On June 8, 1909, the Russo-Balt S-24 / 30 rolled off the assembly line - the first production car domestic production. Attempts to create a car with engines internal combustion in the Russian Empire, they were undertaken from the end of the 19th century, but then it was only about single copies, since 1909, their own automobile production arose in the country.
Due to their elegant appearance and technical characteristics that met the most modern requirements, Russo-Balty quickly gained recognition abroad. They were produced until the revolution, several cars left the assembly line after 1918. The history of the development of the domestic automobile industry throughout the 20th century and the most iconic models of that time are in the Izvestia selection.
1909: "Russo-Balt", model S-24/30
The release of the legendary "Russo-Balts" - the hallmark of the Russian Empire - was actually carried out by the railway enterprise - the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works. Under the production of cars, the demand for which was becoming more and more active, the plant adapted a department that was engaged in providing railway troops during the Russo-Japanese War, and since 1905 was actually idle.
The 26-year-old Belgian Julien Potter from the Fondu company, with which the Russian-Baltic Plant worked closely, was invited to the position of chief designer. In submission, he had 10 engineers, about 140 workers and three test drivers. The goal of the team was to assemble a car that could move off-road. The first batch of Potter's machines was presented just a year after the start of work. The very first and most massive model of Russo-Balt was the S-24/30, where 24 meant the estimated engine power in horsepower, and 30 meant the maximum power. The car turned out to be reliable - during one of the test runs, the driver drove into the hut: the car was not injured, but the hut fell apart.
Subsequently, "Russo-Balts" showed themselves brilliantly, participating in international motor races and competitions - for example, St. Petersburg - Monte Carlo and St. Petersburg - Moscow - Sevastopol. In addition, Russo-Balt became the first car to reach the top of Vesuvius. Several more models followed the S-24/30, and in total, by 1918, about 500 vehicles were produced at the plant. Several of them stood in the imperial garage. In 1918, the plant, by that time evacuated to Moscow, was nationalized. In the early 1920s, several Russo-Balts under the name Prombron were produced on it, after which the plant was redesigned for the needs of the German company Junkers.
1932: GAZ AA
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/Vadim Kondratiev
The famous lorry began to be assembled at the Gorky (then Nizhny Novgorod) Automobile Plant at the very beginning of the 1930s. The basis was the design of the American truck Ford AA - domestic engineers changed the design, adapting the car to local conditions, and on January 29, 1932, the first truck rolled off the assembly line. domestic truck GAZ AA, assembled, however, using foreign-made parts. Since 1933, the lorry began to be assembled exclusively from domestic parts.
Until 1934, the truck cab was made of wood and pressed cardboard, and then was replaced with a metal one with a leatherette roof.
Lorries were actively used during the war years, however, due to a lack of spare parts, “military” modifications were produced with canvas doors that could be rolled up, there were no brakes on the front wheels, and only one headlight provided headlights. In 1944, the plant gradually returned to the pre-war configuration.
The last GAZ AA rolled off the assembly line in 1949. In total, 985 thousand copies were produced, one and a half cars could be found on the roads until the end of the 1960s. They became the most massive Soviet car in the first half of the 20th century.
1936: GAZ M-1
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/Museum of National Military History
A few years after the release of the lorry, the Gorky Automobile Plant introduced another novelty - the GAZ M-1 passenger car, which went down in history domestic automotive industry like emka.
By this time, the passenger car GAZ-A, produced at the same plant, had almost completely replaced outdated models. foreign brands. However, the design of the machine almost completely copied the American Ford Model A, and it soon became clear that the characteristic open phaeton body in Soviet realities was not comfortable and not very durable. The engineers were tasked with developing a more viable technology, and as a result, after several experimental models, the GAZ M-1 car appeared. The prototype for it was the four-cylinder Ford Model B 40A Fordor Sedan model of 1934, but this time its design was significantly redesigned.
A distinctive feature of the car, the mass production of which began in 1936, was the black color of the body with a narrow red stripe along the side. The metal parts of the interior were painted to look like expensive woods, the interior was upholstered in gray or brown woolen cloth.
The car was produced until 1942, enjoyed great popularity - a total of 62,888 copies were produced - and became one of the symbols of its era. At the same time, contemporaries most often called him not emka, but M-1. The name was deciphered as "Molotovsky-1", in honor of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov, whose name was the Gorky Automobile Plant.
1946: GAZ M-20 Pobeda
The first Soviet passenger car of the original design and one of the first mass-produced cars in the world without protruding fenders, steps and headlights, Pobeda went into serial production in 1946. However, work on its creation was started much earlier - even before the war.
By the end of the 1930s, it became obvious that the specialists of the Gorky Plant were ready to move from adapting Western models to developing a car of an original design. First sketches future car were presented already in 1938-1939, but further work was interrupted by the war. The plant was able to return to development already in 1943, after the Battle of Stalingrad. It is believed that it was during the war years that the project was given the name "Victory".
Museum of vintage cars "Moscow transport". Photo gallery:
By the time work on the creation of Pobeda was resumed, Soviet specialists had managed to work with cars received from the USA and Great Britain under Lend-Lease, as well as study captured German equipment. So, during the development were borrowed individual elements Opel models Captain.
In June 1945, the machine passed the state acceptance, and in June 1946, their serial production at the plant began. At the same time, the Gorky plant had not yet had time to fully restore production after the war, so the first 28 machines were assembled almost by hand, and only after that the conveyor line was launched.
