A treasure trove of automotive history: models that changed the rules of the game

Naturally, in more than a century between the appearance of the first motor vehicles and the present day, the automotive industry has changed beyond recognition. Since the 19th century from the one-off, three-wheel-drive Benz Patent-Motorwagen designed by engineer Karl Benz at the end of the 1960s to the highly aerodynamic electric cars produced at the time, capable of covering more than 500 km on a single charge, and from 0-100 km/h. accelerating in 2.3 seconds.

It has been a very long road that requires work, engineering, and nowadays also smart solutions. But what shaped the automotive industry as it is today? Of course, these are people, their ideas and hard work. Both one and the other are reflected in the works of creators, which we are used to calling “models”.

This time, Autoplius.lt opens the chest of history and talks about the most important models that shaped the industry and left a historical stamp.

Ford Model T
First on this list is the Ford Model T. Why is it so important? It is the first mass-produced car in history. The founder of the company, engineer and legend of the world of transport, Henry Ford, opened a factory for these cars in Detroit in 1908. Mass production not only made it possible to produce vehicles faster, the ability to assemble parts on the assembly line also radically reduced their cost. This made the car accessible to many people. The Model T was a model that not only allowed people to discover a new way of mobility, but also began to shape modern, industrial vehicle production. In 1999, the Ford Model T was chosen as the most important car of the last century.

Volkswagen Beetle.
Now the Volkswagen Beetle is a rather rare guest on our roads, as its production has been stopped for some time. However, its history is long and colorful. The development of this model began even before the beginning of the Second World War. Adolf Hitler, one of the biggest bloodsuckers in world history, decided to create a “people’s car” for the people of Germany. The car had to be affordable, practical and reliable. And to make it even more attractive, Ferdinand Porsche was used to create the design. The Volkswagen Beetle is still one of the best-selling models in the world in the entire history of the production of these cars. And the most ironic thing is that the car created by the order of one of the world’s most famous dictators even became one of the symbols of peace in the USA in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lamborghini Miura.
Not only a car with a timeless design, but also a pioneer of what we call supercars today. Produced between 1966 and 1973, the car became the first roadster with a rear mid-engine layout. This means that the engine of the vehicle was not in the front or back, but directly behind the front passengers. Since then, the aforementioned arrangement has become one of the standard components of powerful supercars. This two-door coupe had a 4-liter V12 engine generating 350 hp and a 5-speed manual gearbox. If such a combination sounds impressive today, one can only imagine what it meant in 1966. When the car appeared, its price was 20,000 dollars. Today, the equivalent of this amount would be about 180,000 dollars. And in 2020, the Lamborghini Miura Speciale was sold at auction for $4,163,000.

Toyota Prius.
It’s probably strange to see the Lamborghini Miura and Toyota Prius on the same list. Be that as it may, both are extremely important in the world of vehicles. However, if “Miura” has become the benchmark for sports cars, then “Prius” is for economical and ecological ones. Introduced back in 1997, the Prius couldn’t boast of practicality, power, or special styling features. However, under the metal clothes, he carried a very important innovation – a hybrid engine. The usefulness of the hybrid system (HEV) was revealed from the start. And energy efficiency, low costs and low emissions have helped bring environmental concerns to the fore. The innovative hybrid system of the Prius not only pushed the further development of hybrid systems, but also stimulated the development of electric cars. Today, similar systems are already used by most new car manufacturers. And Toyota just recently introduced the fifth generation of the Prius model.

Ford Mustang.
You may love it, you may hate it, but you’ve definitely heard of the Ford Mustang. This model was introduced in 1964. It became a part of American culture so quickly that most people didn’t even catch on. With the Mustang, Ford created not only a car, but also a dream. This sports coupe represented a sense of freedom, speed and power that simply perfectly reflected the social context of the 1960s USA. 22,000 orders on the first day, 418,000 orders in the first year and 1,000,000 models sold in the first 23 months of production. The Mustang has been the world’s fastest-selling sports car since day one.

Both mothers with children and racers bought the model. And each of these buyers helped shape the American sports car market, giving the basis for other legendary models such as the Chevrolet Camaro or the Dodge Challenger.

Iconic, historic car models are an important part of our history. They reflect not only technological progress, but also cultural, economic or social changes that have taken place over the past century. Cars have changed our mobility, shaped our perception of transportation, luxury, speed and even environmental protection. They are not only vehicles that we use every day, but also an integral part of world culture.