List of automotive superlatives - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Automobile

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

s are frequently judged in their industry by many superlatives: the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and so on. They vary greatly in size, engine displacement

Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...

, power

Power (physics)

In physics, power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. For example, the rate at which a light bulb transforms electrical energy into heat and light is measured in watts—the more wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit...

, price, and many other traits.

In order to keep the entries relevant, the list (except for the firsts section) is limited to automobiles built after World War II, and lists superlatives for earlier vehicles separately. The list is also limited to production road cars that:

are constructed principally for retail sale to consumers, for their personal use, and to transport people on public roads (no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible);
have had 20 or more instances made by the original vehicle manufacturer
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....

, and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition (cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible); and;
are street-legal in their intended markets, and capable of passing any official tests or inspections required to be granted this status.

Overall

Length
- Longest
  - Current production car - 6165 mm (242.7 in) - 2010 Maybach 62
  - Production car - 6405 mm (252.2 in) - 1974-76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five
    Cadillac Fleetwood
    Lawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac in its early years. In 1916 he joined the Fisher Body Company which had been formed by two of his brothers in 1908. Larry was one of four of the seven Fisher brothers who brought Fisher Body Corporation under the General...
    
    Limousine
  - Pickup Truck - 6650 mm (261.8 in) - 2010 Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed
  - Commercial - 7345 mm (289.2 in) - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
    Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
    The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light and heavy commercial vehicle, built by Daimler AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a van, chassis cab and minibus, and sold as a Mercedes model, except in the U.S. where it is built from complete knock down kits and was sold by Freightliner until 2010 when Mercedes...
    
    LWB / Volkswagen Crafter
    Volkswagen Crafter
    The Volkswagen Crafter, introduced in 2006, is the largest 3 to 5 tonne van sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. It is the third generation of the Volkswagen LT truck, which has been in production since 1975....
    
    LWB
- Shortest
  - Current production car - 2695 mm (106.1 in) - 2010 Smart Fortwo
    Smart Fortwo
    The Smart Fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater city car manufactured by Smart GmbH, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as the Smart City Coupé, and currently in its second generation...
  - Production car - 2500 mm (98.4 in) - 1998 Smart Fortwo
    Smart Fortwo
    The Smart Fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater city car manufactured by Smart GmbH, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as the Smart City Coupé, and currently in its second generation...
  - Limited production car - 1340 mm (52.8 in) - 1962 Peel P50
    Peel P50
    The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production...
    
    (3 wheels)

Width
- Widest
  - Current production car - 2058 mm (81 in) - 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce
  - Production car - 2075 mm (81.7 in) (without rearview mirrors) - 1961-63 Imperial
  - Limited production car - 2101 mm (82.7 in) - 2008 SSC Ultimate Aero
  - Pickup Truck - 2438 mm (96 in) - 2010 Dodge Ram
    Dodge Ram
    The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
    
    3500
  - Commercial - 2474 mm (97.4 in) - 2010 Unimog U5000
    Unimog
    Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
- Narrowest
  - TBD

Height
- Tallest
  - Current production car - 1990 mm (78.3 in) - 2012 VW Multivan
    Volkswagen Transporter (T5)
    The Volkswagen Transporter T5 range is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles medium-sized light commercial vehicle and people mover Caravelle/Multivan range...
    
    (LWB)
  - Pickup Truck - 2956 mm (116.4 in) - 2005 Brabus
    BRABUS
    Brabus, founded 1977 in Bottrop , Germany , is a high-performance aftermarket tuning company which specializes in Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach vehicles....
    
    Unimog
    Unimog
    Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
    
    U500 Black Edition
  - SUV - 2083 mm (82 in) - 2003 Hummer H2
    Hummer H2
    The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT that was marketed by General Motors under the Hummer brand. It is a large truck , while longer, heavier , and taller with room for six passengers , seven passengers in some models. The rearmost part of the H2 SUV was modified to a pickup truck bed for the 2005 H2 SUT...
  - Commercial - 2676 mm (105.4 in) - 2010 Unimog U5000
    Unimog
    Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
- Lowest
  - Current production car - 1117 mm (44 in) - 2010 Lotus Elise
    Lotus Elise
    The 1996 Lotus Elise weighed . Because of its relatively low weight, it was able to accelerate 0- in 5.8 seconds despite its relatively low power output of...
  - Production car - 1029 mm (40.5 in) - 1964 Ford GT40
    Ford GT40
    The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
  - Note: 991 mm (39 in) - Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
    Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
    The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an extremely rare road car built by Alfa Romeo of Italy. Only 18 are reported to have been made, plus three design studies based on the 33 Stradale the 33.2, Iguana and Carabo...
    
    (18 made)
  - Limited production car - 736.6 mm (29 in) - 1969 Probe 15

Wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...

Longest
- Production car - 3893 mm (153.3 in) - 1964 Mercedes-Benz 600
  Mercedes-Benz 600
  The Mercedes-Benz 600 is a large luxury automobile offered in several variants worldwide. Introduced in September 1963, it had very few competitors, these being Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Cadillac Fleetwood 75, the stretched Lehmann-Peterson Lincoln, and the Crown Imperial Ghia...
  
  Limousine
- Pickup Truck - 4379 mm (172.4 in) - 2005 Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab
  Ford F-Series
  The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
- Commercial - 5080 mm (200 in) - 2005 Ford F-550 Super Duty Chassis Crew Cab
  Ford F-Series
  The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
Shortest
- Current production car - 1867 mm (73.5 in) - 2010 Smart Fortwo
  Smart Fortwo
  The Smart Fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater city car manufactured by Smart GmbH, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as the Smart City Coupé, and currently in its second generation...
- Production car - 1500 mm (59.1 in) - 1956 Isetta
  Isetta
  The Isetta is an Italian-designed microcar built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most...
- Limited-production car - 1270 mm (50 in) - 1962 Peel P50
  Peel P50
  The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production...

Track

Widest Front
- Production car - 1685 mm (66.3 in) - 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom (2003)
- Pickup truck - 1879 mm (74 in) - 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
- Commercial - 1930 mm (76 in) - 2010 Dodge Ram 4500 Chassis Cab
Widest Rear
- Production car - 1710 mm (67.3 in) - Jaguar XJ220
  Jaguar XJ220
  The Jaguar XJ220 is a mid-engined supercar produced by Jaguar in collaboration with Tom Walkinshaw Racing as Jaguar Sport between 1992 and 1994. It held the record for the highest top speed of a production car , until the arrival of the McLaren F1 in 1994...
- Pickup truck - 1925 mm (75.8 in) - 2010 Dodge Ram
  Dodge Ram
  The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
  
  3500 Crew Cab Dual Rear Wheels
- Commercial - 1927 mm (75.9 in) - 2009 Unimog U4000
  Unimog
  Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
Narrowest Front
- Limited-production car - 990 mm (39 in) - Peel P50
  Peel P50
  The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production...
- Production car - 1275 mm (50.2 in) - 1998 Smart Fortwo
Narrowest Rear
- Production car - 521 mm (20.5 in) - Isetta
  Isetta
  The Isetta is an Italian-designed microcar built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most...

Weight

Lightest
- Current production car - 600 kg (1,323 lb) - 2008 Tata Nano
  Tata Nano
  The Tata Nano is an inexpensive, rear-engined, four-passenger city car built by the Indian company Tata Motors and is aimed primarily at the Indian domestic market....
- Production car - 406 kg (895 lb) - 1964 Mini Moke
  Mini Moke
  The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini and designed for the British Motor Corporation by Sir Alec Issigonis. The name comes from "Mini"—the car with which the Moke shares many parts—and "Moke", which is an archaic dialect term for donkey...
- Current production racecar - 456 kg (1,005 lb) - 1996 Ariel Atom
  Ariel Atom
  The Ariel Atom is a high performance sports car made by the Ariel Motor Company based in Somerset, England and under licence in North America by TMI Autotech, Inc. at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia....
- Limited-production car - 59 kg (130 lb) DIN
  Din
  DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....
  
  - 1962 Peel P50
  Peel P50
  The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production...
  
  (3 wheels)
Heaviest Curb Weight
- Production car - 2855 kg (6,294 lb) - 2003 Maybach 62
- SUV - 3428 kg (7,557 lb) - 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha Wagon
  Hummer H1
  The Hummer H1 is a civilian off-road vehicle based on the M998 Humvee, which was created by AM General. The vehicle was produced from 1992 through 2006, and was the first of what became the Hummer line...
- Pickup truck - 6600 kg (14,551 lb) - 2008 International CXT
  International CXT
  The International Extreme Truck or XT is a vehicle line comprising three very large pickup trucks, built on the same chassis from International from 2004-2008. The company expected business owners to account for most sales...
- Limited-production car - 4536 kg (10,000 lb) - 2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine (estimated)
- Commercial - 5350 kg (11,795 lb) - 2009 Unimog
  Unimog
  Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
  
  U5000 Long Wheelbase

Smallest

Current production car - 624 cc - 2008 Tata Nano
Tata Nano
The Tata Nano is an inexpensive, rear-engined, four-passenger city car built by the Indian company Tata Motors and is aimed primarily at the Indian domestic market....
Limited-production car - 49 cc - 1963 Peel P50
Peel P50
The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production...
100+ Produced - 322 cc - 1956 Berkeley SA322

Largest

1911 Fiat S76 two-seat racer, 28.3 litre inline-four engine
1912 Benz 82/200 Touring four-seat convertible, 21.5 litre inline-four engine
- (Currently produced)
  - Nelson Racing Engines 705 HEMI BBC Pump Gas Warrior 705 cubic inch V8 engine
    V8 engine
    A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
  - Bugatti Veyron
    Bugatti Veyron
    The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...
    
    8 litre W16 engine
    W16 engine
    A W16 engine is a sixteen cylinder piston internal combustion engine in a four-bank W configuration. All W16 engines consist of two 'offset double-row' banks of eight cylinders, coupled to a single crankshaft....
  - (Crate engine
    Crate engine
    An automobile engine replacement is an engine or a major part of one that is sold individually without any other parts required to make a functional car...
    
    only) - GM Performance ZZ572, 572 cubic inch V8 engine
    V8 engine
    A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

Highest power

Petrol/Gasoline engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....

(naturally aspirated) - 559 kW - 2011 Aston Martin One-77
Aston Martin One-77
The Aston Martin One-77 is a two-door coupé built by Aston Martin.It first appeared at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, although the car remained mostly covered by a "Savile Row tailored skirt" throughout the show, before being fully revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.There was a limited run of 77...

7.3L V12 engine
- Note: Lamborghini Aventador
  Lamborghini Aventador
  The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is a two-door, two-seater sports car publicly unveiled by Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on 28 February 2011, five months after its initial unveiling in Sant'Agata Bolognese. Internally codenamed LB834, the Aventador was designed to replace the ten-year-old...
  
  V12 engine
  V12 engine
  A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
  
  - 515 kW
- Note: Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
  Pagani
  Pagani Automobili S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of sports cars and carbon fibre. The company was founded in 1992 by Horacio Pagani, and is based in San Cesario sul Panaro, near Modena, Italy.-History:...
  