It soon became obvious that the machine, assembled in a hurry, had many shortcomings. The conveyor was temporarily stopped for their elimination, and the director of the plant, Ivan Loskutov, was relieved of his post. Subsequently, improved M-20s in various modifications were produced until the end of the 1950s.
1960: ZAZ-965 "Zaporozhets"
By the mid-1950s, Soviet automakers had fully mastered the production of executive cars, but the segment of small "people's" cars was represented only by the rapidly obsolete Moskvich-401. Meanwhile, the most difficult post-war years were left behind, and the demand for such mass car began to grow.
The niche was to be filled by "Zaporozhets" - a small car ZAZ-965. Initially, it was assumed that the new car would be produced in the workshops of the Moskvich plant. However, the plant was fully loaded, and an enterprise in Zaporozhye was launched specifically for the production of a small car.
The Italian Fiat 600 was taken as the basis, however, as in the case of the GAZ, the engineers seriously finalized the design in order to adapt the model to the requirements domestic market. The first production car was produced in 1960. In 1963, its modification ZAZ-965A was introduced.
The car, popularly called "Humpback", met all the requirements for such machines - it was easy to manufacture and economical to use. The prototypes for it were the famous Volkswagen "Beetle" and the small city BMW 600.
In total, over 322 thousand cars of both modifications were produced. In addition, the "Cossacks" appeared in a number of popular films - for example, in "The Queen of the Gas Station", the comedy "Three Plus Two" and the cartoon "Just You Wait!".
1959: GAZ-13 "Seagull"
The luxury car was designed in the late 1950s to replace the outdated ZIM limousine. Initially, attempts were made to modernize an already existing car, but it soon became obvious that in the conditions of a rapidly developing global car market, a fundamentally new model was required. The project was entrusted to the Gorky Automobile Plant.
Two options were proposed as the name: "Seagull" and "Arrow". According to legend, one of the developers explained the decision to stop at the Seagull as follows: “Imagine the Volga. Who is flying over it? Gull. Here we have the Volga, and above it the Seagull. The first prototypes were produced in 1956. They were sent on a test run of 21,000 km. January 16, 1959 is considered the official birthday of the car - it was then that the serial, well-known Chaikas came off the assembly line.
Subsequently, this model, which embodied the main trends of automotive fashion in the 1950s, was repeatedly exhibited at international automobile shows, including in Budapest, Geneva, New York, Leipzig and Mexico City, and the two-tone burgundy-beige “Seagull” stood on the floor for several years. VDNH.
There are several modifications of the famous limousine, including a model for filming with a "cut off" top and "Seagull" - a hearse. A total of 3189 cars were produced. Many of constructive solutions, first tested during the creation of the "Seagull", were later involved in the production of "Volga" of the middle class.
1970: VAZ-2101 Zhiguli
The founder of the "classic" family of well-known VAZ cars, the production of which was completed only in 2012.
The basis for its production was laid in 1966, when the USSR signed an agreement with the Italian by Fiat on cooperation in the development of passenger cars. The countries, among other things, agreed on the construction of a plant on the territory of the Soviet Union, and also determined the models of machines that were supposed to be put into production. Behind middle class had to "respond" VAZ-2101 and VAZ-2102. The prototype for them was fiat car 124.
Already in 1967, the name for the future car was thought up, and Soviet engineers ordered from Fiat plates with the inscription "Zhiguli", which were supposed to be mounted on the rear panel of the body. The first six machines were assembled at a new plant in Tolyatti in April 1970, serial production began in August of the same year. The peak of production came in 1973 - then 379 thousand copies were collected.
The people first called the new model "Edinichka", and then, when the "Lada" gained popularity, the nickname changed to "Kopeyka".
In total, from 1970 to 2012, the Volzhsky car factory produced almost 5 million VAZ-2101 cars various modifications.
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The turbulent history of the global automotive industry began at the beginning of the last century, and we can say that it developed in segments from one bright event to another, which almost completely changed the course of history. These events were cars that appeared on the world stage like a bolt from the blue, causing the delight of a large audience or introducing something new, revolutionary, completely changing the balance of power in the market to the automotive industry. What are these cars and what is their invaluable merit? This is what we'll talk about next.
You should start with the very origins of the origin of the automotive industry. However, we will not mention the very first vehicles that did without live horses, because the piece production of the late 19th century can hardly be called an industry, even though by the standards of that time, even this was an impressive step forward. Let's talk better about a slightly later period, or rather about 1908, when the famous was born, which was produced until 1927. What is remarkable about this car?
First of all, the world auto industry is grateful to him for the appearance of the conveyor, which made it possible to turn the car "from luxury into a means of transportation." Prior to the Ford Model T (or "Tin Lizzy" in the folklore), all vehicle production was carried out in manual assembly mode, which significantly increased the cost. finished car and limited the scale of production. The Ford Model T, which stood on the newly invented conveyor, literally “put America on wheels”, thanks to its availability and mass character, it sold over 15,000,000 copies over the years of production. It is also worth noting that the Ford Model T became the first global car in the world market, because its production was opened not only in the United States, but also in the UK, Germany, France, Australia and other countries.
It is also difficult to imagine modern roads and numerous auto shows without supercars that attract attention, captivating not so much with their catchy appearance as with the power of engines and high-speed capabilities. But what car can be called the first-born in this class? Without a doubt, it is, the car is fast, beautiful and very expensive by the standards of its time.
