Automotive History

(February 16. 2015) DETROIT — Chevrolet Camaro has tracked the rise, fall and resurgence of American performance for nearly 50 years, making it a bellwether of horsepower. Since its 1967 introduction, the Camaro’s engine output has ranged from a low of 88 horsepower to a peak of 580, as the pony car rode the highs of the muscle car era in the late-1960s and the lows of the oil embargo-influenced 1970s to the emergence of modern technologies in the 1980s and the unprecedented power and efficiency offered today.

(September 13, 2014) On this day in 1899 (Saturday, Sept. 13) the first known traffic fatality occurred in the U.S. When Henry Bliss stepped off a streetcar at Central Park West and 74th Street in New York, automobiles were a novelty.  Thus, he didn't look carefully, and was run over by an almost silent electric taxi. 

(August 18, 2014) MUNICH — When the first classic Mini, made in Birmingham, England, went on the market on Aug. 18, 1959, none of the people involved at the time are likely to have imagined that the concept of a revolutionary small car would turn into one of the automotive industry's most impressive success stories stretching over a period of five and half decades.

(May 22, 2014) The journey from the original 240Z to the current 370Z made a number of interesting stops along the past 45 years. Interestingly, the 240Z might not have made the journey to America in the first place, if not for the efforts of one man.

(May 8, 2014) DETROIT — Chevrolet captured the spirit of 20th Century America, with its “work hard, play hard” ethic.  And perhaps no Chevrolet represents this spirit better than the Chevy truck.

Founded in Detroit on Nov. 3, 1911, Chevrolet produced only cars through 1917. The company added its first truck models in January 1918, and has built tens of millions since.

(February 8, 2014) CHICAGO — On Feb. 9, 1989, the world was introduced to the all-new Mazda MX-5 Miata at the Chicago Auto Show. A few months later, it was named as one of the five "World's Best Cars" by Road & Track and never looked back.

(December 26, 2013) Nissan in May 2012 introduced the fifth generation of the popular mid-sized Nissan Altima. The Altima is an extemely important car for Nissan. It was the second best-selling car in America in 2011 and Nissan has high hopes ftat the new vehicle can overtake the long-standing front-runner Toyota Camry.

The 2013-2014 Altima rides on the same wheelbase as the outgoing model, though this new car is 0.8 inches longer and 1.4 inches wider.

TORRANCE, Calif.  — Honda on June 11, 2009, marked its first 50 years in America, commemorating the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., in a small Los Angeles storefront on June 11, 1959. Honda associates observed the occasion with a brief ceremony at the company's Torrance, Calif. headquarters.

(November 1, 2013) DETROIT — In 1964, a gallon of gas cost 30 cents and a movie ticket cost $1.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the year at 874 and The Beatles made their historic appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. It was also the year Chevrolet introduced the Malibu.

What a difference half a century makes.