  (5 built) V12 engine
  V12 engine
  A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
  
  - 506 kW
- Note: McLaren F1 LM
  McLaren F1 LM
  The McLaren F1 LM is, in short, a track oriented edition of the McLaren F1. The LM is based on the McLaren F1 GTR with the necessary modifications in place to allow the modified GTR to be a road legal car, however without the engine intake restrictions imposed on the GTR racing edition by racing...
  
  (5 built) V12 engine
  V12 engine
  A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
  
  - 500 kW
Petrol/Gasoline engine (forced-induction) - 960 kW SSC Ultimate Aero TT
- Note: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (30 to be built as of 2010) W16 quad-turbo engine
  W16 engine
  A W16 engine is a sixteen cylinder piston internal combustion engine in a four-bank W configuration. All W16 engines consist of two 'offset double-row' banks of eight cylinders, coupled to a single crankshaft....
  
  - 883 kW

Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

(forced-induction) - 368 kW, Audi Q7
Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover SUV unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of the Q7 began in autumn of 2005 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2007. Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009...

V12 TDI 6.0 L - 5934 cc twin-turbo
Twin-turbo
Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...

V12 engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Note: 298 kW, Ford Super Duty
  Ford Super Duty
  For the 1999 model year, Ford shifted the F-250 and F-350 truck lines to a design mechanically and cosmetically distinct from that of the F-150. The F-350 was not available for 1998, while the F-250 was available that year with the F-150's body...
  
  V8 TDI 6.7 L - turbo V8 engine
  V8 engine
  A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Note: 296 kW, Chevrolet Silverado
  Chevrolet Silverado
  The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
  
  /GMC Sierra V8 TDI 6.6 L - 6599 cc turbo V8 engine
  V8 engine
  A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Note: 261 kW, Ram Heavy Duty
  Dodge Ram
  The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
  
  I6 TDI 6.7 L - 6686 cc turbo I6 engine
Diesel engine (naturally aspirated) - 138 kW, 1992 Ford F-250
Ford F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...

V8 7.3 L - IDI Diesel
International Harvester IDI
The International Harvester IDI engine is a 4-stroke 8-cylinder Diesel engine used in International Harvester trucks and Ford F-Series pickups from 1982 to 1994...

Electric engine
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...

- 402 bhp, Fisker Karma
Fisker Karma
The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive and manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at equivalent in all-electric mode, and at in...

Highest specific power (power-to-weight ratio)

Naturally aspirated - 1045 hp/metric ton (1.91 lb/hp) - 2007 Caparo T1
Caparo T1
The Caparo T1 is a British mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat automobile built by Caparo Vehicle Technologies, founded by design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead, engineers formerly involved in the development of the McLaren F1. The T1 was inspired by Formula...

V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

429 kW and 470 kg (1,036 lb)
Forced-induction - 1,107 hp/metric ton 2011 SSC Ultimate Aero TT V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

960 kW and 1197 kg (2,639 lb)

Highest specific engine output (power/unit displacement)

Petrol/Gasoline (naturally aspirated) piston engine - 118.81 kW per litre - 2009 Caparo T1
Caparo T1
The Caparo T1 is a British mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat automobile built by Caparo Vehicle Technologies, founded by design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead, engineers formerly involved in the development of the McLaren F1. The T1 was inspired by Formula...

415.35 kW 3.496 L
- Note: 92.18 kW per litre - 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia 419.2 kW 4.499 L
- Note: 92.09 kW per litre - 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
  Porsche 911 GT3
  The Porsche 911 GT3 is a higher performance version of the Porsche 911 sports car. It is the latest in a line of high performance models, beginning with the 1973 911 RS...
  
  368 kW 3.996 L
Petrol/Gasoline (forced-induction) piston engine - 151.42 kW per litre - 2009 SSC Aero
SSC Aero
The SSC Ultimate Aero is an American-built mid-engine supercar by Shelby SuperCars. The higher-performance limited production version previously held the Guinness Book of World Records record for being the fastest production car in the world , with a recorded speed of...

960 kW 6.34 L V8
- Note: 151.15 kW per litre - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ 400
  Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
  The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
  
  302 kW 1.998 L I4
Biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...

piston engine - 166.2 kW per litre - 2011 Koenigsegg Agera R
Koenigsegg Agera
The Koenigsegg Agera is a mid-engined sports car made by Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg as of 2011. It is a successor to the Koenigsegg CCX/CCXR...

831 kW
Diesel engine (naturally aspirated) - 33.38 kW per litre - 1993 Mercedes E 300 Diesel
Mercedes-Benz W124
W124 is the Mercedes-Benz internal chassis-designation for the 1985 to 1995 version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The W124 models replaced the W123 models after 1985 and were superseded by the W210 E-Class after 1995.-History:...

100 kW DIN
Din
DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....

2.996 L OM606
Mercedes-Benz OM606 engine
The Mercedes-Benz OM606 is a 3.0 litre inline-six cylinder double overhead camshaft diesel engine with indirect injection manufactured by Mercedes-Benz between 1993 and 2001. It replaced the single overhead camshaft OM603 engine....

I6
- Note: 33.24 kW per litre - 1993 Mercedes E 250 Diesel
  Mercedes-Benz W124
  W124 is the Mercedes-Benz internal chassis-designation for the 1985 to 1995 version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The W124 models replaced the W123 models after 1985 and were superseded by the W210 E-Class after 1995.-History:...
  
  83 kW DIN
  Din
  DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....
  
  2.497 L OM605
  Mercedes-Benz OM605 engine
  The Mercedes-Benz OM605 is a 2.5 litre inline-five cylinder double overhead camshaft diesel engine with indirect injection manufactured by Mercedes-Benz between 1993 and 2001. It replaced the single overhead camshaft OM602 engine....
  
  I5
- Note: 32.55 kW per litre - 1996 Mercedes C 200 Diesel 65 kW DIN
  Din
  DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....
  
  1.997 L OM604
  Mercedes-Benz OM604 engine
  The Mercedes-Benz OM604 is a 2.0 and 2.2 litre inline-four cylinder double overhead camshaft diesel engine with indirect injection manufactured by Mercedes-Benz between 1993 and 1998. It replaced the single overhead camshaft OM601 engine....
  
  I4
Diesel engine (forced-induction) - 77.85 kW per litre - 2011 BMW 640d
BMW 6 Series
BMW 6 Series refers to several generations of executive coupés produced by BMW.The first was the E24, being derived from the E12 & E28 5 Series 4-door sedans. The E24 launched in 1976 to replace the 3.0CS & 3.0CSi . 14 years later, in 2003, BMW released the all new E63/E64 which was available as a...

3.0 L I6 twin-turbo
Twin-turbo
Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...

233 kW DIN
- Note: 77.52 kW per litre - 2011 Audi
  Audi
  Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
  
  3.0 L V6 twin-turbo
  Twin-turbo
  Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...
  
  230 kW DIN
- Note: 75.19 kW per litre - 2007 BMW 123d
  BMW 1 Series (E81)
  The BMW 1 Series is an entry level sports car produced by the German automaker BMW since 2004. The 1 Series is unusual in its class as it features rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight balance, a longitudinally-mounted engine and an advanced aluminum multilink suspension...
  
  BMW N47
  BMW N47
  BMW N47 is BMW's latest four-cylinder common rail diesel engine, with many improvements over its predecessor, the BMW M47.Having made its debut in the face lifted BMW E87 and the E81 which were both introduced in March 2007, it was also offered from the outset in the BMW E82 and E88, which were...
  
  150 kW DIN
  Din
  DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....
  
  1.995 L I4
- Note: 75.18 kW per litre - 2009 BMW 740d
  BMW F01
  The BMW F01 is the current BMW 7 series that went into production in September 2008. The long-wheelbase model, codenamed BMW F02, is longer than the BMW F01.-Presentation:...
  
  BMW N57
  BMW N57
  The BMW N57 is a family of aluminium, turbocharged straight-6 common rail diesel engines. The engines utilize variable geometry turbochargers and Bosch piezo-electric injectors.-Summary:-N57D30:...
  
  225 kW DIN
  Din
  DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:* A din is a loud noise.* Dīn, an Arabic term meaning "religion" or "way of life".* Din is one of the ten aspects of the Ein Sof in Kabbalah ....
  
  2.993 L I6
Pistonless rotary engine
Pistonless rotary engine
A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons...

(naturally aspirated) - 140.5 kW per litre - Mazda RX-8
Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Wankel engine. The RX-8 began North American sales in the...

Renesis 184 kW JIS 1.3 L
Pistonless rotary engine (forced-induction) - 158.46 kW per litre - Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...

206 kW JIS 1.3 L

Highest torque

Petrol engine (forced-induction) - 1508 N·m (1,112 ft·lbf), SSC Ultimate Aero TT
- Note: 1500 N·m (1,106 ft·lbf) Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (30 to be built as of 2010) W16 quad-turbo engine
  W16 engine
  A W16 engine is a sixteen cylinder piston internal combustion engine in a four-bank W configuration. All W16 engines consist of two 'offset double-row' banks of eight cylinders, coupled to a single crankshaft....
Petrol engine (naturally aspirated) - 759 N·m (560 ft·lbf), 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Dodge Viper
The first prototype was tested in January 1989. It debuted in 1991 with two pre-production models as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Japanese-built Stealth because of complaints from the United Auto Workers, and went on sale in January...
- Note: 786 N·m (580 ft·lbf), 1999 Mercedes CLK GTR SS
  Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
  The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR is a sports car and race car that was built by Mercedes-AMG, performance and motorsports arm of Mercedes-Benz. Intended for racing in the new FIA GT Championship series in 1997, the CLK GTR was designed primarily as a race car, with the road cars necessary in order to...
  
  (limited production car)
Diesel engine - 1085 N·m (800 ft·lbf), Tied Dodge Ram
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...

Heavy Duty I6 TDI 6.7 L - 6686 cc turbo I6 engine / Ford Super Duty
Ford Super Duty
For the 1999 model year, Ford shifted the F-250 and F-350 truck lines to a design mechanically and cosmetically distinct from that of the F-150. The F-350 was not available for 1998, while the F-250 was available that year with the F-150's body...

V8 TDI 6.7 L - turbo V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Note: 1037 N·m (765 ft·lbf), Chevrolet Silverado
  Chevrolet Silverado
  The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
  
  /GMC Sierra V8 TDI 6.6 L - 6599 cc turbo V8 engine
  V8 engine
  A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- Note: 1000 N·m (738 ft·lbf), Audi Q7
  Audi Q7
  The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover SUV unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of the Q7 began in autumn of 2005 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2007. Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009...
  
  V12 TDI 6.0 L - 5934 cc twin-turbo
  Twin-turbo
  Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...
  
  V12 engine
  V12 engine
  A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
Electric engine - 1300 N·m (959 ft·lbf), Fisker Karma
Fisker Karma
The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive and manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at equivalent in all-electric mode, and at in...