The first supercar in history appeared (although it was not called such at that time) in 1919 and could boast of a fully duralumin 6-cylinder in-line gasoline power unit with a displacement of 6.6 liters and a return of about 135 hp. The car was equipped drum brakes with amplifier, 3-speed mechanical box gears, had the beginnings of a streamlined racing form in the exterior design and accelerated to 137 km / h. Later, in 1924, the Hispano-Suiza H6 received an 8.0-liter engine capable of delivering 160 hp. power, which provided the first supercar in history with acceleration to 177 km / h.
Almost simultaneously with the previous hero to the arena of the world automotive history the most successful racing car of the 20th century was also released, thanks to which millions of fans around the world fell in love with motorsport, and competitors were forced to get involved in the eternal confrontation between power and speed.
The first Bugatti Type 35 appeared on the race track in 1924, immediately began to win and managed to set 47 records in the first two years, winning 351 races along the way. In 1927, the most powerful modification of the Bugatti Type 35 saw the light, equipped with a 138-horsepower engine that allowed it to accelerate to 210 km / h, gaining the first 100 km / h in just 6 seconds, which is quite good for a car almost 100 years old. In total, during the participation of the Bugatti Type 35 and its successor Bugatti Type 37 in races, this car won over 1800 victories, becoming the most productive racing car in history.
In 1922, a rather significant event for the global automotive industry took place - the world's first mass-produced car with a monocoque body went into series. This is a rear wheel drive open Italian car, which was not only the first in history to receive a load-bearing body, marking the beginning new era automotive industry, but also added to this front independent spring suspension. What can we say, by the standards of that time, Lancia Lambda is one of the most comfortable cars with a smooth ride and good handling from the driver's point of view.
The release of Lancia Lambda did not last long, only 9 years, but during this time the car managed to go through 9 upgrades, resulting in the power of its 4-cylinder V-motor increased from 49 to 69 hp, and the three-speed manual transmission gave way to a more modern 4-speed transmission.
At the dawn of the automotive industry, all produced cars had rear-wheel drive, but sooner or later the era of front-wheel drive cars was to begin. Many mistakenly believe that the Citroën Traction Avant, produced from 1934 to 1957, should be considered the ancestor of this trend. But this will be fair only if we consider the essence of the issue from the position of mass character, because the Citroën Traction Avant sold 760,000 copies, becoming the best-selling front wheel drive car in the 40s of the last century. If you look from the point of view of the first appearance on the market, then the first-born must be recognized as the American one, which appeared in 1929, but because of the Great Depression, it disappeared already in 1932.
The "American" is less successful from a commercial point of view, because its release was limited to only 4400 cars, which is difficult to compare with the success of the French.
In any case, both of these cars played an important role in the history of the global automotive industry, opening the way for front-wheel drive models to success.
The end of the 30s of the 20th century was marked by the appearance of perhaps the most legendary car in history - also known as the "Beetle". Initially, the compact and inexpensive Volkswagen Käfer was conceived as a folk german car available to every family in Germany.
The car was designed by Ferdinand Porsche on the personal instructions of Hitler, but the mass production of new items began after the Second World War. At the same time, "Zhuk" came to universal success, which lasted several decades, until 2003, when legendary car was discontinued.
But entered into history of Volkswagen Käfer is not only due to the duration of serial production (65 years) and mass production (more than 21,500,000 copies). "Beetle" played several others important roles who made his name legendary. Firstly, it became the progenitor of the no less legendary “hippie van” VW Transporter Typ 2. Secondly, it was on the basis of the “Beetle” that the new kind racing cars - buggies. And, thirdly, Volkswagen Käfer formed the basis of the first Porsche 911.
Since Porsche 911 we will continue our journey into history. Introduced in 1963, the sports car immediately appealed to both journalists and ordinary motorists, which determined the further success of the model, which eventually caused a general interest in sports cars and forced many other automakers to start developing in this direction, which had previously ignored the class of sports cars.
The classic Porsche 911 of the first and second generation (differences mainly in appearance) stayed afloat for an impressive 25 years, becoming the most massive and most popular sports car of the 20th century. The love of Porsche 911 fans around the world is so strong that in later versions, the manufacturer has steadily retained the familiar design DNA of a sports car, and its in-house designation 911, in fact, became an exception to the rule, turning into the name of a model that shaped an entire era around itself.
Let's go back almost 20 years ago, to the post-war 1947, which is famous in the history of the automotive industry for the appearance of the first production car with an automatic transmission. This event happened in the USA, where they installed the Dynaflow torque converter automatic transmission, which was based on technologies patented back in 1903 by the German professor Fettinger.
Initially, the automatic transmission was available as an option, but the high demand for the new product forced the manufacturer to make the automatic transmission the basic equipment of the Buick Roadmaster as early as 1949, and since then the percentage of cars equipped with an automatic transmission has been growing every year.
The rapid growth in the number of cars in the postwar period, periodically accompanied by various financial and fuel crises, dictated the need to create more economical cars, the maintenance and maintenance of which would not devastate the wallets of the owners. The famous Mini- commercially the most successful subcompact and compact car in history.
The pre-production Mini was ready in 1957, but official sales started only at the end of the summer of 1959 almost immediately in 100 countries of the world, which predetermined the overall success of the model and ensured the growth in popularity of small cars for many years to come. In terms of the need to understand the importance of fuel efficiency, Mini's contribution to the history of the global automotive industry is phenomenal. What's more, the Mini's success spawned even more compact cars, the miniature citycars that are gaining popularity these days.
