159-472: The Nash Metropolitan is an American automobile assembled in England and marketed from 1953 until 1962. It conforms to two classes of vehicle: economy car and subcompact car . The Metropolitan is considered a "subcompact", but this category was not yet in use when the car was made. At that time, it was categorized as a "small automobile" as well as an "economy car". The Metropolitan was also marketed as
318-536: A Flemish member of a Jesuit mission in China around 1672. It was a 65-centimetre-long (26 in) scale-model toy for the Kangxi Emperor that was unable to carry a driver or a passenger. It is not known with certainty if Verbiest's model was successfully built or run. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is widely credited with building the first full-scale, self-propelled mechanical vehicle in about 1769; he created
477-671: A Hudson model when Nash and Hudson merged in 1954 to form the American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Nash and Hudson lines were phased out in favor of the Rambler line, and in 1957, the Metropolitan became a standalone brand and was badged with a stylized 'M' on hubcaps and grille. The cars were also sold in the United Kingdom and other markets. While most domestic automobile makers were following
636-534: A debt restructuring that would require the family to sell its stake in the company. The agreement was made after Pininfarina's value dropped 67% during 2008, with a market capitalization of about €36 million. It had total debt of €598 million at the end of November. Of that amount, €555 million was the subject of the debt restructuring agreement that was agreed on with a consortium of banks. Pincar, Pininfarina's family holding company, announced on 24 March 2009 that it had hired investment bank Leonardo & Co. to find
795-780: A "Metropolitan Club" to channel this enthusiasm and hopefully increase Metropolitan sales. He reasoned that personal recommendation was a powerful marketing tool. All owners of Metropolitans could apply to join the club, and members received a membership card, membership certificate, and a metal badge to attach to their vehicle. Beginning in May 1957, a magazine called "The Met Letter" was sent out to members. Sixteen issues were produced from May 1957 (Volume 1, Number 1) to January 1962 (Volume 4, Number 3). The magazine consisted of articles and photographs submitted by members, as well as maintenance and editorial comments from American Motors. Members who recruited additional Metropolitan buyers were rewarded with
954-514: A "bigger-is-better" philosophy, Nash Motor Company executives were examining the market to offer American buyers an economical transportation alternative. The Metropolitan was designed in Kenosha, Wisconsin . It was patterned from a concept car , the NXI (Nash Experimental International), that was built by Detroit -based independent designer William J. Flajole for Nash-Kelvinator . It was designed as
1113-579: A 1954 Metropolitan convertible and "got the surprise of my life" when its "performance was far better than I expected", that he "felt very safe in the car", and that "it may well be that Nash has started a new trend in American motoring. Perhaps the public is now getting ready to accept a small car". Clymer also took a 1957 Metropolitan hardtop through a grueling 2,912 mi (4,686 km) road test that even took him 14,100 ft (4,300 m) up Pikes Peak . He summed up his experience that "I can not praise
1272-644: A 30 million euros fee paid to Pininfarina. On 25 June 2013, the last Volvo C70 was produced and the Uddevalla assembly plant was closed. Although Pininfarina rarely gave credit to individuals, many of the designers of the past have become known. That policy seems to have changed in recent years. As of 2021, Pininfarina had more than 700 employees. Pininfarina designs, manufactures, assembles, and tests prototypes and production vehicles under contract for other automakers. As of 10 December 2011, Pininfarina announced it would end all mass automotive production with
1431-530: A 76% stake in the holding company Pincar for 25.3 million euros. The Indian company will offer the same price for the remaining stock. In addition to buying stock, Mahindra will invest 20 million euros in Pininfarina and provide a guarantee to creditors of 114.5 million euros. On 10 December 2011, Pininfarina announced it would end all automotive production. In truth, production ended in November 2010 with
1590-407: A Fiat vehicle. Toyota , Nissan , Suzuki , Mazda , and Honda began as companies producing non-automotive products before the war, switching to car production during the 1950s. Kiichiro Toyoda's decision to take Toyoda Loom Works into automobile manufacturing would create what would eventually become Toyota Motor Corporation , the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Subaru , meanwhile,