Highest specific torque (torque/unit displacement)

The mean effective pressure

Mean effective pressure

The mean effective pressure is a quantity related to the operation of an reciprocating engine and is a valuable measure of an engine's capacity to do work that is independent of engine displacement. When quoted as an indicated mean effective pressure or imep , it may be thought of as the average...

(MEP) is a useful comparison tool, giving the average cylinder pressure exerted on the piston.

Petrol engine (naturally aspirated) - MEP 15.1 bar, 120.03 N·m (89 ft·lbf) per litre - Ferrari 458 Italia 540 N·m (398 ft·lbf)
- Note: MEP 15.4 bar, 122.9 N·m (91 ft·lbf) per litre - TVR Cerbera 4.5 Red Rose Lightweight
  TVR Cerbera
  The TVR Cerbera is a sports car manufactured by TVR between 1996 and 2003. The name is derived from Cerberus the three-headed beast of Greek legend that guarded the entrance of Hades....
  
  550 N·m (406 ft·lbf) TVR Speed Eight engine
  TVR Speed Eight engine
  The TVR Speed Eight was the name of a normally aspirated V8 car engine designed and manufactured by TVR. The engine was intended to power the TVR Griffith and the TVR Chimaera but delays in its production meant that it powered only the TVR Cerbera and the TVR Tuscan Racer...
  
  (limited production car)
Petrol engine (forced-induction) - MEP 33 bar, 262.76 N·m (194 ft·lbf) per litre - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X FQ400
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...

525 N·m (387 ft·lbf)
Biofuel engine
Petrol engine (naturally aspirated pistonless rotary engine
Pistonless rotary engine
A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons...

) - MEP 21.5 bar, 170.8 N·m (126 ft·lbf) per litre - 2005 Mazda RX-8
Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Wankel engine. The RX-8 began North American sales in the...

222 N·m (164 ft·lbf)
Petrol engine (forced-induction pistonless rotary engine
Pistonless rotary engine
A pistonless rotary engine is an internal combustion engine that does not use pistons in the way a reciprocating engine does, but instead uses one or more rotors, sometimes called rotary pistons...

) - MEP 30.3 bar, 241.38 N·m (178 ft·lbf) per litre - Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...

Turbo 313.8 N·m (231 ft·lbf)
Diesel engine (naturally aspirated) - MEP 9.03 bar, 71.88 N·m (53 ft·lbf) per litre - 1999 Nissan Sunny B15 2.2D
Nissan Sunny
The Nissan Sunny is a small car from Nissan. It was launched in 1966 as the Datsun 1000 and although production in Japan ended in 2004, it remains in production today for the African, American and Sri Lankan markets. In the US, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny...

2.184 L 157 N·m (115.8 ft·lbf) Nissan YD engine
Nissan YD engine
The YD engine is a 2.2 L & 2.5 L Diesel I4 piston engine from Nissan. It has a cast iron block & aluminium head with chain driven DOHC.-YD22DD:Winner of the FY 1998 Sho-Ene Taisho ....
Diesel engine (forced-induction) - MEP 29.3 bar, 233 N·m (172 ft·lbf) per litre - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 250CDI BlueEfficiency 500 N·m (369 ft·lbf)

Economy

USA measurements

Highest USA EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...

mileage - 48 miles per US gallon/60 miles per US gallon - 2001 Honda Insight
Honda Insight
The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback...

5-speed
- Note: in 2007 the EPA changed its measurement standards, changing the rating to 48 miles per US gallon/58 miles per US gallon
Lowest USA EPA mileage - 6 miles per US gallon/10 miles per US gallon - 1986-1990 Lamborghini Countach
Lamborghini Countach
The Lamborghini Countach is a mid-engined supercar that was produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. Its design both pioneered and popularized the wedge-shaped, sharply angled look popular in many high performance sports cars...

European Union measurements

Lowest EU fuel consumption - 2.99 L/100 km - 1999 Volkswagen Lupo
Volkswagen Lupo
The Lupo is a city car manufactured by German automaker Volkswagen from 1998 to 2005.-Model history:The Lupo was introduced in 1998 to fill a gap at the bottom of the VW model range caused by the increasing size and weight of the VW Polo. Rivals included the Ford Ka, the Opel/Vauxhall Agila and...

1.2 TDI / 2001 Audi A2 1.2 TDI
Highest EU fuel consumption - 24.1 L/100 km combined city/hwy 2008 Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...

16.4
Longest 90% range - 1658 km (1,030 mi) - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...

77 kW TDI BlueMotion with 6-speed manual and 70 l (147.9 US pt) fuel tank, calculated by using extra-urban Euro cycle mileage of 3.8 L/100 km

Price

Most expensive (production) - Aston Martin One-77
Aston Martin One-77
The Aston Martin One-77 is a two-door coupé built by Aston Martin.It first appeared at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, although the car remained mostly covered by a "Savile Row tailored skirt" throughout the show, before being fully revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.There was a limited run of 77...

(2010)
Most expensive (auction) - 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
Ferrari TR
The Ferrari TR, or 250 Testa Rossa, is a race car model built by Ferrari in the 1950s and 60s. These cars dominated their arenas, with variations winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1958, 1960, and 1961. They were closely related to the rest of the Ferrari 250 line, especially the legendary 250...

(2011)
Most expensive (private sale) - — Bugatti Type 57
Bugatti Type 57
The Bugatti Type 57 and later variants was an entirely new design by Jean Bugatti, son of founder Ettore. Type 57s were built from 1934 through 1940, with a total of 710 examples produced....

SC Atalante Coupe (2010)
Most expensive (concept car) - Maybach Exelero
Maybach Exelero
The Maybach Exelero is a high-performance sports car designed and built by German luxury car manufacturer Maybach. It was presented in May 2005 in Berlin, Germany. The two-seater with a twin turbo V12 engine is a one-off design built on request for Fulda Tires. Fulda is using this car as a...

(2005)
Most inexpensive - – 1922 Briggs & Stratton Flyer
Smith Flyer
The Smith Flyer was an American automobile manufactured by the A.O. Smith Company in Milwaukee from 1915 until about 1919 when the manufacturing rights were sold to Briggs & Stratton and it was renamed to Briggs & Stratton Flyer. The Smith Flyer is a small, simple, lightweight, two-seat vehicle...

Acceleration

Quickest 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62.1 ) - 2.4 seconds - 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport (with Launch Control) and Ariel Atom
Ariel Atom
The Ariel Atom is a high performance sports car made by the Ariel Motor Company based in Somerset, England and under licence in North America by TMI Autotech, Inc. at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia....

500 (also 2.4s)
Quickest 0 to 161 km/h (0 to 100 ) - 4.5 seconds - 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
Quickest 0 to 200 km/h (0 to 124.3 ) - 6.5 seconds - 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
Quickest 0 to 300 km/h (0 to 186.4 ) - 14.1 seconds - 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
Quickest 0 to 400 km/h (0 to 248.5 ) - 51 seconds - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Top speed

Highest top speed: Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...

Super Sport - 431 km/h (268 mph).
Highest top speed (naturally aspirated): Mclaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...

- 372 km/h (231 mph)

Highest Redline

Internal Combustion Production Car: 2010 Ariel Atom 500 10,600 rpm
Electric Production Vehicle: 2008 Tesla Roadster
Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster is a battery electric vehicle sports car produced by the electric car firm Tesla Motors in California. The Roadster was the first highway-capable all-electric vehicle in serial production available in the United States. Since 2008 Tesla has sold 2,024 Roadsters in 30 countries...

14,000 rpm

Sales

See also:
List of bestselling vehicle nameplates,
List of automobile sales by model,
Bestselling cars of all time

Best-selling models:
- Best-selling vehicle nameplate - Toyota Corolla
  Toyota Corolla
  The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
  
  (more than 32,000,000 sold in nine generations since 1966) - Ford F-Series
  Ford F-Series
  The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
  
  (33,900,000 sold in twelve generations since 1948, as of May 2010)
- Best-selling single model - Volkswagen Beetle
  Volkswagen Beetle
  The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
  
  (21,529,464 of the same basic design sold worldwide between 1938 and 2003)
- Best single-year sales - 1.36 million - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  Toyota Corolla
  The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
- Best single-month sales - 126,905 - July 2005 Ford F-Series
  Ford F-Series
  The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...

Firsts

Full-production vehicles are listed here. Many were preceded by racing-only cars. This list only includes developments that lead to widespread adoption across the automotive industry.

Industry

First automobile manufacturer - Benz (1871), Panhard et Levassor
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...

(1889) (followed by Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...

in 1891)
First standardized automobile - Benz Velo
Benz Velo
Karl Benz patented the three-wheeled Patent Motorwagen on January 29, 1886 and produced it as the first commercially available automobile from 1886 through 1893. He followed this initial success with the introduction of the Benz Velo model of 1894. The Velo and the Duryea Motor Wagon, patented in...

(1894) or Duryea Motor Wagon
Duryea Motor Wagon
The Duryea Motor Wagon was among the first standardized automobiles and among the first powered by gasoline. Fifteen Motor Wagons were built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, between 1893 and 1896....

(1893)
First mass-produced automobile - Oldsmobile Curved Dash
Oldsmobile Curved Dash
The gasoline powered Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile, meaning that it was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907...

(1901)
First auto company technical institute - General Motors Institute (now Kettering University
Kettering University
Kettering University is a university in Flint, Michigan, offering degrees in engineering, math, science, and business. The campus is located along the Flint River on property that used to be the main manufacturing location for General Motors...

)
First automotive proving ground - Dodge Brothers Hamtramck, MI Test Track 1915

Engine types

first V engine
V engine
A V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft...
- 1904 Marmon
  Marmon
  Marmon Motor Car Company was an automobile manufacturer founded by Howard Marmon and owned by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It was established in 1902 and was merged and renamed in 1933. They produced cars under the Marmon brand. It was succeeded by Marmon-Herrington and...
  
  V8 engine
  V8 engine
  A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
  
  (few produced)

first straight engine
- 1903 Napier & Son
  Napier & Son
  D. Napier & Son Limited was a British engine and pre-Great War automobile manufacturer and one of the most important aircraft engine manufacturers in the early to mid-20th century...
  
  straight-six engine (few produced)

Engine technologies

engine configuration

Engine configuration

Engine configuration is an engineering term for the layout of the major components of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine. These components are the cylinders and crankshafts in particular but also, sometimes, the camshaft....

& other miscellaneous fundamental construction details

first variable displacement
Variable displacement
Variable displacement is an automobile engine technology that allows the engine displacement to change, usually by deactivating cylinders, for improved fuel economy. The technology is primarily used in large, multi-cylinder engines...

engine — 1905 Sturtevant
Sturtevant
Sturtevant may refer to:* Albert D. Sturtevant , American naval officer* Alfred Sturtevant , American geneticist* Butler Sturtevant , American landscape architect...

38/45 six
first diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

d production car — 1935 Citroen
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...

