The First Cars of The World's Most Famous Carmakers

Some of the automakers had rather humble beginnings. They didn't start with an extravagant engine or posh designs. Here are the first car models of a few renowned automakers.

By Carandbike Team

1 mins read

Published on February 28, 2022

Highlights

If you look back at the early car designs of Peugeot or Ford, you might not find anything resembling the modern-day designs. Not all automakers started with luxurious cars and futuristic car models like that of Tesla. This article will be looking at the first car models from the world's most renowned carmakers. Let's dive in! Mercedes-Benz (1886) Karl Benz created the first car in 1885 and patented it the following year. However, Benz only adopted the Mercedes name in 1901. This first car from Mercedes Benz featured only three wheels. The vehicle includes a 954cc 0.75 hp single-cylinder engine. What a great start to automobiles, isn't it? Photo Credit: in.pinterest.com Peugeot (1891) Very few people know that Peugeot started a brand that produced salt and pepper grinders. Peugeot moved to bicycle production only 40 years after its inception. In 1891, Peugeot launched its first car. Peugeot's first car was a four-wheeler with a rear-mounted V-twin engine. During the first years of production, Peugeot only made five cars. But this number shot up to 500 cars by 1900. Photo Credit: www.peugeot.ph Ford (1896) Do you know that Henry Ford built an experimental car in 1896? Well, this car was Ford's first-ever creation. The vehicle is popularly known as Ford Quadricycle. Ford started the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899, which was later renamed Henry Ford Company. As a result of a fallout with financial backers, Henry Ford created a new venture – the Ford Motor Company. Photo Credit: corporate.ford.com Renault (1898) Fernand, Marcel, and Louis Renault created Societe Renault Freres in 1899. In the previous year, the trio had developed the 1CV voiturette prototype. This prototype car packed 32 kph power. The type A model received an annual facelift. Before it went out of manufacturing in 1903, the car was equipped with a 5hp engine. Who knew Renault would transition from these old prototype cars to modern and futuristic wheels! Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org Opel (1899) Next on our list is this first model from Opel. Adam Opel started this company in 1862. Opel began as a sewing machine manufacturer before starting its bicycle production business. After the death of Adam Opel, his wife and sons continued the company. In 1899, Opel launched its first car with a 1,545cc 3.5hp single-cylinder engine! The vehicle had two variants – two and a four-seater. Photo Credit: www.pinterest.es Fiat (1899) Fiat or Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino came into existence in 1899. The brand opened its first manufacturing unit in 1900. Fiat only made 24 units that specific year. The first model from Fiat included a 679cc flat-twin engine. The automaker started with only 35 employees. However, it quickly diversified into 2,700 people workforce by 1908. Photo Credit: in.pinterest.com Ever since their first cars, these automakers have supported innovation and technology to deliver the best!