1749-404: A French financier, and Ratan Tata , head of India's Tata Group conglomerate, who already announced their plans to invest, would together invest €100 million. Funding would come through the sale of stock to other investors. The Pininfarina family was willing to reduce its share from 55% to 30%, which would still be enough to secure a controlling interest. On 31 December 2008, Pininfarina announced
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#17327720780821908-601: A VIN of A-HP7 150301. Total Austin Metropolitan production has been estimated at between 9,384 and 9,391 vehicles. Metropolitans were sold new in right-hand-drive in New Zealand as a "Nash." The models were not available in Australia. The Metropolitan lost market appeal due to increasing competition from AMC's own Rambler American models and newly introduced compact cars from the Big Three. The last Metropolitan body
2067-511: A buyer for its 50.6% stake in Pininfarina per the debt restructuring agreement reached in December. In a statement released on 15 February 2012, the company said its debt repayment date had been extended to 2018, from 2015. And that the company would take advantage of interest rates "significantly lower than [current] market rates". Pininfarina will remain under the control of the Pininfarina family. Pininfarina also saw its net revenue increase by
2226-437: A combination of the use of feet and hands, and occasionally by voice on 21st-century cars. These controls include a steering wheel , pedals for operating the brakes and controlling the car's speed (and, in a manual transmission car, a clutch pedal), a shift lever or stick for changing gears, and a number of buttons and dials for turning on lights, ventilation, and other functions. Modern cars' controls are now standardised, such as
2385-589: A contrast color for the hardtops. P906 "Croton Green" was dropped as a color option in April 1954. Cars incorporated the Nash logo on their grille badge, hubcaps, horn button, and spare wheel cover. The suggested retail price (MSRP) for Series I (also known as NK1) models was US$ 1,445 (hardtop) and $ 1,469 (convertible). Adding a radio and a heater pushed the price above $ 1,500: at the time, the Volkswagen Beetle
2544-518: A corporation, Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina headquartered in Turin, Italy, at 107 Corso Trapani. During the 1930s, the company built bodies for Lancia , Alfa Romeo , Isotta Fraschini , Hispano-Suiza , Fiat , Cadillac , and Rolls-Royce . With its close relationship with Lancia, the pioneer of the monocoque in automobile design, Farina became the first coachbuilder to build bodies for
2703-537: A full-sized wind tunnel was completed. The project was started in 1966. When it opened, it was the first wind tunnel with the ability to test full-sized cars in Italy and one of the first in the world with this ability. For example, GM 's full-sized wind tunnel did not open until 1980. The 1980s started a period of expansion for Pininfarina. In 1982, the company opened "Pininfarina Studi e Ricerche" in Cambiano . It
2862-414: A hood blister and rear wheel cutouts. Nash was positioning this new product for the postwar market for "personal use" autos. These specific use vehicles were as a second car for women or an economical commuter car. The Metropolitan was also aimed at returning Nash to overseas markets. However, Mason and Nash's management calculated that building such a car from scratch in the U.S. would be impossible because
3021-537: A line of outdoor furniture. In April 2008, after three years of serious losses totaling 115 million euros at the end of 2007, Pininfarina made the first of several moves to raise capital and restructure its enormous debt: On 29 April 2008 Pininfarina announced Piero Ferrari , Alberto Bombassei (chairman of Brembo ), and the Marsiaj family (founders of the Sabelt seatbelt company), would join with Vincent Bolloré ,
3180-483: A long-established wagon and coach manufacturer, started to build cars in 1897 and commenced sales of electric vehicles in 1902 and petrol vehicles in 1904. In Britain, there had been several attempts to build steam cars with varying degrees of success, with Thomas Rickett even attempting a production run in 1860. Santler from Malvern is recognised by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain as having made
