The surprising history of cars

The first car wasn't a vehicle

The history of the automobile doesn't begin with Henry Ford and the assembly line. The ancestor of the car is a French invention from 1769, the "Fardier de Cugnot", a steam-powered vehicle designed to transport cannons. It was a heavy, slow monster that could only reach 4 km/h. The first car with an internal combustion engine was created by Karl Benz in Germany in 1886. This "patented vehicle" was a tricycle with a small engine. It was the beginning of the automotive era, which would change the world forever.

A race for speed begins

From the very beginning of the automobile, manufacturers embarked on a race for speed. The speed record was first broken in 1898 by the Frenchman Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, who reached 63 km/h. Race cars quickly became a popular spectacle, and the competition for speed pushed engineers to create ever more powerful vehicles.

The car horn is a French invention

Most people think the car horn is an American invention, but it was invented in France in 1868 by Louis Bonal. The goal was to create an audible signal for vehicles that were not yet equipped with engines. The word "klaxon" is actually a French word that means "horn". The horn has since evolved, but its purpose remains the same: to warn other drivers of danger.

Surprising anecdotes

The history of the car is full of anecdotes. In 1908, a car was the first to be stolen. It was a Ford Model T. In 1930, a car was the first to be equipped with a radio. It was a luxury car produced by the Chevrolet brand. The largest car in the world was built in the United States, in California, in the 1980s. This limousine, which was 30.5 meters long, was equipped with a jacuzzi, a swimming pool, and a helipad. It is an example of the madness and luxury that have always been associated with cars.