Stanley Steamer — The first Stanley Steamer (1897; United States) was a steam-powered, chain- driven buggy with a maximum speed of 40 km/h (25 mph). The Stanley (nicknamed Stanley Steamer) was a steam-powered automobile produced by the Stanley Motor Carriage Company. In 1906, the Stanley Rocket set the world land speed record at 127.7 mph (205.5 km/h) at the Daytona …

Volkswagen — The Volkswagen “Bug” (1949; Germany) was first introduced as a “people’s automobile” in 1937. After World War II the Volkswagen was mass produced as an inexpensive, reliable 4-seater, and became one of the best-selling cars of all time. The Volkswagen Type 1, more commonly known as the Beetle, is an economy car produced by the German automaker Volkswagen …

Studebaker Sedan — The Studebaker sedan (1947: United States) caused a post-World War II styling revolution by replacing the small rear window with an all-glass “notch-back” design. Studebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker, was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Originally, the company was a producer of industrial mining wagons, founded in 1852 and incorporated …

Delage D8-120 — The Delage D8/120 sedan (1936; France) had a supercharged 8-cylinder engine, a 4-speed transmission, and a top speed of 209 km/h (130 mph). The Delage Automobile company was established in January, 1905, at 62 chaptal street in Levallois, a northwesterly suburb of Paris, France. It was founded by Louis Delâge (1874-1947), an ambitious young engineer who had …

Datsun — The Datsun 240Z (1970; Japan) was a fastback car with a 6-cylinder, 160-hp, twin-carburetor engine and a 4-speed manual transmission. The S30 Nissan/Datsun 240Z (known in Japan as the Fairlady Z and later in other markets as the 260Z and 280Z) are sports cars produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan in the 1970s. HLS30 was the designation …

Citroen — The Citroen 4-door sedan (1934; France) was one of the last cars built by Andre Gustave Citroen who died in 1935. His production and marketing techniques made him known as the “French Henry Ford”. Impact on the world The Traction Avant, designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933 / early 1934, was the first front …

Cord Convertible Coupe — The Cord Convertible Coupe 812 had a long hood fitted with louver, retractable headlights, and front-wheel drive. Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again from 1936 to 1937. The Cord Corporation was founded and run by Errett Lobban Cord as a …

Chrysler Airflow — The Chrysler Airflow (1934; United States) was one of the first automobiles to feature a streamlined aerodynamic design. The Chrysler Airflow was an automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation from 1934 to 1937. The Airflow was the first full-size American production car to use streamlining as a basis for building a sleeker automobile, one less susceptible to …

Chevrolet Corvette — The Chevrolet Corvette (1953; United States), America’s first production sports car, had a 6-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. It has been proclaimed as “America’s Sports Car”. It is built today exclusively at a General Motors assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, …

Cadillac Coupe — The Cadillac coupe (1958; United States) epitomizes 1950s U.S. car styling with its long tail fins. This two-door six-seater was powered by an 8-cylinder vee-type engine, and was capable of speeds over 180 km/h (110 mph). The Coupe deVille (sometimes spelled Coupe Deville or Coupe DeVille) was a model of Cadillac from 1949 through 1993. The name …