There are numerous sports cars 70s Japanese sports car Nissan S30, also known in many markets under the name Datsun 240z.
This car did not make any global merits for the global automotive industry, but it is still worth mentioning. Main Nissan success S30 earned in the USA, where more low cost in comparison with competitors allowed the sports car to become very popular among middle-class buyers. A high level of sales provided an influx of finance into the Japanese auto industry, thanks to which the latter managed to get out of the post-war crisis, and today we can observe the fruits of the seeds of Japanese success, planted just the same in the early to mid-70s.
Our story would not be complete without Volkswagen Golf the first generation, which appeared in 1974. It was he who became the progenitor of a very successful class of cars, which received the name of the first-born (golf class).
exit and Volkswagen success Golf not only saved German concern from economic collapse, but also marked the beginning new era in the global automotive industry, which resulted in a revision of the international classification of car types and contributed to the rapid growth in the popularity of compact cars. The first Volkswagen Golf was so successful that its production in third world countries continued until 2009, and this is a direct consequence of the achievements in the history of the global automotive industry.
There are among the creators of automotive history and a native of Russia, or rather the USSR. We are talking about the well-known "Niva" VAZ-2121. By the end of the 70s, a certain trend had developed in the global automotive industry: SUVs were produced with carrier frame, dependent suspension, with a tented top and a Spartan interior, which did not differ in comfort at all. The Soviet "Niva" made a splash when in 1977 it appeared before the public in a completely revolutionary concept at that time: a compact monocoque body, independent front suspension, permanent all-wheel drive, lockable center differential and comfortable passenger compartment with good level comfort.
Already in 1978, the Niva received a gold medal and the title of car of the year among SUVs at an exhibition in Brno, and two years later it achieved similar success at the Poznań International Fair. In fact, the Niva laid the foundations for the future class of compact SUVs, becoming a benchmark for many global automakers when developing their own new products. It is no secret that the VAZ-2121 was the only Soviet car exported to Japan, and up to 80% of the produced off-road vehicles were exported to more than 100 countries of the world.
But here's the father modern crossovers(more precisely, the “SUV” segment) is considered to be “American”, which appeared in 1979. This outwardly unsightly car was built on the basis of the AMC Concord passenger car and was produced in sedan, coupe, hatchback, station wagon and even convertible body styles. From other novelties of that period, the AMC Eagle was distinguished by the presence of an all-wheel drive chassis, on which an ordinary passenger body was actually “planted”.
Original for its time, the solution appealed to many customers, especially in the northern states of the United States and Canada, where good cross car, combined with its comfort, was appreciated. Later, the success of the AMC Eagle contributed to the start of the development of full-fledged crossovers, which today have become completely commonplace.
Concluding the review of historical hero cars, it is worth mentioning a couple of modern models. First of all, this is a hatchback, which opened up commercial prospects to the world. hybrid cars, whose market share is steadily growing.
Well, you can’t ignore another Japanese - who is the world's first hydrogen-powered car.
Its purpose is to mark the beginning of the development of a new era in the automotive industry, in which absolutely environmentally friendly cars will prevail.
That’s all, the historical digression has come to an end, new discoveries and significant events in the automotive industry are ahead of us, which means that in the future there will definitely be fresh reasons to supplement the above “list of creators of auto history”.
The beginning of the 20th century is a period of evolution in the production of automobiles. Technology has evolved and engines have become more powerful. Manufacturers no longer focused on engine size - it was simply dangerous to increase it, but on the number of revolutions. Thus, the average engine volume of a quality car began to be up to 3 liters, and the number of revolutions was in the range of 2200.
The efficiency of cars was primarily evaluated in auto racing. At the beginning of the 20th century, several firms were noted in the creation of cars that successfully passed the tests of competitions.
Peugeot, led by the French engineer Ernst Henri, introduced several innovations to the world. developed a 16-cylinder engine, which they equipped their racing cars. They also equipped sports car engines with ball bearing crankshafts and a dry sump lubrication system. In 1914, Peugeot sports cars had a five-speed gearbox and brakes on all four wheels.
Another big name in the history of the automotive industry of the early 20th century is Bugatti. In 1914, Ettore Bugatti presented his first car to the public - the Model 13. "Bugatti" were able to prove that the power of the car is completely independent of its size. For that time, the model "13" was unusually light and compact, but at the same time, it was distinguished by reliability and a powerful engine.
Bugatti "13"
adhered to advanced technologies. He developed a number of innovations in the operation of the car, including a multi-plate clutch.
The production of sports cars flourished not only in the north of Europe. In Spain, the Hispano-Suiza car model appeared, which in 1912 changed its name to Alfonso. The car was equipped with a 3.6 liter engine and developed a stable speed of 110 - 120 km / h.
The English company "Vauxhall" made a bet when creating the "Prince Henry" model not on innovation, but on thoroughness and elegance. The car had an imposing body and an openwork radiator grill, while it handled well and developed a stable speed.
In America, the development of the automotive industry proceeded at a more modest pace. Poor quality, a small territory and a difficult economic situation at the beginning of the 20th century did not contribute to achievements in this area. However, here, in 1910, the legendary racing car appeared - the Mercer model with a 4-cylinder engine and two lower camshafts. His appearance contributed to good dynamics - the size of the body is slightly smaller than the hood, a transverse partition and only two seats inside.
