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Meet the Bugatti Veyron, the street-legal speed demon that once held the record for the world’s fastest car at 267.856 mph. This engineering marvel boasts two mid-mounted V8 engines, four turbochargers, and a bank of ten radiators just to keep its cool. However, owning one is no small feat—its Michelin PAX tires alone will set you back $70,000, and a new transmission? A cool $120,000. So, if you’re planning a trip to France, maybe add a vineyard tour while you’re at it!
Gaston Plante, our French physicist hero, sparked the rechargeable revolution with his lead/acid battery in 1859, giving life to countless car batteries and making roadside jump starts a thing. Fast forward to 1895, and Henry Austin is vrooming around Britain in his gasoline chariot. By 1921, Ford is the king of the American car jungle, while GM plays catch-up. Meanwhile, in 2014, Toyota and Hyundai are busy brewing up hydrogen cars. Talk about an electrifying journey through automotive history!
Who doesn’t love the Mustang? It’s transitioned from an American icon with a cheesy reputation to a truly global and sophisticated sports car, now available in factory-built right-hand drive. The 2016 Ford Mustang stands out as the top performance car, not just for its nostalgic appeal, but for its blend of modern technology and classic muscle. It’s like finding out your high school crush is now a successful astronaut – it’s still got the charm, but now it’s got the brains too!
In a remarkable feat of speed and innovation, Gaston Laubat shattered records twice in a single day on December 18, 1898, at Acheres, France, piloting the electric car “Jeantaud.” The first pass clocked in at a blazing 39.245 mph (63.15 km/h), and just when you thought he couldn’t go any faster, the second pass zoomed past at a thrilling 57.65 mph (92.778 km/h). It’s like the 19th-century version of “Fast and Furious,” except with a lot less Vin Diesel and a lot more electricity!
In a world where road maintenance laws kicked off in 1836 France and Chevy Vegas rusted their way through the ’70s, let’s spotlight Camille Jenatzy, the audacious 1899 speedster. In an electric car named Cita, Jenatzy zipped past the 100 km/h mark, leaving onlookers in the dust at 105.88 km/h. Fast forward to 1902, when the American Automobile Association was born, probably to keep tabs on folks like Jenatzy—or maybe just to find a good parking spot.
In a world where speed limits and traffic jams are the norm, let’s take a nostalgic ride back to December 18, 1898, when Gaston Laubat set the first recorded land speed record. Picture this: an electric car named “Jeantaud,” not exactly lightning-fast by today’s standards, yet it blazed its way to a dazzling 39.245 mph in Acheres, France. That’s right, folks—Laubat’s electric marvel was the Tesla of its time, minus the autopilot and Elon Musk tweets.
In a tale that drives through history, we rev up with the Michelin brothers who inflated our journeys in 1891 with their pneumatic tire. Fast forward to 1902, where Kenosha, Wisconsin, gave birth to the Rambler, while by 1972, cars had multiplied to 224 million, with the USA hogging half. Ralph Nader threw a wrench in the works with “Unsafe At Any Speed” in 1965. Meanwhile, Toyota parked itself in Kentucky in 1986, and by 2006, GM and Chrysler were on a bailout joyride. Buckle up for an automotive rollercoaster!