1. Cars Today, cars are all around us.
WALT: We are learning about the combustion engine and to place the all different historical cars on a timeline.
Cars
Today, cars are all around us.
Have you ever wondered how long they have been around?
10 years? 100 years? 1000 years? What do you think?

2. The Beginning
Richard Trevithick was a man who experimented with steam engines.
In 1801 he built a steam road locomotive with a carriage called the ‘Puffing Devil’ that travelled along the road.
Richard’s vehicle was the first carriage that wasn’t pulled by a horse.

3. 1826 - The internal combustion engine
Samuel Brown, an English engineer, developed one of the earliest internal combustion engines. In an internal combustion engine, fuel is burnt inside a chamber, allowing movement to happen.
In 1826, he used his engine to push a carriage up a hill.
Unfortunately, the engine was powered by gas, which was expensive, and his engine was never used again.

4. 1858 - The internal combustion engine is improved
Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir was born in Belgium.
He invented an internal combustion engine fuelled by gas, coal and air.
In 1858, he attached one of these engines to a three-wheeled wagon, and made a 50 mile trip.
Five years later, he built a three wheeled carriage powered by a petrol engine.

5. 1865: The Locomotive Acts
In 1865, people were unhappy with all the new ‘locomotives’ travelling on the roads alongside horses and carriages. The UK government made an act that said:
horseless vehicles could not travel faster than 4 mph in the country and 2 mph in towns.
at all times, a person had to walk in front of the vehicle, waving a red flag and blowing a horn.
This law stayed for 30 years and because of this, many engineers and inventors in the UK decided to concentrate on improving railway locomotives instead.

6. 1886: The age of motoring begins
Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz lived in different parts of Germany. In 1886 they both made vehicles that were powered very similar to the cars we use today.
Carl Benz
Gottlieb Daimler
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen
Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in their first car.

7. 1888: Car production
Cars then started being built in Germany, France, and America. The Ford Motor Company was formed in America in By 1913 it was the world’s biggest car manufacturer. Thousands of cars were built - cars were made with steam, electric and petrol engines - until eventually petrol won and the others types were abandoned.

8. : The Brass Era
The Brass Era is the first period of car manufacturing - named ‘brass’ because this was the metal used for lights and other fittings. Cars still looked like carriages and had open tops. Lots of different car manufacturers around the world competed to make the best kind of car. During this time, the steam car was the fastest on the road.

9. 1898: Ignition key
A man called Charles Kettering, who worked for Cadillac’s design department, invented the electric ignition and starter motor. For the first time, cars could now start by themselves.
Before the ignition key cars had to be started by a removable crank handle which had to be turned round.
You can see the handle on the front of this Ford T Model.

10. 1903: The steering wheel
Until 1903, most cars used ‘tillers’ for steering. A tiller is a lever that moves the wheels left or right. The tiller was in the centre of the car, meaning the driver could sit on any side.

11. : The Vintage Era
In this era, cars changed from an open ‘carriage’ type body, to a closed type, like the Austin 7 car in the picture. This car was made in the UK, and was one of the most popular cars in the country. Companies around the world began copying it.

12. Photograph by Pete Edgeler, Creative Commons Licence
: The Classic car
By 1930, most of the technology used in cars today had been invented. For the first time cars had boots for storage, and a saloon style body.
Austin Light Greyhound Sports Saloon 1935
Photograph by Pete Edgeler, Creative Commons Licence

13. : The Classic car
During the 1950s, cars became faster and were better designed. Different car manufacturers experimented with different shapes and styles. Some of them even remain popular today. Have you seen any cars like these on the roads?
1949 Beetle
The first mini sold in America
1953 Iso Isetta
Photograph by tonylanciabeta, Creative Commons Licence
1953 Fuldamobil N-2

14. The modern era
Today, car manufacturers are looking at ways for greener travel. Cars are now being built that can use both petrol and electricity. These are called hybrid cars. The picture on the left is a Toyota Prius, which is one of the world’s top selling hybrid cars.

15. The Future
Car manufacturers are looking at different types of fuel – hydrogen and compressed air or nitrogen are some of them. Different types of materials such as fiberglass, carbon nanotubes and foam are being tested, to see if they can replace the steel in cars. Who knows what cars will look like when you are grown up! Have you got any ideas?
Hydrogen concept car

16. On the next page are pictures of some popular classic cars.
Today, people like to collect classic cars and you may often see them on the roads.
On the next page are pictures of some popular classic cars.

17. 1958 Wolseley 6/90 (Photograph by Dave_7)
1955 Triumph TR2
1957 Jaguar Mk II
(Photograph by 111 Emergency)
1958 Wolseley 6/90 (Photograph by Dave_7)
1961 MGA Roadster
1969 Jaguar E Type
(Photograph by Mick)
1964 Bentley S3