Now Cars - Gottlieb Daimler

[Steve]

Recently Geoff posted a joke about an American and a Brit
discussing variations in Car terminology. At the end the 
American said (something to the effect), well we invented the
automobile, to which the Brit replied, well we invented the
language.

It is a common misconception that Henry Ford invented the
automobile. What Ford did was invent the assembly line process
by which car could be made at an affordable price. 

But it is universally understood by those of us in-the-know,
that Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler invented and sold the first
automobile.  

>From Wikipedia -

Henry Ford -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford

"...(Ford) had enough time and money to devote attention to
his personal experiments on gasoline engines. These 
experiments culminated in 1896 with the completion of his own 
self-propelled vehicle named the Ford Quadricycle, which he 
test-drove on June 4."

Note the date 1896, this wasn't the first commercial vehicle,
this was Ford's first productive working model.


Gottlieb Daimler -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb_Daimler

"They patented in 1885[citation needed] a precursor of the 
modern petrol engine which they subsequently fitted to a 
two-wheeler, considered the first motorcycle and, in the next
year, to a stagecoach, and a boat."

1885, though not quite the first automobile.

"Later, in 1890, they founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft 
(DMG). They sold their first automobile in 1892."

Daimler sold his first car FOUR years before Ford invented his
'Quadricycle'.

Though the history is far more complex than I am making it out
here, basically, after forming the Daimler motor company, he
later joined with Benz to form Daimler-Benz. Benz later 
merged with Mercedes to for Mercedes-Benz.

So there you have absolute proof that it was the Germans who
invented the true automobile. Again, Ford invented the 
assembly line process that lowered costs. Ford was also smart
enough to know that if he paid his worker extremely high wages
for the day, they would turn around and buy cars with that
money. 

I know this because I came across it as an obscure fact when
I was in high school. Later on a test, the question was asked
'Who invented the Automobile?', and I put Gottlieb Daimler, 
even though I knew the teacher was expecting me to put 'Henry
Ford'. 

Naturally, I was marked wrong. So, I brought the teacher proof
that Daimler had his car on the market first, but the teacher
refused to change the grade. That's when I learn that teachers
are stubborn and unyielding, and that life is usually unfair. 

It should be noted, either to add or remove confusion, that 
there was another 'Daimler Motor Company' that was in 
Britain, though I don't think it was directly associated with
it's German cousin.

Wikipedia - Daimler Motor Company - Coventry, England

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler_Motor_Company

"The Daimler Motor Company was a British motor vehicle 
manufacturing company, founded in 1896, and based in Coventry.
The company became a subsidiary of BSA in 1910, and was acquired
by Jaguar Cars in 1960."

"...This was the origin of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft 
("Daimler Motors Company") which built cars from the 1890s 
onwards and sold licenses of its designs and patents to others. 
The licence granted to the Daimler Motor Company included the 
right to use the Daimler name in Great Britain."

So, the British version licensed the name and the designs from
the German Mr. Daimler. 

And for the record, BSA used to make some SWEET motorcycles.

Hey...I'm just saying.

Steve/bboyminn