In 1915, America also appeared famous models high-speed cars "Packard" and "Cadillac".
As a result, by the middle of the 20th century and the beginning of the 2nd World War, the image of efficient car - front-wheel drive, independent suspension, four-wheel brake and multi-cylinder engine. In different countries, technical data varied, but in general, retro cars were full-fledged vehicles suitable for auto racing and other purposes.
I continue to tell the history of the global automotive industry using examples from the exposition of the Schlumpf Brothers Museum. In the past, I have covered the period from the dawn of the automobile in the 1880s of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the First World War. Today I will show cars from the first half of the 20th century, from cars from the 1900s to models produced before the start of World War II.
Perhaps this is the most interesting era in automotive history, when the car rapidly evolved from a carriage layout to a more familiar forms, engineers were not afraid to experiment, and bodybuilders and designers created real masterpieces that have become classics for centuries.
I'll start from the time at which I stopped in the first post, namely, with cars produced in the last five years before the start of the First World War. By this time, cars acquire their own face, set by the configuration of the decorative trim of the radiator and headlights, the carriage arrangement is gradually becoming a thing of the past, giving way to a more dynamic form. car body. Below are a dozen examples of cars of this time from the collection of the Schlumpf Brothers Museum.
01. Left Reanult Fourgon Type AX 1911, used in 1914 as a mail van in the French army, 2 cylinders, 7 hp, 55 km/h. On the right is a Lorraine-Dietrich bus, 1907.
02. The capacity of this intercity bus was 9 passengers, was used in Alsace in the mountainous region of the Vosges. The French company Lorraine-Dietrich produced cars from 1896 to 1935, after which it concentrated on the production of aircraft engines, military equipment and in the post-war period, it produced railway locomotives, which it seems to be still producing, being part of the Alstom concern.
03. Another car of the French manufacturer Renault, model Landaulet Type AG 1. Year of manufacture 1910. The car was produced from 1905 to 1914. One and a half thousand cars of this model were used in Paris as a taxi and were even noted in one of the episodes of the First World War, namely in the battle of the Marne. When it was necessary to urgently deliver reinforcements to the front, the soldiers were transported by Parisian taxis, thanks to which they managed to repel the onslaught of the enemy. The action was attended by 600 Parisian taxis of this model, each of which made two runs to the front line, transporting five soldiers with ammunition at a time, after which this car went down in history as the "Marne Taxi". The car was equipped with a weak two-cylinder engine with a power of 8 hp, which was quite enough for driving around the city, since in Paris there was a speed limit of 40 km / h.
04. Next to the legendary taxi, a luxury omnibus manufactured by Delaunay-Belleville in 1909 is on display. Delaunay-Belleville was the most prestigious automobile brand at the time, ranking higher than Rolls-Royce. Such cars were owned mainly by representatives of the royal dynasties, rich industrialists or bankers. Two Delaunay-Belleville cars were also in the garage of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. This omnibus belonged to a luxury hotel in Nice and was used to deliver VIP guests from the station to the hotel. The car was equipped with a 31 hp six-cylinder engine.
05. Delaunay-Belleville produced luxury cars from 1903 to 1948. The hallmark of this manufacturer's car design in the 1900s and 1910s were round headlights and a round grille, which made the cars easily recognizable and immediately indicated the status of the owner. It is noteworthy that bodies for Delaunay-Belleville cars were produced by body shops, the company produced only the chassis.
06. In the 1920s, the prestige of the Delaunay-Belleville brand falls and the company after the First World War earns the bulk of its profits through the production of trucks. And the last model of a passenger car in the history of the company was a copy of the Mercedes-Benz 230 model. The Delaunay-Belleville car went down in history also by the fact that in 1911 it was used for the first bank robbery using motorized transport.
07. Another representative of luxury cars of the 1910s, produced by the famous French automaker in the first half of the 20th century, Delahaye. Pictured is a 1912 Dalahaye Coupe Landaulet.
08. The car was equipped with a 4-cylinder engine with a power of 20 hp. Delahaye produced cars from 1895 to 1954, after which, like most French automakers in the first half of the 20th century, it became history.
09. Another car for the rich, this time from Switzerland. The Piccard-Pictet firm from Geneva produced cars from 1906 to 1924 and its products were famous for their excellent reliability and quality. So cars built for the Swiss army in World War I were used by the army until the beginning of World War II. Pictured is a 1911 Coupe Chauffeur 18 HP. Of the 3,000 cars produced by the company over the years, only eight have survived to date.
10. The next executive class car was also produced in 1911 by the well-known French company that was at the origins of the automotive industry Panhard & Levassor. Model Berline Type X5, 4 cylinders, 12 hp The infoplate states that the car was featured in the movie "Minouche" with actor Fernand Gravey.
11. British manufacturer of luxury Rolls-Royce cars needs no introduction. The photo shows the Biplace Silver Ghost model, year of manufacture 1912. The car was produced in 1906 - 1925 and, thanks to its perfect design and high build quality, is considered one of the best cars in automotive history.
12. A 7.5-liter six-cylinder engine accelerated the car to a maximum speed of 100 km / h. In 1911, for the first time on cars of this manufacturer, they began to install a Spirit of Ecstasy figurine on the radiator neck, which later became the symbol of the company. Two cars of this model were in the garage of V. I. Lenin, one of which was converted to a caterpillar for use in the Russian winter.
