04 Oct Amazing Automobile Facts

The automobile industry has been a huge global manufacturer for almost a century now and nobody can argue that we don’t love our cars! Whether you drive a beat up old fiesta or a shiny new BMW, without  sheet metal fabrication, there would not be such a massive range of vehicles to choose from. For details on Bending Machines for sheet metal, visit www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/euromac/horizontal-bending-machines/

As we enter an age that is more focused on sustainability and electric vehicles, let’s consider some fascinating facts about the automobile industry:

• All Blacks

In 2018, the most popular car colour was black. So, we’re not all flashy and wanting bold coloured vehicles! Black accounted for almost a quarter of all car sales, followed by white and then grey. Could it be that cars in black just look more sleek?

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• Longevity

Rolls Royce cars have been gracing our roads since the early 20th century and their timeless style and quality manufacture makes them as popular today as ever. Amazingly, many of the earliest are still functioning today!

• Market Giant

Ford has always been a brand immediately synonymous with driving and in the early days of motoring, Ford had a giant share of the market with 55% of vehicles on the roads across the whole world being Model T Fords.

• First Ticket

The very first speeding ticket ever issued was issued in Kent in 1896. A man was caught driving at four times the speed limit – a whopping 8 miles per hour! He was fined a shilling by a policeman who caught up with him on a bicycle!

• Congestion

China has the most cars of any other nation. By 2017, China registered 300 million vehicles which makes up a considerable share of the 1.32 billion vehicles owned globally.

• Accidents

The very first accident to involve an automobile occurred in 1891 in Ohio. A vehicle hit a tree root but thankfully, neither the driver nor the passenger received serious injuries. This very first accident led to increased safety equipment being added to cars for driver safety.

• Right Side

We drive on the left here in the UK but we are outnumbered! Approximately 65% of the world’s drivers drive on the right side of the road. That’s why it’s so tricky for many of us to drive abroad.

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• A car is for life

The Guinness Book of Records has an entry for the most miles driven in one car. A Long Island man bought a Volvo in 1966 and drove it until his death in 2018, clocking up a whopping 3 million miles! The car did need a little maintenance through the years – including 2 new engines and 30 drive belts!

• Bizarre Laws

For unfathomable reasons, it is illegal to jump between cars that are travelling at over 65mph. Why anyone other than a stunt person would want to do this is a mystery! Apparently jumping between vehicles travelling slower than 65mph is perfect;y ok though.

• Oldest Car

The world’s oldest car, built in 1844 sold at auction for an eye-watering $4.62 million in 2011.