Rosalie
Citroën Rosalie
The original Citroën Rosalie was a light-weight racing car that established a succession of records at the Montlhéry racing circuit. More generally the Rosalie was a range of three models/sizes of automobile that comprised the core of Citroën's model range between 1932 and 1938...
first crankcase ventilation — 1926 Cadillac V8 engine
Cadillac V8 engine
Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and was the last General Motors division to retain its own V8 design.-L-Head:...
first flat engine
Flat engine
A flat engine is an internal combustion engine with multiple pistons that move in a horizontal plane. Typically, the layout has cylinders arranged in two banks on either side of a single crankshaft and is sometimes known as the boxer, or horizontally opposed engine. The concept was patented in 1896...

— 1905 Knox
Knox Automobile
The Knox Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States between 1900 and 1914. Knox also built trucks and farm tractors until 1924.-History:...
first square engine — 1906 Premier
Premier (automobile)
The Premier Motor Manufacturing Company was organized in 1903 by George A. Weidely and Harold O. Smith in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company built automobiles with air-cooled engines.-Vehicles:...
first engine with removable cylinder head — 1908 Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
first counterbalanced crankshaft
Crankshaft
The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...

— 1908 Mercer
Mercer (car)
Mercer was an American automobile manufacturer from 1909 until 1925. It was notable for its high-performance cars, especially the Type 35 Raceabout.-Early history:...

Type 35
first split-plane
V engine
A V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft...

crankshaft
Crankshaft
The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...

— 1923 Cadillac V8 engine
Cadillac V8 engine
Cadillac was the first automobile maker to mass produce a V8 engine. The company has produced eight generations of V8s since 1914, and was the last General Motors division to retain its own V8 design.-L-Head:...
first gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....

car — 1950 Rover
Rover (car)
The Rover Company is a former British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry...

JET 1 (experimental only; no gas turbine car ever reached real production)
first Miller cycle
Miller cycle
In engineering, the Miller cycle is a combustion process used in a type of four-stroke internal combustion engine. The Miller cycle was patented by Ralph Miller, an American engineer, in the 1940s.- Overview :...

engine — 1996 Mazda Millenia
Mazda Millenia
The Mazda Millenia is an automobile which was manufactured by Mazda in Japan from 1993 to 2003.The Millenia was originally planned as the second of three models for Mazda’s proposed luxury brand Amati...
first Atkinson cycle
Atkinson cycle
The Atkinson cycle engine is a type of internal combustion engine invented by James Atkinson in 1882. The Atkinson cycle is designed to provide efficiency at the expense of power density, and is used in some modern hybrid electric applications.-Design:...

engine — 1997 Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...
first Hydrogen vehicle
Hydrogen vehicle
A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. Hydrogen vehicles include hydrogen fueled space rockets, as well as automobiles and other transportation vehicles...

— BMW Hydrogen 7
BMW Hydrogen 7
The BMW Hydrogen 7 is a limited production hydrogen vehicle built by German automobile manufacturer BMW. The car is based on BMW’s traditional gasoline powered 7-series line of vehicles, and more specifically the 760Li...

(Germany)

Wankel engine Wankel engine The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons. Its four-stroke cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that... s first Wankel engine Wankel engine The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons. Its four-stroke cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that... — 1964 NSU NSU Motorenwerke AG NSU Motorenwerke AG, normally just NSU, was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and pedal cycles, founded in 1873. It was acquired by Volkswagen Group in 1969... Spider first 2-rotor Wankel engine — 1966 NSU Ro 80 NSU Ro 80 The NSU Ro 80 was a technologically advanced large sedan-type automobile produced by the German firm of NSU from 1967 until 1977. Most notable was the powertrain; a , 995 cc twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels through a semi-automatic transmission employing an innovative vacuum system... first 3-rotor Wankel engine — 1969 Mercedes C111 first 4-rotor Wankel engine — 1970 Mercedes C111 first turbocharged Turbocharger A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance... Wankel engine — 1982 Mazda Luce Mazda Luce Mazda used the Luce name on its largest sedans in Japan from 1969 until 1990. These vehicles were exported under a variety of names, including RX-4, 929, and Cosmo. The Luce nameplate was replaced by the Mazda Sentia name in 1991... / Cosmo Mazda Cosmo There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were Grand tourers, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a "halo" vehicle for the new Mazda brand... first front-wheel drive car with Wankel engine — 1966 NSU Ro 80 NSU Ro 80 The NSU Ro 80 was a technologically advanced large sedan-type automobile produced by the German firm of NSU from 1967 until 1977. Most notable was the powertrain; a , 995 cc twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels through a semi-automatic transmission employing an innovative vacuum system... NEWLIN

valvetrain

Valvetrain

Valvetrain is an all-encompassing term used to describe the mechanisms and parts which control the operation of the valves. A traditional reciprocating internal combustion engine uses valves to control air and fuel flow into and out of the cylinders, facilitating combustion.-Layout:Valvetrain: The...

first sleeve valve
Sleeve valve
The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the usual poppet valve. Sleeve-valve engines saw use in a number of pre-World War II luxury cars and in USA in the Willys-Knight car and light truck...

— 1909 Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...

(developed functional system from Charles Knight 1903 design)
first overhead camshaft
Overhead camshaft
Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods...

(OHC) engine — 1898 Wilkinson
first double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine — 1921 Ballot
Ballot (automobile)
Ballot was a French automobile manufacturer who made cars between 1921 and 1932.The Ballot brothers, Edouard and Maurice, founded their company in 1905. Before World War I they manufactured automobile and marine engines. The company was re-founded as Etablissements Ballot SA in 1910.Edouard...

multi-valve Multi-valve In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design... engines first 3-valve engine — 1924 Bugatti Bugatti Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti.... Type 35 Bugatti Type 35 The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. Its version of the Bugatti arch-shaped radiator that had evolved from the more architectural one of the Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, was to become the one that the marque is most known for though even in the ranks of the various Type 35s... (Type 18 Bugatti Type 18 The Bugatti Type 18, also called the Garros, is an automobile produced from 1912 through 1914. Produced shortly after the start of the company, the design was something of a relic. It had much in common with the cars Ettore Bugatti had designed for Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik but with the radiator of... had a 3-valve in 1912, but only 6 or 7 were made. The Type 35 used the engine from the 1922 Type 29 racing car.) first 4-valve engine — 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix (first 4-valve mass-produced car was the 1973 Triumph Dolomite Sprint) first 5-valve engine — 1989 Oettinger - Germany 5V, 1989 Mitsubishi Dangan ZZ (Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion... had a triple overhead cam 5-valve Grand Prix Grand Prix motor racing Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver... car in 1921). first 6-valve engine — 1985 Maserati Biturbo Maserati Biturbo The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo is a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, an engineer from the De... 2.0 L V6 36v 261 hp (prototype) first 3-valve diesel engine Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... — 1989 Citroën Citroën Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that... XM Citroën XM The Citroën XM is an executive car that was produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1989 and 2000. Citroën sold 333,775 XMs during the model's 11 years of production... first 4-valve diesel engine — 1993 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG... C-Class Mercedes-Benz C-Class The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG. First introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 range , the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's lineup until the 1997 arrival of the A-Class... (OM604 engine) first multi-valve Multi-valve In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design... turbocharged Turbocharger A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance... engine — 1980 Maserati Maserati Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993... Biturbo Maserati Biturbo The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo is a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, an engineer from the De... AM452 NEWLIN
variable valve timing Variable valve timing In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine... (VVT) first VVT engine — 1980 Alfa Romeo Spider Alfa Romeo Spider The Alfa Romeo Spider is a roadster produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1966 to 1993 . Widely regarded as a design classic, it remained in production for almost three decades with only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes... 2.0 L first electronic VVT — 1987 Nissan 300ZR VG30DE NVCS N-VCT Nissan Variable Cam Timing is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Nissan. N-VCT was first introduced in 1987 on the VG30DE and VG20DET engine. N-VCT varies the timing of the valves by rotating the cam shaft; valve lift and duration are NOT altered... V6 first cam-switching VVT — 1989 Honda Integra RSi/XSi Honda Integra The Honda Integra is a compact luxury performance coupe made by Honda during the years 1985 to 2006. The sporty front wheel drive car is able to house five passengers with a two door hatch or four door sedan available.The Integra was on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in... B16A VTEC VTEC VTEC is a valvetrain system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine. The VTEC system uses two camshaft profiles and electronically selects between the profiles. It was invented by Honda R&D engineer Ikuo Kajitani, and was the first system... 1.6 L DOHC I4 first VVT passenger car diesel engine Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... — 2010 Mitsubishi ASX 4N13 Mitsubishi 4N1 engine The Mitsubishi 4N1 engine is a family of all-alloy four-cylinder diesel engines developed by Mitsubishi Motors, produced at the company's powertrain facility in Kyoto, Japan for use in Mitsubishi's small to mid-sized global passenger cars.... 1.8 L DOHC I4 NEWLIN

aspiration

first supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...

car — 1921 Mercedes
Mercedes (car)
Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft . DMG which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler...

6/25/40 hp

first turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...

car — 1962 Oldsmobile F-85
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass is a line of automobiles made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate car....

Turbo Jetfire
first application of a wastegate
Wastegate
A wastegate is a valve that diverts exhaust gases away from the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system. Diversion of exhaust gases regulates the turbine speed, which in turn regulates the rotating speed of the compressor. The primary function of the wastegate is to regulate the maximum boost...

to regulate a turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...

's boost — 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo
first turbocharged diesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...

car — 1978 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
Mercedes-Benz W116
The Mercedes-Benz W116 was a series of flagship vehicles produced from September 1972 through 1979. The W116 automobiles were the first Mercedes-Benz models to be officially called S-Class, although earlier sedan models had already unofficially been designated with the letter 'S' - for...
first variable-nozzle turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...

— 1989 Shelby CSX-VNT / Garrett AiResearch
Garrett AiResearch
Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch...
first twin-turbo
Twin-turbo
Twin-turbo refers to a turbocharged engine, in which two turbochargers compress the intake charge. There are two commonly used twin turbo configurations: parallel twin-turbo and sequential twin-turbo...

charged car — Maserati BiTurbo
Maserati Biturbo
The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo is a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, an engineer from the De...
first quad-turbocharged car — Bugatti EB110
Bugatti EB110
The Bugatti EB110 is a mid-engine sports car from Bugatti Automobili SpA. It was unveiled on September 15, 1991, in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris, France, exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's birth....
first supercharged and turbocharged car — 1985 Lancia Delta S4
Lancia Delta S4
The Lancia Delta S4 is a Group B rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986, until Group B cars were banned from competition by the FIA. The car replaced and was an evolution of the Lancia 037 Monte Carlo. The S4 took full advantage of the Group B regulations, and...

(homologation special, 200 road cars produced for Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...

regulations)

fuel systems

first carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

— 1896 Daimler
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
first carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

air filter — 1915 Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...

