MAKES OF CARS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1940, Page 8

MAKES OF CARS

OVER FOUR THOUSAND SINCE PRODUCTION BEGAN. • UNITED STATES WELL IN LEAD. Since the first car propelled by an internal combustion engine appeared on the Continent just before 1870, there have been more than 4,000 different makes of automobiles available to the public throughout the world. The early manufacturers were found in France, Austria, Great Britain and Italy. The movement spread between 1869 and 1889 also to Belgium, Switzerland and the United States. In 1875 there were 300 different makes on the market, but two-thirds of them wore out of existence 25 years later. The first car was not. produced in Spain until 1902. The'boom period began in 1905-06, when more countries entered the field of car manufacture. There were approximately 700 varieties of car available at that time. Factories of all types designed for all manner of jobs were converted —or at least attempts were made to convert them —into motor car producing units. One manufacturer even changed a bird cage factory into an automobile factory. Ruin followed for many of them. Cars were expensive, restricting their sales to the moderately wealthy. Difficulty of operation limited sales. Thus the market gradually stabilised itself until now the number of car-producing concerns is comparatively small, but between them they have turned out nearly 4,000.000 cars each year. Approximate figures which have been compiled by “The American Automobile” put it that the number of car makes put on the market in the course of history so far are: United States, 1.550: Great Britain. 610; France, 480; Germany. 240; Italy, 80; Belgium. 70: other countries. 135.