It's easy to get caught up in the serious side of automobile ownership, but these seven fun car facts can help take your mind off of repairs, recalls, and road work.
Seven Fun Car Facts
Knowing fun facts about cars may not be as practical as understanding how to change your oil or when to buy new tires, but it sure is entertaining. Pretty soon, you'll be able to impress your friends with your random knowledge about all things automotive.
Leonardo da Vinci Designed the First Car
Although cars didn't become popular until the beginning of the 20th century, they were invented much earlier. The first working automobiles were invented in the late 1800s, but Leonardo da Vinci actually created drawings for a self-propelled vehicle around 1478. No one knows if a prototype was ever made, but these drawings represent the first known conception of the automobile.
The Ford Model T Is the Most Popular Car in History
These days, most people look at the Ford Model T as representative of a brief time in the history of the automobile; however, it was significant for many reasons. The Model T was the first car that Ford mass-produced on the assembly line, and it was immensely popular in its time. In 1916, the Ford Model T held 55 percent of the automotive market share. No other automaker has ever come close to breaking that record.
The First Speeding Ticket Was Issued in 1904
If you've recently been stopped for going too fast, at least you can say to yourself that you aren't the first person in the world to receive a speeding ticket. That distinction belongs to Harry Myers of Dayton, Ohio, who received the world's first ticket in 1904 for going 12 miles per hour through town.
The United States Has Almost One Car Per Person
In 2007, the United States Census Bereau estimated that the total the population of the country was just over 301 million people. That same year, the Department of Transportation estimated that there were more than 254 million passenger vehicles registered to United States citizens. This translates to about 0.84 cars per person. In 1895, there were only four registered passenger cars in the entire United States, so things have changed quite a bit.
You'll Spend Two Weeks at Stop Lights
Think you've been sitting at that stop light forever? You're probably not far off. The amount of time a traffic light is red will vary by the intersection; however, red lights usually last at least 30 seconds. The average American will spend over 300 hours at stop lights in his or her lifetime. That adds up to about two entire weeks.
Hyundai Made the Cheapest Car Sold in the United States in 2010
In 2010, you could get a new Hyundai Accent Blue for $10,690. The base model of this compact economy car doesn't include luxuries like air conditioning, automatic transmission, and a stereo, but it's still a brand new vehicle. When it comes to economy vehicles, there were also several other options offered by a variety of automakers, all under $15,000.
The Most Expensive Car in 2010 Cost Over Two Million Dollars
At the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive car in 2010 was the Koenigsegg Trevita, a $2.21 million, limited edition supercar. This car has an engine that produces 1018 horsepower, more than nine times as much as the Hyundai Accent Blue, but there will only be three Trevitas produced.
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