Twin Six
first automatic choke
Choke
Choke may refer to:* Choking, obstruction of airflow into the lungs** Choke , a condition in horses in which the esophagus is blocked** Choking game, a schoolyard game involving deprivation of oxygen to the brain...

— 1932 Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
first four-barrel carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

— 1941 Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...

fuel injection Fuel injection Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s.... (FI) first FI engine — 1910 Adams-Farwell Adams-Farwell Adams-Farwell was a brass era American automobile manufacturer from Dubuque, Iowa, founded by Herbert and Eugene Adams and Fay Oliver Farwell at the end of the 19th century.... Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... first non-diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... FI engine — 1952 Goliath GP 700 / Gutbrod Superior 600 first gasoline direct injection Gasoline direct injection In internal combustion engines, gasoline direct injection , also known as petrol direct injection or direct petrol injection, is a variant of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke and four-stroke gasoline engines... engine — 1952 Goliath GP 700 / Gotbrud Superior 600 first automotive application of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) — Bendix "ElectroJector" - Prototype / Test Mule 1957 Rambler (never officially produced for consumption), followed by Chrysler (et. al.) in 1958. Bosch Robert Bosch GmbH Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components... developed their D-Jetronic FI from Bendix's design. first electronic fuel injection Fuel injection Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s.... — 1968 Bosch Robert Bosch GmbH Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components... D-Jetronic - Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is... Type 3 Volkswagen Type 3 The Volkswagen Type 3 was a range of small cars from German manufacturer Volkswagen , introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show, Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung .... /Type 4 Volkswagen Type 4 The Volkswagen Type 4 is a mid-sized car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen of Germany from 1968-1974 in two-door and four-door sedan as well as two-door station wagon body styles... first Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... direct injection engine — 1986 Fiat Croma Fiat Croma The Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one a large family car built from 1985 to 1996 and the other a cross-over wagon built from 2005 to 2011.- Fiat Croma :... Turbo D i.d. first electronic gasoline direct injection — 1996 Mitsubishi Galant Mitsubishi Galant The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ... /Legnum 4G93 GDI I4 first passenger car common rail Common rail Common rail direct fuel injection is a modern variant of direct fuel injection system for petrol and diesel engines.On diesel engines, it features a high-pressure fuel rail feeding individual solenoid valves, as opposed to low-pressure fuel pump feeding unit injectors... diesel direct injection engine — 1997 Alfa Romeo 156 Alfa Romeo 156 The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155... JTD first turbocharged gasoline direct injection Gasoline direct injection In internal combustion engines, gasoline direct injection , also known as petrol direct injection or direct petrol injection, is a variant of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke and four-stroke gasoline engines... engine — 2004/09 Audi A3, Audi A4 and VW Golf Mk5 GTI (2.0 TFSI) first turbocharged diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... direct injection engine — 1986 Fiat Croma Fiat Croma The Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one a large family car built from 1985 to 1996 and the other a cross-over wagon built from 2005 to 2011.- Fiat Croma :... Turbo D i.d. NEWLIN

ignition system

Ignition system

An ignition system is a system for igniting a fuel-air mixture. Ignition systems are well known in the field of internal combustion engines such as those used in petrol engines used to power the majority of motor vehicles, but they are also used in many other applications such as in oil-fired and...

first contact breaker point ignition — 1910 Cadillac Model Thirty
Cadillac Model Thirty
The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Model G. The 1912 Model 1912, 1913 Model 1913, and 1914 Model 1914 were similar but used larger engines...

/ Delco
Delco
Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Ohio* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
first electronic ignition — 1960 General Motors / Delco
Delco
Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Ohio* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
first distributor-less ignition — Citroën 2CV?

general miscellany

first alternator — 1960 Chrysler Corporation, Plymouth Valiant
Plymouth Valiant
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
first California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
An ultra-low-emission vehicle is a motor vehicle that emits extremely low levels of motor vehicle emissions compared to other vehicles...

— 1995 Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....
first California Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle is a U.S. classification for conventionally powered, natural gas powered, or gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle designed to produce minimal emissions of certain categories of air pollution at their exhaust, typically 90% less than that of an equivalent ordinary full...

— 2000 Honda Accord 4-Cylinder

Hybrid vehicles

First gas-electric hybrid - 1899 Lohner–Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...

Mixte (about 300 produced)
First modern hybrid car - 1904 Auto-Mixte
Auto-Mixte
Auto-Mixte build cars between 1906 and 1912 using a hybrid-technology under license from Pieper, after Henri Pieper died. From 1912 to 1914 the cars are made as Pescatore, named after the owner. The outbreak of World War I marks the end of the car. The workshop was eventually taken over by...

(Belgium)
First mass-produced hybrid car - 1997 Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...
First hybrid bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

- 1997 Hino
Hino Motors
-External links:Global* * * Overseas offices****.*.***.*.* - Philippines**...

(Japan)
First all-wheel drive hybrid - 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid
First hybrid SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...

- 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid
First hybrid luxury car - 2005 Lexus RX 400h
Lexus RX 400h
The Lexus RX is the second generation of the Lexus RX series of crossover SUVs that was sold by Lexus from 2003 to 2009. First introduced in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show, the initial RX 330 models went on sale later that year...

(introduced January 2004)
First mild hybrid pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...

- 2005 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid
First full hybrid pickup truck - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid

Body

First sedan/saloon — 1900 Renault Voiturette
Renault Voiturette
The Renault Voiturette was Renault's first ever produced automobile, and was manufactured between 1898 and 1903. The name was used for five models....
- See also: 1911 Speedwell Motor Car Company
  Speedwell Motor Car Company
  The Speedwell Motor Car Company was an early United States automobile manufacturing company established by Pierce Davies Schenck that produced cars from 1907 to 1914. The company's factory rented space for the Wright Company to build its airplanes from February to November 1910 while the Wright...
  
  (first automobile to use the term)
First motorized truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...

— October 1896 Daimler
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
First production closed-body car - 1910 Cadillac Model Thirty
Cadillac Model Thirty
The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Model G. The 1912 Model 1912, 1913 Model 1913, and 1914 Model 1914 were similar but used larger engines...
First monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

- 1924 Lancia Lambda
Lancia Lambda
The Lancia Lambda is an innovative automobile produced from 1922 through 1931. It was the first car to feature a load-bearing monocoque-type body, and it also pioneered the use of an independent suspension . Vincenzo Lancia even invented a shock absorber for the car and it had excellent four wheel...
First shatter-resistant windshield glass - 1926 Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
First coupé convertible - 1934 Peugeot 401
Peugeot 401
The Peugeot 401 was a mid-size model from Peugeot produced in 1934 and 1935. It was introduced at the 1934 Paris Motor Show and continued to be offered until August 1935.-Details:...

D Eclipse
First Pickup
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...

/ Utility vehicle
Utility vehicle
Utility vehicle is used to describe a vehicle, generally motorized, that is designed for a specific task.-Sport utility vehicle:Vehicles similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis, usually with off-road capability....

(Ute) - 1934 Ford Coupé utility
Coupé utility
The coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
First flush mounted gas door - 1936 Cord
Cord
Cord may refer to:* String or rope* Cord , a trimming made of multiple strands of yarn twisted together* The spinal cord* Cord Automobile, a former American car marque founded by Errett Lobban Cord* The cord , used to measure firewood...
First fully boxed frame - 2004 Ford F150 (???)
First safety windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...

- 1948 Tucker Torpedo (popout safety glass)
First fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...

body - 1952 Woodill Wildfire (low production)
First fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...

bodied 4-door Sedan - 1970 Anadol
Anadol
Anadol was Turkey's first domestic mass-production passenger vehicle, and the second Turkish car after the ill-fated Devrim sedan of 1961.Anadol cars and pick-ups were manufactured by Otosan Otomobil Sanayii in Istanbul between 1966 and 1991....

A2
First fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...

bodied Station wagon / Estate car
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...

- 1973 Anadol
Anadol
Anadol was Turkey's first domestic mass-production passenger vehicle, and the second Turkish car after the ill-fated Devrim sedan of 1961.Anadol cars and pick-ups were manufactured by Otosan Otomobil Sanayii in Istanbul between 1966 and 1991....

SV-1600
First MPV - 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla
Fiat Multipla
The Fiat Multipla is a compact MPV manufactured by Italian automaker Fiat since 1998. Based on the Brava, the Multipla is shorter and wider than its rivals. It has two rows of three seats, while all its competitors have two seats in the front...
First minivan
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....

- 1950 Volkswagen Type 2
Volkswagen Type 2
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...

Also called the mini bus.
First retractable hardtop
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...

- 1934 Pourtout Lancia Belna Eclipse-coachbuilt
First hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...

- 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4
Aston Martin DB2/4
The DB2/4 is a grand tourer sold by Aston Martin from 1953 through 1957. It was based on the DB2 it replaced, available as a Drophead coupe and 2+2 hatchback well ahead of the times. Other changes included a wraparound windscreen, larger bumpers, and repositioned headlights...
First fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...

monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

- 1956 Berkeley
Berkeley cars
Berkeley Cars Ltd of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England produced small economical sporting microcars with motorcycle-derived engines from 322 cc to 692 cc and front wheel drive between 1956 and 1960.-History:...

SA322
First Crossover - 1955 GAZ M72
GAZ-M20 Pobeda
The GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" was a passenger car produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1946 until 1958. It was also licensed to Polish Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych.The first Pobeda was developed in the Soviet Union under chief engineer Andrei A. Liphart...
First all-aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

body - 1932 Riley Kestrel
- First all-aluminium space frame - 1990 Honda NSX
  Honda NSX
  The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ...
First carbon fibre
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...

monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

- 1993 McLaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...
First stress-bearing engine acting like a structural member - 1995 Ferrari F50
Ferrari F50
The Ferrari F50 is a mid-engined range-topping sports car made by Ferrari. The F50 was introduced in 1995 to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car is a two door, two seat convertible with a removable hardtop...
First aerodynamic
Automotive aerodynamics
Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. The main concerns of automotive aerodynamics are reducing drag , reducing wind noise, minimizing noise emission, and preventing undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds...

design - 1921 Rumpler Tropfenwagen
First body made of recycled material - 1954 Trabant
Trabant
The Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...

P70
First tricar - 1902
First cyclecar
Cyclecar
Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.-General description:Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other...

- 1910 GN
GN (car)
thumb|right|200px|Richard Scaldwell's JAP-engined GN Grand Prix special at the VSCC SeeRed race meeting, Donington Park, September 2007. The GN has a 5.1 litre V8 aero-engine shoehorned into its lightweight cyclecar frame....

/1910 Bédélia
Bédélia
thumb|Bédélia from 1910 in 1975 at the NürburgringBédélia was the archetype of the French cyclecars....
First production station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...

(estate) - 1908 Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
- Honorable mention: 1923 Star
  Star (automobile)
  The Star was an automobile marque that was assembled by the Durant Motors Company between 1922 and 1928. Also known as the Star Car, Star was envisioned as a competitor against the Ford Model T...
First fully boxed frame [pick-up] - 2004 Ford F150 (???)
First single-piece carbon fibre
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...

monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

- 2003 Invicta S1

Transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...

Manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...

s
- First synchronized transmission - 1929 Cadillac
- First overdrive
  Overdrive (mechanics)
  Overdrive is a term used to describe a mechanism that allows an automobile to cruise at sustained speed with reduced engine RPM, leading to better fuel economy, lower noise and lower wear...
  
  - 1934 Chrysler Airflow
  Chrysler Airflow
  The Chrysler Airflow is an automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation from 1934-1937. 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 air resistance...
- First modern cone synchromesh transmission - 1952 Porsche
  Porsche
  Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
  
  356
  Porsche 356
  The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop coupe and open configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports...
- First 5-speed manual - 1948 Lancia Ardea
  Lancia Ardea
  The Lancia Ardea was a small sedan produced by the Turin firm between 1939 and 1953. Its unusually short bonnet/hood reportedly contained the smallest V4 engine ever commercialized in an automobile....
- First 6-speed manual - 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
  Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
  The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an extremely rare road car built by Alfa Romeo of Italy. Only 18 are reported to have been made, plus three design studies based on the 33 Stradale the 33.2, Iguana and Carabo...
- First 8-speed manual - 1960 Moskvitch 410/411
  Moskvitch 410
  The Moskvitch 410 is a car which was made by Soviet manufacturer Moskvitch from 1957. The 410 was conceived as a four wheel drive version of the Moskvitch 402....
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...

s
- First automatic transmission - May 1939 Oldsmobile
  Oldsmobile
  Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
  
  Hydra-Matic (also the first 4-speed automatic)
- First torque converter
  Torque converter
  In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
  
  automatic - 1948 Buick
  Buick
  Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
  
  Dynaflow
  Dynaflow
  Dynaflow was the trademark name for a type of automatic transmission developed and built by General Motors' Buick Motor Division from the late 1940s to the mid 1963...
- First non-planetary automatic - 1968 Honda
  Honda
  is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
  
  Hondamatic
  Hondamatic
  The Hondamatic was Honda's first automatic transmission. It was produced from 1973 through 1979. The Hondamatic name is used on all automatic transmissions from Honda....
- First 5-speed automatic - 1989 Nissan Cedric, Nissan Cefiro, Nissan Gloria, Nissan Skyline, Nissan Laurel,(RE5R01A, Jatco
  Jatco
  JATCO is a subsidiary of Nissan which manufactures automatic transmissions for automobiles. Originally, Mazda was also a partner.-History:...
  
  /Nissan transmission)
- First 6-speed automatic - 2002 BMW
  BMW
  Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
  
  E65 7-Series ZF 6HP26
  ZF 6HP26 transmission
  The ZF 6HP26 was the first six-speed automatic transmission in a production passenger car. Released by ZF Friedrichshafen AG in 2000, it was manufactured by ZF Getriebe GmbH in Saarbrücken, Germany....
- First 7-speed automatic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz
  Mercedes-Benz
  Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
  
  7G-Tronic
  7G-TRONIC
  7G-Tronic is Mercedes-Benz's trademark name for its seven-speed automatic transmission. This fifth-generation transmission was introduced in the Autumn of 2003 on 8-cylinder models, and was the first seven-speed automatic transmission ever used on a production vehicle.The 7G-Tronic debuted on five...
- First 8-speed automatic - 2007 Lexus LS 460
  Lexus LS
  The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also...
First limited slip differential
Limited slip differential
A limited slip differential is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...

- 1956 Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...

(Note: In 1939, the Volkswagen Type 82 used a cam and pawl type differential which had a slip-limiting effect.)
First continuously variable transmission
Continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...

- 1958 DAF 600
DAF 600
The DAF 600 is a small family car that was DAF's first production passenger car: it was first presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show in February 1958 and was in production by 1959, although the firm had published the first details of the car at the end of 1957...

"A-Type"
First toroidal continuously variable transmission - 1999 Nissan Cedric and Nissan Gloria
First dual clutch transmission
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...

- 2003 Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32 (Direct-Shift Gearbox
Direct-Shift Gearbox
The Direct-Shift Gearbox , commonly abbreviated to DSG, is an electronically controlled dual clutch multiple-shaft manual gearbox, in a transaxle design - without a conventional clutch pedal, and with full automatic, or semi-manual control...

)
First active differential - 1986 Porsche 959
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....

PSK (limited production of 200 vehicles)

Layout
Automobile layout
In automotive design, the automobile layout describes where on the vehicle the engine and drive wheels are found. Many different combinations of engine location and driven wheels are found in practice, and the location of each is dependent on the application the vehicle will be used for...

First FR layout car - 1895 Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...

et Levassor
First RR layout
RR layout
In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper....

car - 1896 Hertel
First front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...

- 1924 Tracta
Tracta
Tracta was a French car maker based in Asnières, Seine, that was active between 1926 and 1934 . They were pioneers of front wheel drive vehicles....

(Gregoire-Tracta)
- honorable mention: 1928 Alvis
  Alvis
  Alvis may refer to:*Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd, British luxury car and military vehicle manufacturer which later became Alvis plc*Alvis plc , a Defence contractor which acquired Alvis Cars and became the UK's largest armoured vehicle manufacturer*Alvis, a family surname in the United...
  
  FWD
First transverse
Transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...

front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...

- 1931 DKW
DKW
DKW is a historic German car and motorcycle marque. The name derives from Dampf-Kraft-Wagen .In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Zschopau, Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW...

F1
- First transverse front-wheel drive I5 - 1993 Volvo 850
  Volvo 850
  The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Swedish manufacturer to be exported to North...
- First transverse front-wheel drive I6 - 1970 Austin Kimberley
  Austin Kimberley
  The Australian Austin Kimberley and Austin Tasman "X6" models of 1970 were a range of Leyland Australian designed front-wheel-drive sedans based on the Austin 1800 platform...
  
  and Austin Tasman
- First transverse all-wheel drive - 1968 Austin Ant
  Austin Ant
  The Austin Ant was a small four-wheel drive vehicle designed by Sir Alec Issigonis for the motor manufacturer British Motor Corporation . Although the Ant is widely regarded as a military vehicle, some sources suggest it was conceived with civilian use in mind as well...
  
  (never entered production)
First four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...

vehicle - 1910 Caldwell Vale
Caldwell Vale
The Caldwell Vale Truck & Bus Co. was an Australian automobile, bus, truck and tractor manufacturer from 1907 to 1913 in the Sydney suburb of Auburn. The company started in 1907 when Felix Caldwell and Norman Laurie Caldwell of South Australia filed for a patent covering "Improvements in and...

or 1911 Four Wheel Drive
- First four-wheel drive
  Four-wheel drive
  Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
  
  car - 1966 Jensen FF
  Jensen FF
  The Jensen FF was a four-wheel drive Grand Tourer car produced by the British manufacturer Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1971. It was the first non all-terrain production car equipped with 4WD and an anti-lock braking system — the Dunlop Maxaret mechanical system used hitherto only on...
- Honorable mention - 1903 Spyker 60 H.P. (race car)
First FR layout transaxle
Transaxle
In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....

- 1950 Lancia Aurelia
Lancia Aurelia
The Lancia Aurelia is a car that was produced by the Italian manufacturer Lancia. Designed by Vittorio Jano, the Aurelia was launched in 1950 and production lasted until the summer of 1958....

(the 1914 Stutz Bearcat
Stutz Bearcat
The Stutz Bearcat was a well-known American sports car of the pre and post World War One period.Essentially, the Bearcats were a shorter , lighter version of the standard Stutz passenger cars chassis. It was originally powered by a 390 in³, 60 horsepower straight-4 engine produced by the...

featured a primitive transaxle)
First MR
MR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...

car - 1921 Rumpler
Rumpler
The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of aircraft when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen. It was to be the first streamlined car . The Rumpler had a Cw-value of only 0.28...

Tropfenwagen
First MR
MR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...

four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...

car - 1984 Ford RS200
Ford RS200
The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car produced by Ford from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was based on Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 road legal versions be built...

(homologation special, 200 road cars produced for Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...

regulations.)

Suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...

First torsion bar suspension - 1921 Leyland
First front independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...

- 1911 Morgan
Morgan Motor Company
The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...

three wheeler
First hydraulic shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...

s - 1933 Hudson (Monroe)
First coil spring
Coil spring
A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...

/ shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...

suspension - 1934 Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...

, Chrysler, and Hudson
First MacPherson strut
MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.-History:...

suspension - 1949 Ford Vedette
Ford Vedette
The Ford Vedette is a large car manufactured by Ford France SA in their factory in Poissy from 1948-1954. Introduced at the 1948 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, it was designed entirely in Detroit , but featured the Poissy-made 2158 cc Aquillon sidevalve V8 engine of Ford's Flathead engine...
First Chapman strut
Chapman strut
The Chapman strut is a design of independent rear suspension used for light cars, particularly sports and racing cars. It takes its name from, and is best known for its use by, Colin Chapman of Lotus....

suspension - 1958 Lotus Elite
Lotus Elite
Not to be confused with the Lotus Elise.The Lotus Elite name was used for two vehicles from Lotus Cars.-1957:The first Elite or Lotus Type 14 was an ultra-light two-seater coupé, produced from 1958 to 1963....
First air suspension - 1958 Cadillac Brougham
Cadillac Brougham
Originally an enclosed carriage, drawn by a single horse, for 2-4 persons, “Brougham” owes its name to a British statesman, Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, whose second claim to fame is having given to the sea-front drive, in Nice in the South of France, the nick-name of Promenade des...
First self-levelling suspension
Self-levelling suspension
Self-levelling refers to an automobile suspension system that maintains a constant ride height of the vehicle above the road, regardless of load....

- 1955 Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
First electronic adjustable suspension dampers - 1981 Nissan Skyline
First electronically controlled suspension - 1983 Toyota Soarer
Toyota Soarer
The Soarer made its first appearance at the 1980 Osaka International Motor Show with the name "EX-8", and the Z10 series Toyota Soarer was produced from February 1981 to December 1985, with 2.0L, 2.8L or 3.0L DOHC I-6 variants. The first generation Soarer debuted with a rear-wheel drive...

(Japan-market model) / 1983 Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Galant
The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ...

ECS
First active air suspension - 1987 Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Galant
The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ...

active ECS
First active hydraulic suspension - 1990 Citroën XM
Citroën XM
The Citroën XM is an executive car that was produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1989 and 2000. Citroën sold 333,775 XMs during the model's 11 years of production...

(Hydractive)
First active anti-roll bars - 1994 Citroën Xantia Activa (Active Roll Stabilisation)

Brakes

First four wheel brakes - 1909 Argyll (developed by Arrol-Johnson)
First power brakes - 1919 Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive and engineering firm, best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines in the pre-World War II period of the twentieth century. In 1923, its French subsidiary became a semi-autonomous partnership with the parent company and is now part of the French SAFRAN...

H6
Hispano-Suiza H6
The Hispano-Suiza H6 was a luxury automobile from the 1920s. Introduced at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, the H6 was produced until 1933. Roughly 2,350 H6, H6B, and H6C cars were produced in total....