13. Another Rolls-Royce Type W.O. (War Office) - a car commissioned by the British War Office for the army. It was distinguished by a reinforced frame on which armored bodies were installed. In the army they were used as armored cars and reconnaissance vehicles. The year of manufacture of the car in the picture is 1920.
14. Representative of the once famous Spanish brand Hispano-Suiza, which produced cars from 1904 to 1938, has sunk into history. The picture shows the Biplace Sport Alphonse XIII model, named after the Spanish king, who showed interest in the company's products and had one such model in his garage. 1912 car, equipped with 3.6 liter engine, which developed 64 hp, which, with a weight of 1300 kg, allowed the car to accelerate to a speed of 120 km / h. At the time, this was a very good result. The light weight of the car was achieved through the use of aluminum alloys from which the engine block and gearbox were made. The car is considered the first mass-produced sports car in history.
15. The 1912 De Dion-Bouton Type DH Limousine was a reliable everyday car that was also used as a travel car.
16. Next to Peugeot Torpedo Type 161, 1922 release. The car was presented at the Brussels Motor Show in 1920 and was produced in 1921-1922. A total of 3,500 cars of this model were produced. The car was double, passenger and driver were located one behind the other. Due to the narrow wheelbase, the design of the car did without the use of a differential. Engine 4-cylinder, 10 HP accelerated a 350-kg machine to 60 km / h. Comparing this 1922 Peugeot with standing nearby De Dion Bouton in 1912, you can see how much the First World War slowed down progress in the automotive industry - cars that are 10 years apart look like they were released in the same year.
17. The only representative of motor vehicles in the museum is an old Harley with a sidecar.
18. A couple of small cars Peugeot Bébé produced in the period 1913 - 1916. The car is notable for the fact that its designer was none other than Ettore Bugatti. small car was a success, more than 3,000 copies were produced.
19. German from near Leipzig - M.A.F. Torpedo F-5/ 14 PS. Four cylinders, 14 hp, 70 km/h, built in 1914. The Markranstädter Automobilfabrik produced cars from 1909 to 1923. Currently, five cars of this automaker have been preserved, one of which is on display at the Schlumpf Brothers Museum.
20. 1923 Renault Torpedo Type MT. In the 1920s, Renault cars acquired an original front end, thanks to which it was difficult to confuse them with cars from other manufacturers. This model was produced in 1923-1925 and was equipped with a four-cylinder water-cooled engine developing 15 hp. The maximum speed of the car was 60 km / h.
21. Large and powerful Mercedes Torpedo Type 28/95, 1924 release. A seven-liter engine, six cylinders, 90 horses and 120 km / h with a car weight of 2,300 kg. The car was designed by Ferdinand Porsche, who served as technical director at Daimler-Mercedes from 1923 to 1929.
22. Next to the German highway liner, the modest and tiny French Monet Goyon Torpedo Type MV, released in 1925 by Monet et Goyon, a motorcycle manufacturer. A single-cylinder six-horsepower engine from a motorcycle was installed on the car, which was started in the same way as on a motorcycle with a kickstarter lever. An attempt to enter the car market was unsuccessful, since this "Cycle-Car", as the small cars were then called, cost a little less than full car Citroen Type C with a four-cylinder engine and after several years of production the project was closed and the firm concentrated entirely on the production of motorcycles, which it produced until 1957.
23. The French automaker Philos produced cars with engines from third-party manufacturers from 1912 to 1923, with a break in 1914-1918 due to the war. Cars were not particularly successful and the company did not last long. One of the Philos products is in the Schlumpf Brothers Museum - on the left in the picture is a Philos A4M, 1914 with a four-cylinder 10-horsepower engine.
24. A trio of light sports cars produced for ordinary roads. Pictured right is a 1928 Salmson VAL3 4 cylinder, 1086 cc, 38 hp. and 110 km/h maximum speed. In the center of a 1926 Amilcar CGSS Surbaissé, 4 cylinders, 35 hp and 120 max.
25. On the left is another Amilcar CGS, 1927 release. 4 cylinders, 30 horses and 115 km/h. The French manufacturer Amilcar specialized in the production of compact sports cars in the "Cyclecars" class, which was subject to lower taxes than regular cars. The company was very successful in the market and its products were popular due to sports performance cars, bright design and moderate prices. Amilcar produced cars from 1921 to 1939.
26. The ugliest vehicle I've ever seen. Three-wheeled convertible Scott, produced in 1923 in England. It's hard to believe, but the car was mass-produced, although it was originally designed as a tractor for artillery guns.
27. Judging by the information plate, the freak accelerated to 80 km / h using a 2-cylinder engine with a power of 12 hp. Before today five such tricycles have been preserved. The machine was not successful in the market (which is not surprising) and its production was curtailed in 1925.
28. In the foreground is a representative of the little-known French company Sénéchal, founded by racing driver Robert Sénéchal and producing cars from 1921 to 1929. The company specialized in the production of small two-seater convertibles, one of which is from 1925, you can see in this picture.
29. Another French convertible class “Cyclecar” by Mathis from Strasbourg, which produced cars from 1910 to 1950. Pictured is a 1924 Mathis Type P model, notable for setting a fuel economy record in 1922, using just 2.38 liters of fuel per hundred kilometers.
