Car Research and Auto Reviews
Car Companies - Then and NowBMWBMW, or Bavarian Motor Work (named in 1917), was started in 1913, producing aircraft engines. In the pre-war years, BMW only produced aircraft engines and motor cycles. It first ventured into manufacturing cars with the Dixi, a small and cheap model. The company gained its reputation with the 2 liter sports car, 328, in 1936. For 2007, BMW, after much consideration, has decided to bring its 1 series to the American market with the 1 Series Compact Sedan. BuickBuick Motor Division, which claims one of the most dramatic and important chapters in the history of the American automobile, celebrated its 103rd anniversary in 2006. The company’s history has been exciting from the beginning. Buick recovered from near bankruptcy in 1904 to become the number one manufacturer of automobiles in 1908 - exceeding the combined production of Ford and Cadillac, its closest competitors. Let's see what Buick has in store for 2007. ChevroletIn 1909, William Durant, a successful buggy manufacturer from Flint, Michigan, asked Louis Chevrolet, a well known race car driver, to help design a car for introduction to the public. In 1911, Durant establishes his company. The Chevrolet Motor Car Company enters the turbulent automobile market on November 3. The bowtie logo of Chevrolet was introduced in 1914. The trend of innovation continues with the Malibu, the Venture, the C5 Corvette convertible and the redesigned Impala. For the 2007 model year, Chevy has some more surprises in store for all its fans. DodgeIn 1901, John Francis Dodge and Horace Elgin Dodge moved their Dodge Brothers Bicycle & Machine Factory to Detroit, Michigan. Dodge is now part of DaimlerChrysler AG, based in Stuttgart. As of 2005, the Dodge brand has become known primarily for its trucks, which account for 78% of the division's sales. Dodge is attempting to change this with the introduction of the new Dodge Charger and the forthcoming Dodge Challenger. For the 2007 model year, Dodge has come up with some surprises. HondaIn October 1946, Soichiro Honda established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, Japan, to develop and produce small 2-cycle motorbike engines. Two years later, Honda Motor Company, Ltd. was born, and in 1959 Honda opened its first storefront in Los Angeles with six industrious employees. This was the humble beginning of what is one of the leading automobile manufacturing companies in the world today. Now, let’s take a look at the new generation Honda. JeepIn 1939 the US Military was looking for a new multi purpose vehicle to replace the motorcycle and the other vehicles they used. They invited 135 automobile companies to bid for a contract to build such a vehicle. The specs given were a payload capacity of 600 lbs, a wheelbase of less than 75 inches, a fold down windshield, total vehicle weight of below 1200 lbs, and, most importantly, it had to be a four wheel drive. The 2007 Jeep Wrangler broke cover at the North American International Auto Show. It continues in the direction of the original Jeep, the Willys MB, by offering more off-road ability and enhances the 4 wheel drive leadership of the brand. LexusLexus is a brand name used by Toyota in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand for luxury automobiles. Some believe the name comes from the combination of "luxury" and "elegance". The world's second mass-production hybrid SUV was a Lexus, after the Ford Escape SUV in summer 2004. The SC300/400 was Lexus' first coupe that made its way to the United States. See what Lexus is up to for 2007. MazdaWhat started out as a small cork manufacturer called Toyo Cork Kogyo Company in Hiroshima, Japan, today stands as a world leader in the production of commercial and passenger automobiles! Mazda’s first production was a 3 wheeled truck, in 1931. It was the Mazda-Go, a combination of motorcycle and automobile. All vehicles that followed were made under the Mazda name and in 1984 the company officially changed its name to Mazda Motor Corporation. The latest Mazda model, the 2007 CX-9 is a seven passenger SUV. Mercedes-BenzThe origin of the company goes back to the late 1800s when Karl Benz founded Benz & Cie and Gottlieb Daimler established Daimler-Motoren-Gessellschaft (DMG). Competitors in the same field, both companies, with trademarks named after their founders, churned out successful automobiles in the first quarter of the 1900s. Since then, Mercedes Benz has been producing winners one after the other; each new model sleeker, faster, safer and more luxurious. They have established a tradition of giving the world the best and the most innovative. And, following this tradition, they have come up with the new 2007 Mercedes S Class series. ToyotaIn 1937 Toyota Motor Company was established with automobile and parts plants being established in Japan as well as around the world. The first North American operations were set up in Canada in 1964 and the Toyota Calty Design Research, Inc. opening its door in the US almost 10 years later in October of 1973. Following the same tradition of luxury, enhanced performance and style, Toyota has now come up with their 2007 models of the Camry, Corolla and the Yaris. Volkswagon“Volkswagen” means “People’s Car” in German. It was born out of Adolf Hitler’s will. During his imprisonment in 1924, Hitler read a lot about Henry Ford and was inspired by his story. When he came to power in 1933, he instructed Austrian Ferdinand Porsche to build a car, a mass production one, for his people. He wanted to see it used by every family, hence the name Volkswagen. Now, in 2007, Volkswagen is coming up with some new, upgraded models for the U.S market, the 2007 Volkswagen Concept R Compact Convertible. |