(mechanically assisted)
First four wheel power brakes - 1919 Hispano-Suiza H6
First vacuum-assist power brakes - 1928 Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...
First hydraulic power brakes - 1921 Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...

Model A
First standard disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...

s - 1949 Crosley Hot Shot
First antilock braking system - 1966 Jensen FF
Jensen FF
The Jensen FF was a four-wheel drive Grand Tourer car produced by the British manufacturer Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1971. It was the first non all-terrain production car equipped with 4WD and an anti-lock braking system — the Dunlop Maxaret mechanical system used hitherto only on...

(Dunlop Maxaret system, previously used in aviation)
- First electrical antilock braking system - 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III
  Lincoln Continental Mark III
  The Lincoln Continental Mark III was a personal luxury car produced by Lincoln and sold in North America in the 1969 through 1971 model years.-Introduction:...
- First electronic antilock braking system - 1971 Nissan President
  Nissan President
  The Nissan President was a Japanese luxury limousine produced by Nissan from 1965 to 2010. The car was mainly used by corporate executives and government officers. It was a luxury sedan specifically aimed to the Japanese market, where its main competitor was the Toyota Century.The President was...
First electric parking brake - 2002 BMW E65/E66
BMW E65/E66
|name=BMW 7-Series E65/E66/E67/E68|manufacturer=BMW|assembly=Dingolfing, GermanyRayong, ThailandCairo, EgyptToluca, MexicoKaliningrad, Russia|production=2002–2008|image=|wheelbase= |length=...
First diagonally split, dual brake circuits - 1962 Saab 95
Saab 95
The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...

/96
Saab 96
For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
First asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...

-free brake pads - 1983 Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
First electro-hydraulic brakes
Brake-by-wire
Drive-by-wire technology in automotive industry replaces the traditional mechanical and hydraulic control systems with electronic control systems using electromechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators...

- 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class / 2001 Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...
First regenerative brake
Regenerative brake
A regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed...

s - 1997 Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...

Driver-aids

First standard rear-view mirror - 1912 Marmon
Marmon
Marmon Motor Car Company was an automobile manufacturer founded by Howard Marmon and owned by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It was established in 1902 and was merged and renamed in 1933. They produced cars under the Marmon brand. It was succeeded by Marmon-Herrington and...
First power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...

- 1951 Imperial
Imperial (automobile)
Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's luxury automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 to 1983.The Imperial name had been used since 1926, but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler. In 1955, the company decided to spin it off as its own make...
First cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...

- 1957 Imperial
Imperial (automobile)
Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's luxury automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 to 1983.The Imperial name had been used since 1926, but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler. In 1955, the company decided to spin it off as its own make...
First traction control system
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...

/anti slip regulation - 1971 Buick LeSabre
Buick LeSabre
1959LeSabre and all other 1959 Buicks not only got new names, but all-new styling as well, adopting the new GM B- and C-body used on all of the corporation's full-sized cars...

(MaxTrac)
First drive-by-wire throttle - 1988 BMW 750iL
First electrochromic rear-view mirror - 1989 Lexus LS
Lexus LS
The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also...
First Rain-Sensing Windshield Wipers - 1984 Nissan 200SX
Nissan Silvia
The S12 was produced from 1984 to 1988, with revisions to the exterior trim in 1987 . It was sold in three configurations—a coupe , a hatchback, and a widebody chassis called grandprix .A number of different engines were equipped in the S12 chassis, depending on production year and more...

/Nissan Silvia
Nissan Silvia
The S12 was produced from 1984 to 1988, with revisions to the exterior trim in 1987 . It was sold in three configurations—a coupe , a hatchback, and a widebody chassis called grandprix .A number of different engines were equipped in the S12 chassis, depending on production year and more...
First dynamic stability control system/Electronic Stability Programme
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...

/Vehicle Stability Control - 1995 BMW 7-Series/Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a luxury coupé automobile produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The name CL stands for the German Comfort Leicht ....

/Toyota Crown Majesta
Toyota Crown Majesta
The Toyota Crown Majesta is a full-size premium luxury automobile. The Toyota Crown Majesta shares a stretched variant of the UZS platform series from the smaller Toyota Crown and Lexus GS/Toyota Aristo, however, it is not just a upper trim level of the Crown sedan, the Majesta is a separate car...
First adaptive cruise control - 1997 Toyota Celsior
First LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....

display - 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda
Aston Martin Lagonda
The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door saloon built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 were produced. The name was derived from the Lagonda marque that Aston Martin had purchased in 1947...

instrument cluster
First CRT
Cathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...

display - 1984 Aston Martin Lagonda
Aston Martin Lagonda
The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door saloon built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 were produced. The name was derived from the Lagonda marque that Aston Martin had purchased in 1947...

computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...

controlled instrument cluster
First heads-up display - 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was a mid-size car produced by General Motors for the American market. It was always at the top of the Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, and eventually was mechanically divorced from the later, smaller Cutlasses.The Cutlass Supreme...

/1988 Nissan Silvia
Nissan Silvia
The S12 was produced from 1984 to 1988, with revisions to the exterior trim in 1987 . It was sold in three configurations—a coupe , a hatchback, and a widebody chassis called grandprix .A number of different engines were equipped in the S12 chassis, depending on production year and more...
First factory GPS navigation - 1990 Mazda Cosmo
Mazda Cosmo
There have been four generations of Mazda automobiles which went by the name of Cosmo, although they are not all particularly related. All were Grand tourers, with the first proving a successful launch for the Mazda Wankel engine and acting as a "halo" vehicle for the new Mazda brand...

, 1986 GT Limited Toyota Soarer
Toyota Soarer
The Soarer made its first appearance at the 1980 Osaka International Motor Show with the name "EX-8", and the Z10 series Toyota Soarer was produced from February 1981 to December 1985, with 2.0L, 2.8L or 3.0L DOHC I-6 variants. The first generation Soarer debuted with a rear-wheel drive...
First night vision
Automotive night vision
An automotive night vision system is a system to increase a vehicle driver's perception and seeing distance in darkness or poor weather beyond the reach of the vehicle's headlights...

- 2000 Cadillac Deville
Cadillac DeVille
The de Ville was originally a trim level and later a model of General Motors' Cadillac marque. The first car to bear the name was the 1949 Coupe de Ville, a prestige trim level of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last model to be formally known as a de Ville was the 2005 Cadillac Deville, a...
First power door locks
Power door locks
Power door locks allow the driver or front passenger to simultaneously lock or unlock all the doors of an automobile or truck, by pressing a button or flipping a switch....

- 1914 Scripps-Booth
Scripps-Booth
Scripps-Booth was a United States automobile company based in Detroit, Michigan, which produced motor vehicles from 1913 through 1923.-History:...
First self parking
Intelligent Parking Assist System
Intelligent Parking Assist System , also known as the Advanced Parking Guidance System for Lexus models in the United States, is the first production automatic parking system developed by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2004 initially for the Japanese market hybrid Prius models and later Lexus models....

- 2004 Toyota Prius
First Blind Spot Intervention System - 2009 Ford Escape
Ford Escape
The Ford Escape is a compact SUV sold by the automaker Ford Motor Company introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model year and priced below the Ford Explorer. Although technically it's a crossover vehicle, it is marketed by Ford as part of its traditional SUV lineup rather than its separate crossover lineup...

/Taurus
First Synchronized down shift rev-matching system
Synchronized down shift rev-matching system
Synchronized down shift rev-matching system is a technology invented by Nissan for use on manual transmissions. The technology was first used on the Nissan 370Z...

- 2009 Nissan 370Z
Nissan 370Z
The Nissan 370Z is a sports car manufactured by Nissan Motors. It was announced on October 29, 2008 and was first shown at an event in Los Angeles ahead of the 2008 Greater LA Auto Show, before being officially unveiled at the show itself...

/Nissan Fairlady Z

Passive Restraint

First car to come standard with safety belts
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...

- 1958 Saab GT 750
Saab GT750
Saab GT750 is an automobile from Saab produced between 1958 and 1960. It was introduced at the New York International Auto Show in 1958, and was fitted with safety belts as standard - soon afterward the practice became commonplace on most cars.The GT750 was a sporty version of the Saab 93, mainly...

(http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/2005/02/saab_innovation.html http://www.trollhattansaab.net/page/5)

Active restraint

First airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...

s - 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Toronado
The original Toronado began as a design painting by Oldsmobile stylist David North in 1962. His design, dubbed the "Flame Red Car," was for a compact sports/personal car never intended for production...
First car to come standard with dual airbags - 1986 Mercedes W124
First six-airbag system - 1994 Audi A8
Audi A8
The Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, luxury sedan car manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, the A8 has been offered with front wheel drive or permanent four-wheel drive, with multitronic or tiptronic automatic transmissions — and in short- and...
First head airbags - 1997 BMW 7-Series
First side airbags - 1995 Volvo 850
Volvo 850
The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Swedish manufacturer to be exported to North...

Tires
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...

First use of pneumatic tires - 1895 Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...

L'Eclair (Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...

)
First standard pneumatic tires - 1896 Bollée
Léon Bollée Automobiles
Léon Bollée Automobiles was a French company founded by Léon Bollée in Le Mans to build a first vehicle called "Voiturette".The Bollée family, all car makers, created three brands:* steam vehicles, Amédée Bollée , built between 1873 and 1885....

Voiturette
First radial-ply tires - 1949 Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...

"X" (patented in 1946)
First self-repairing tires - 1950 Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
First run flat tire - 1974 Mini 1275GT
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...

(Dunlop
Dunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...

Denovo; optional)

Lighting

First electrical lighting - 1898 Columbia
Columbia Automobile Company
The Columbia Automobile Company was a leading early Hartford, Connecticut, United States manufacturer of automobiles.The Columbia Automobile Company was created as a joint venture of the Motor Vehicle Division of the Pope Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, and the Electric Vehicle...

electric
First standard lights - 1904 "Prest-O-Lite" acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
First standard electrical lights - 1908 Peerless
Peerless
Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio from 1900 to 1931. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles. Peerless' factory was located at 9400 Quincy Avenue in Cleveland...
First integrated electrical and lighting system - 1912 Cadillac Model 1912
Cadillac Model Thirty
The Cadillac Model Thirty was introduced in December, 1909, and sold through 1911. It was the company's only model for those years and was based on the 1907 Model G. The 1912 Model 1912, 1913 Model 1913, and 1914 Model 1914 were similar but used larger engines...

Delco
Delco
Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Ohio* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
First "dipping" headlights - 1915 Guide Lamp Company
First dual-beam headlight - 1924 Bilux
First retractable headlights - 1936 Cord
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
First flush mounted taillights with the body - 1936 Cord
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
First directional headlamps - 1930s Tatra
Tatra (car)
Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as Schustala & Company later renamed Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, a wagon and carriage manufacturer, and in 1897 produced the first motor car in central Europe, the Präsident. In 1918, it...
First fog lights - 1938 Cadillac
First auto-dimming headlights - 1952 Cadillac Autronic Eye
First auto-on/off headlights - 1964 Cadillac Twilight Sentinel
First headlight wipers - 1970 Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...