30. Such efficiency was achieved thanks to the low weight of the car, which was 350 kg and an economical 4-cylinder engine with a volume of 760 cubes and a power of 9.5 hp. The car was a success in the market and was produced from 1921 to 1925.
31. One of the most successful French cars of the 1920s was the Citroën Type C. Over 80,000 copies of this car were produced during the years of production 1922 - 1926. The car had only one door with right side, on the left, in place of the door, a spare wheel was attached. Pictured is an extended version of the C3, introduced in 1925, with a slightly longer base and room for a third passenger (previously the C and C2 models were two-seaters). The engine of the car was a four-cylinder, with a power of 11 hp, which made it possible to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h on a flat surface.
32. The Citroën Type C was a complete car for its time, good looking and cheaply priced. At the same time, the car in the basic version was equipped with an electric starter, which made it attractive to women. All this provided the car with success and high sales.
33. Let's move on to the heavyweights of the 1920s. In the foreground is a Mercedes 15/70/100 PS, 1925 with a body from the company Winter from Zittau, Germany. The power of the four-liter engine, as the name implies, is 100 hp, which accelerated the 2.2-ton car to a speed of 112 km / h.
34. Nearby is exhibited no less presentable Minerva Type AC, 1926 release. The Belgian luxury car manufacturer Minerva Motors produced automotive products from 1904 to 1938, and in the first half of the 1910s the company was the largest car manufacturer in Belgium. The car in the picture is equipped with a six-cylinder engine, 75 hp, the maximum speed of the car was 100 km/h.
35. In this photo, the representative of Italy is Lancia Dilambda, the year of manufacture is 1929. Eight cylinders, 100 hp and 120 km / h - indicators indicating that the car belongs to the luxury class.
36. Impressive Mercedes 15/70/100 PS Torpedo with a dynamic double body radiates luxury and solidity. Year of release 1927.
37. Very stylish car, in those days was a clear flagship in the traffic stream.
38. In the foreground in the photo is the Maserati Biplace Sport 2000, which has impressive dynamic characteristics: 155 hp. and 180 km / h - for 1930 indicators inspiring respect. A total of six cars of this model were produced.
39. Tracta type E1, 1930 - a representative of the French company Tracta from Versailles, which produced cars from 1927 to 1934. The design features of the company's cars were front-wheel drive, which gave the name to the company Tracta - an abbreviation for Traction Avant, which means "front-wheel drive" in French. Model E had a 58 hp six-cylinder engine. firm Continental and developed a speed of 120 km / h. In total, about 50 cars of this model were produced, of which two have survived to this day. Despite advanced design, the company's cars were not in demand among conservative motorists and in 1934 the company ceased to exist.
40. If in the 1920s the appearance of cars practically did not change, then the 1930s saw the heyday of automotive design and a variety of forms. A striking example of the courage of the designers of that time is this Alfa Romeo Coach 8C 2.9 A, produced in 1936.
41. In addition to the bright appearance, the technical characteristics of the car are also impressive: an 8-cylinder engine with a volume of 2.9 liters and a power of 220 hp. accelerated the car to 220 km / h. In total, 10 cars of this model were built and now their price on the old-timer market reaches millions of euros.
42. All 8 cylinders of the engine are arranged in a row, hence the length of the hood, which is half the length of the car.
43. Another Alfa Romeo 8C, Model 2600 Gran Sport Spider, year of issue 1933 (pictured left). Name 8C series racing cars Alfa Romeo, produced from 1931 to 1939, means the 8-cylinder in-line engine that powered all models in this series. Characteristics corresponding: 178 hp and 190 km/h maximum speed.
44. To the right of the hot Italian, a less hot, but no less stylish British Standard-Swallow SS I, 1934, is on display. Specifications here are more modest - 6 cylinders, 68 horses and 130 km / h. The British company SS Cars Ltd began producing cars in 1934, and in 1945 was renamed Jaguar Cars Ltd. In the photo the first car of the company own development. Prior to the release of this model, SS Cars Ltd produced only chassis bodies. famous brands. So in the photo you can say the first Jaguar.
45. A couple of Mercedes from the second half of the 1930s. Notice how fast it's evolving. automotive design, especially against the background of its stability in the 1920s.
46. Some more German classics from the 1930s. The picture shows a couple of Horkhovs, model 1931 on the left, model 1932 on the right.
47. Horch Cabriolet 670 with luxurious looks and solid performance for 1932: a six-liter 12-cylinder engine with 120 hp. overclocked not light car up to 140 km/h.
48. By the end of the 1930s, cars began to look completely different than some five years ago. The body types common in the 1920s are becoming a thing of the past, most cars are equipped with closed bodies with integrated headlights, fenders and running boards, a new body type appears - the sedan, which will become dominant until the end of the twentieth century. The picture on the left shows a typical late 1930s Renault Juvaquatre, introduced to the market in 1937 and produced until 1960.
49. Next to him is another Frenchman - a Peugeot 202 with original lighting equipment hidden behind a false radiator grille. The year of manufacture of the car is 1939. Four cylinder engine the car gave out 30 hp, which made it possible to reach a speed of 105 km / h. Due to its simplicity and reliability, the car was very popular and during the years of production 1938 - 1940, 1948 - 1949 about 140,000 copies were sold with different type bodies (sedan, convertible, combi and van). On the right in the picture is another Peugeot, model 401. Produced in 1934-1935.
