fact the …
The First World War did more than anything else to convince the “poor bloody infantryman” that the motor car was a good thing. Within a month of the start of the war the German army was in sight of the Eiffel Tower, but 600 Paris …
Bristol was perhaps the most enigmatic and exclusive company in the post-war motor business. Using aircraft building expertise it made the finest sporting cars in the world for the most discerning gentlemen (and lady) owners. Bristol Cars had only one showroom, in Kensington, London, and …
The 1922 Lancia Lamba is a true connoisseur’s car: it doesn’t look flashy or even particularly special. But it featured several design innovations which spawned millions of imitators. The Lancia Lamba was the first monocoque unibody car designed without a separate chassis. It also had …