(95
Saab 95
The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...

, 96
Saab 96
For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...

, 99
Saab 99
- Development :On April 2, 1965, Gudmund's day in Sweden, after several years of planning, the Saab board started Project Gudmund. This was a project to develop a new and larger car to take the manufacturer beyond the market for the smaller Saab 96...

)
First AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....

HID
High-intensity discharge lamp
High-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...

lights - 1991 BMW 7-series
BMW E32
After almost 7 years in development since September 1979, in July 1986, BMW introduced the second generation of the 7 series, known internally as the E32. Aimed at the high end of the luxury market, the car offered some of the latest innovations in automotive technology, and a new, top-of-the-line...
First DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...

HID
High-intensity discharge lamp
High-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...

lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
Lincoln Mark VIII
The Lincoln Mark VIII is a large, rear-wheel drive grand touring luxury coupe built from 1993 to 1998. It was the successor of the Mark VII. The Mark VIII was built at Ford's Wixom, Michigan assembly plant and was based on the FN10 platform, a relative of the MN12 platform which underpinned the...
First neon
Neon
Neon is the chemical element that has the symbol Ne and an atomic number of 10. Although a very common element in the universe, it is rare on Earth. A colorless, inert noble gas under standard conditions, neon gives a distinct reddish-orange glow when used in either low-voltage neon glow lamps or...

lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
Lincoln Mark VIII
The Lincoln Mark VIII is a large, rear-wheel drive grand touring luxury coupe built from 1993 to 1998. It was the successor of the Mark VII. The Mark VIII was built at Ford's Wixom, Michigan assembly plant and was based on the FN10 platform, a relative of the MN12 platform which underpinned the...
First all-LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...

tail lights - 1998 Maserati 3200 GT
Maserati 3200 GT
The Maserati 3200 GT is an automobile produced by Maserati from 1998 to 2001. The luxury coupé was styled by Italdesign, whose founder and head Giorgetto Giugiaro previously designed, among others, the Ghibli, Bora and Merak....
First bi-xenon HID headlamps - 1998 Audi A8
Audi A8
The Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, luxury sedan car manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, the A8 has been offered with front wheel drive or permanent four-wheel drive, with multitronic or tiptronic automatic transmissions — and in short- and...
First low beam, front position light and sidemarker LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...

headlights - 2008 Lexus LS600h
First all-LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...

headlights - 2008 Audi R8

Electrical system

First magneto
Magneto (electrical)
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce alternating current.Magnetos adapted to produce pulses of high voltage are used in the ignition systems of some gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to provide power to the spark plugs...

- 1897 Lanchester
First twin-spark engine - 1921 Bentley 3 Litre
Bentley 3 Litre
The 3 Litre was the sports car that put Bentley on the automotive map. It was a large car compared to the tiny, lightweight Bugattis then dominating racing, but its innovative technology and strength made up for its weight...
First electric self-starter - Arnold
Arnold (automobile)
The Arnold was one of the first motor cars manufactured in the United Kingdom. It was produced in East Peckham, Kent between 1896 and 1898.-History:William Arnold & Sons of East Peckham, Kent, was an agricultural engineering company founded in about 1844....

(copy of the Benz Velo
Benz Velo
Karl Benz patented the three-wheeled Patent Motorwagen on January 29, 1886 and produced it as the first commercially available automobile from 1886 through 1893. He followed this initial success with the introduction of the Benz Velo model of 1894. The Velo and the Duryea Motor Wagon, patented in...

) before 1900.
First electric windows - 1938 Buick Y-Job
Buick Y-Job
The Buick Y-Job was the auto industry's first concept car, produced by Buick , in 1938. Designed by Harley J. Earl, the car had power-operated hidden headlamps, a "gunsight" hood ornament, wraparound bumpers, flush door handles, and prefigured styling cues used by Buick until the 1950s.The car...
First combination key and ignition switch - 1949 Chrysler
First AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....

alternator - 1960 Valiant
Plymouth Valiant
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
First sealed battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...

- 1971 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...

"Freedom Battery"
First multiplexed wiring - 1987 Cadillac Allanté
Cadillac Allanté
The Allanté was Cadillac's first venture into the ultra-luxury roadster market. The vehicle was sold from 1987 until 1993, with roughly 21,000 models built over its 7-year production run...
First integrated car systems control - 1987 Toyota Soarer
Toyota Soarer
The Soarer made its first appearance at the 1980 Osaka International Motor Show with the name "EX-8", and the Z10 series Toyota Soarer was produced from February 1981 to December 1985, with 2.0L, 2.8L or 3.0L DOHC I-6 variants. The first generation Soarer debuted with a rear-wheel drive...

(Electro Multi Vision)
First 12 volt system - 1949 Chevrolet

Climate control

First windshield defroster - 1928 Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
First windshield washer - 1937 Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
First air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...

- 1938 Studebaker Commander
Studebaker Commander
The Studebaker Commander is the model-name of a long succession of automobiles produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana and Studebaker of Canada Ltd of Walkerville and, later, Hamilton, Ontario . Studebaker began using the Commander name in 1927 and continued to use it until...
First rear window defogger - 1948 Cadillac
First heated seats - 1966 Cadillac
First automatic climate control - 1964 Cadillac
First digital climate control - 1975 Rolls-Royce Camargue
Rolls-Royce Camargue
The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a two-door coupé introduced by Rolls-Royce Motors in March 1975. The Camargue's body, built in London by their coachbuilding division Mulliner Park Ward, was designed by automotive designer Paolo Martin at Pininfarina — the Camargue was Rolls-Royce's first post-war...
First ventilated seats - 1998 Saab 9-5
Saab 9-5
The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...

In-car electronics and entertainment

First original-equipment radio - 1923 Springfield
First navigation system
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...

- August 1981 Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....

(analog, dealer-installed)
- First navigation system with voice controls - 2002 Infiniti Q45
  Infiniti Q45
  The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
- First digital navigation system - 1990 Acura Legend
  Acura Legend
  The Acura Legend, sold as the Honda Legend outside the U.S., Canada, and parts of China, was a luxury vehicle sold from 1986 to 1995 as both a sedan and coupe. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was North...
- First GPS
  Global Positioning System
  The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
  
  navigation system - 1990 Mazda Eunos Cosmo
First active audio volume control - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...

Bose/Delco
Delco Electronics
Delco Electronics Corporation was the automotive electronics design and manufacturing subsidiary of General Motors based in Kokomo, Indiana.The name Delco came from the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co., founded in Dayton, Ohio by Charles Kettering and Edward A...

Gold Series
First telematics assist
Telematics
Telematics typically is any integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT...

system - 1996 tie 1997-model Cadillac Seville
Cadillac Seville
The Cadillac Seville is a luxury-type car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of American automaker General Motors from 1975 to 2004, as a smaller-sized top-of-the-line Cadillac...

(OnStar
OnStar
OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, hands free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada and China. A similar service is known as ChevyStar in Latin...

) and Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Continental
The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...

(Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...

RESCU)
First Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...

-capable audio system - 2000 Chrysler
First MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...

-capable audio system - 2001 Mazda Protegé MP3
First active noise cancellation - 2005 Acura RL
Acura RL
The Acura RL is the flagship car for North American luxury brand Acura — marketed in Japan as the Honda Legend and manufactured in Saitama, Japan...
First steering wheel mounted audio controls - 1984 Nissan 300ZX
Nissan 300ZX
The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...

AE
First front auxiliary input (for iPod/MP3 devices) (OEM systems) - 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT / Galant VR-4

Other

First steering wheel - 1899 Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
First speedometer
Speedometer
A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...

- 1901 Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
First tilt-away steering wheel - 1912 Peerless
Peerless
Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio from 1900 to 1931. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles. Peerless' factory was located at 9400 Quincy Avenue in Cleveland...
First dash-mounted fuel tank gauge - 1914 Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
First tilt-away steering column - 1928 Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
First horn ringed steering wheel - 1936 Cord Automobile
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
First turn signals - 1939 Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
First split folding rear seats - 1959 Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....

Universal (Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

patented the system in 1978)
First tilt/telescope steering wheel - 1965 Cadillac
First electronic four wheel steering - 1985 Nissan Skyline
Nissan Skyline
The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg...

HICAS
First mechanical four wheel steering - 1988 Honda Prelude
Honda Prelude
The Honda Prelude was a sports coupe produced by Japanese automaker Honda from 1978 until 2001. It replaced the Honda S800, a front-engined, front wheel drive sports car...

4WS
First composite
Fibre-reinforced plastic
Fibre-reinforced plastic is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually fibreglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester or polyester thermosetting plastic...

wheels - 1989 Shelby CSX
Shelby CSX
The Shelby CSX was a limited-production high performance automobile based on the turbocharged Dodge Shadow. These cars were offered by Shelby Automobiles Inc. from 1987 through 1989.-CSX:...

. Composite wheels were an option on the 1970 Citroën SM
Citroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in the U.S. in 1972.-History:In 1961,...

.
First active exhaust - 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT
First production car to achieve 200 mi/h 1987 Ferrari F40
Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupé sports car produced by Ferrari from 1987 to 1992 as the successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO. From 1987 to 1989 it was Ferrari's fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car...

Pre-War

Best-selling pre-war vehicle - Ford Model-T (15,000,000 sold between 1908 and 1928)
Least-expensive full-featured automobile - 1927 Ford Model-T
Fastest pre-war stock production vehicle - Cord Automobile
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....

- 1937 supercharged 812 Beverly sedan 107.66 mph (48 m/s) - September 1937 at the Bonneville Salt Flats
Fastest pre-war vehicle - Railton Mobil Special - 2-SC Napier Lion V-12 - 369.74 mph (165 m/s) - Driver John Cobb on August,23 1939 at the Bonneville Salt Flats
Longest - Bugatti Royale
Bugatti Royale
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...

- 21 ft (6.4 m) long,
Longest Wheelbase - Bugatti Royale
Bugatti Royale
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...

180 in (4.57 m) or 170 in (4.32 m) wheelbase depending on model
Widest - Mercedes-Benz 770 83 in (2,108 mm)
Widest Front Track - 1626 mm (64 in) - Mercedes-Benz 770
Widest Rear Track - 1676 mm (66 in) - Mercedes-Benz 770
Heaviest Curb Weight - 3673 kg (8,098 lb) - Mercedes-Benz 770
Largest pre-war Straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....

- 21495 cc - 1912 Benz 82/200
Largest pre-war Straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...

- 21112 cc - 1905 Panhard et Levassor
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...

50 CV
Largest pre-war Straight-8
Straight-8
The straight-eight engine or inline-eight engine is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine with all eight cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...

- 12763 cc - 1929 Bugatti Royale
Bugatti Royale
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...

production car; the prototype had a 14726 cc engine
Largest pre-war V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....

- 11310 cc - 1933 Hispano-Suiza Type 68bis