50. One of the most innovative cars of the mid-1930s, the Citroën Traction Avant. The car was introduced in 1934 and at that time had many technical innovations, which are standard in the automotive industry today, including a monocoque body and front-wheel drive. In addition, the car had a very comfortable suspension and excellent dynamics and handling, thanks to which he was popular with robbers, for which he received the nickname "Gangster Sedan". Thanks to the extremely successful design, ahead of its time, the car lasted on the assembly line right up to 1957. Over the years of production, 760,000 cars of this model were produced.
51. Another revolutionary car in terms of design, the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 170 H. The four-cylinder 38-horsepower engine was located at the rear. The car was produced in 1936-1939 but did not become a commercial hit, as happened with the VW Käfer, similar in design and design.
World War II put automotive progress on pause, and after the end of the war, many companies returned to the production of pre-war models, but by the end of the 1940s, automotive progress restored the pace and the evolution of cars continued, but more on that some other time ...
December 18, 1999 The winner of the award was announced in Las Vegas "Car of the Century". About which cars the jury recognized as the best of the 20th century - in our review.
5th place - 911 (303 points)
The iconic Porsche 911 was the fifth most important car the last century. The Porsche 911 was the first and most significant work of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the grandson of the company's founder. Classic 911s were equipped with a 130-horsepower engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The 911 series is still in production today.
4th place - Volkswagen Beetle (521 points)
In fourth place is the most massive production car in the world. From 1938 to 2003, 21,529,464 cars were produced. The "people's car" Volkswagen Maikäfer (Maybug) was developed back in 1931 by Josef Ganz, however final version was created by Jacob Werlin, Ferdinand Porsche and Adolf Hitler himself (the Fuhrer was personally involved in the development of the design). According to the assurances of the latter, every German family could afford such a car. Since 1939, the prototype of the "Beetle" was in the service of the Wehrmacht, after the war it began to be produced for "civilians". By the way, officially, there were no Beetles, Käfers and Zhukovs: the car was called Volkswagen 1200 and 1600. Only in 1998 was the New Beetle released - a more modern analogue of the classic "people's car".
3rd place - Citroën DS (567 points)
Third place went to the Citroën DS, a business class car for the highest ranks. The development began in 1935 and was carried out in secret during the Nazi occupation of France. Despite the adverse working conditions, the engineers were able to develop a number of innovative solutions that would help the future car to get used to the French roads destroyed after the war. After many years of development, on October 6, 1955, the DS was presented at the Paris Motor Show. By the end of the day, 12 thousand orders for the car had been received. Originality, comfort and decent technical characteristics have become the main trump card of the Citroën DS, which is loved by both ordinary motorists and many politicians and celebrities.
2nd place - Mini (617 points)
Mini, produced from 1958 to 2000, became the second "car of the 20th century" according to experts. In 1956, Leonard Lord assembled a team of 8 people and they began to work on the most compact car. A car with dimensions of 3 × 1.2 × 1.2 m was supposed to accommodate four adults with luggage. On August 26, 1959, sales of the first series began in almost 100 countries around the world. Subsequently, many shortcomings of the original design were revealed, which were quickly corrected in newer models. In total, more than two dozen different modifications of the Mini were produced.
1st place - Ford Model T (742 points)
The winner in the nomination was the Ford Model T. The car, produced from 1908 to 1927, became the first widely known car in the world. It had the most simplified design, ideal for mass production, but this did not affect the comfort and handling. Model T was equipped with a 22.5 hp engine. and was able to accelerate to 70 km / h. A total of 15,175,868 cars were produced in several countries around the world.
+ Bonus: top five nominees who didn't make it to the final
The premium car Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was produced from 1906 to 1926. Like many of the company's cars, the "Silver Ghost" was of impeccable quality, and, of course, an incredibly high price. By the way, the Rolls-Royce Armored Car armored car was created on the basis of the Silver Ghost, which was in service with the British army until 1944.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
The best car of the 20th century from an engineering point of view was the Corvette C2 Sting Ray. famous car was the winner of many races and competitions. It was equipped with 425 and 435-horsepower V8 engines, and exclusive model The Grand Sport had 550 hp. In 2013, the Stingray C7 was introduced.
The power of the famous racing model Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB ranged from 240 l / s to 280 l / s. Experienced racers took part in the development: Giotto Bizzarini, Carlo Chiti and Mauro Forgieri. The car was recognized as one of the best sports cars of the 1960s, as well as one of the best Ferraris in the history of the brand.
The legendary Bugatti T35 was the real record holder in the number of races won. On average, he won about 14 races every week. The T35 has held several different challenge cups over the years. The power of the record holder racer was about 90 horsepower.
Alpha Romeo Giulietta was first presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1954, and the model was produced until 1965. The car was equipped with an engine ranging from 62 to 100 hp. and accelerated to 190 km / h. The car has been restyled several times. In 1977, the new Giulietta series was launched.
+ Second bonus: "Car of the century in Russia" - Gaz-21 "Volga"
In the history of the Soviet automobile industry, it is worth highlighting the legendary Volga - GAZ-21. In 1953, designer Lev Eremeev created an elegant Volga concept based on current trends Western automotive industry. The GAZ-21 even outperformed many of its competitors, such as the Ford Zephyr Mk. II and Renault Fregate. The car was produced from 1956 to 1970. GAZ-21 was widely used in various special services: from GorGaz to taxis. A total of 639,478 copies were produced.