3339-431: A million. In 2013 Pininfarina managed a net profit with an operating loss of 8.2 million euros but a net profit of 32.9 million euros from a one-time gain of approximately 45 million euros. Mahindra Group , owner of Indian automobile company Mahindra & Mahindra agreed to buy Italian car designer Pininfarina SpA in a deal worth about 168 million euros. Mahindra group, together with affiliate Tech Mahindra , has
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#17327720780823498-496: A new engine and gearbox added 50 lb (23 kg) to the weight. This model is referred to as Series II or NK2 (Commencing with Vehicle identification number (VIN) E11001 on 19 August 1954). November 1955 saw the start of Metropolitan Series III (NK3) production (Commencing with VIN E21008 on 28 November 1955). The design also included the B-Series engine increase in capacity to 1,489 cc (90.9 cu in) (as used in
3657-484: A new lease agreement was announced, this new agreement will run from 1 January 2014 until the end of 2016. A joint venture between Pininfarina S.p.A. and Volvo Car Corporation began in 2003. Volvo and Pininfarina S.p.A. have agreed to terminate the joint venture agreement regarding Pininfarina Sverige AB and its operations in Uddevalla , Sweden. As of 31 December 2011, the termination of this agreement would result in
3816-670: A new model DMG car was produced and the model was named Mercedes after the Maybach engine, which generated 35 hp. Maybach quit DMG shortly thereafter and opened a business of his own. Rights to the Daimler brand name were sold to other manufacturers. In 1890, Émile Levassor and Armand Peugeot of France began producing vehicles with Daimler engines, and so laid the foundation of the automotive industry in France . In 1891, Auguste Doriot and his Peugeot colleague Louis Rigoulot completed
3975-576: A penicillin festival." He added that it was a "nice-handling car with plenty of control and amazing dig, considering it is powered by a small Austin A-40 engine" and that the finish was "very nice", although having no trunk opening except by pulling down the back of the rear seat "poses a problem". His test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 19.3 seconds and could exceed 70 mph (110 km/h). A Road & Track road test recorded acceleration from 0–60 mph in 22.4 seconds, "almost half of
4134-587: A place at the entrance to the exhibition to display the two new creations. The managers of the Grand Palais said of the display, "the devil Pinin Farina", but to the press and the public, it was the successful "Turin coachbuilder's anti-salon". At the end of 1945, the Cisitalia 202 Coupé was designed. An elegantly proportioned design with a low hood, it is the car that usually is given credit for establishing Pinin Farina's reputation. The Pinin Farina design
4293-423: A quarter of world oil production as of 2019 . Both petrol and diesel cars pollute more than electric cars. Cars and vans caused 8% of direct carbon dioxide emissions in 2021. As of 2021 , due to greenhouse gases emitted during battery production, electric cars must be driven tens of thousands of kilometres before their lifecycle carbon emissions are less than fossil fuel cars; however this varies considerably and
4452-714: A rent per year for six years renewable. The Grugliasco sale did not include an adjacent structure that houses the wind tunnel. Opened in 1986 to build Cadillac Allante bodies for General Motors, the same year Pininfarina was first listed on the Stock Exchange in Milan. Automotive production ended at San Giorgio with the conclusion of the Ford production in July 2010 and the Alfa Romeo production in November 2010. Following
4611-419: A result, Ford's cars came off the line in 15-minute intervals, much faster than previous methods, increasing productivity eightfold, while using less manpower (from 12.5 manhours to 1 hour 33 minutes). It was so successful, paint became a bottleneck. Only Japan black would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop the variety of colours available before 1913, until fast-drying Duco lacquer
4770-630: A right-hand drive (RHD) car parked in an English country town ( Chipping Campden ) because only left-hand drive vehicles were available at the time the photos were taken. From December 1956, production of Austin Metropolitans began, and from 2 April 1957, approximately 9,400 additional units were sold in overseas markets that included the United Kingdom and New Zealand . List prices for the UK Series III models were £713 17s 0d for
4929-664: A special gold anodized "Metropolitan Club" badge. The club was disbanded around May 1962, when the supply of new Metropolitans was exhausted. Floyd Clymer , the motoring journalist and passionate supporter of the Metropolitan concept, attempted to keep the original Metropolitan Club active after that time. Automobile A car , or an automobile , is a motor vehicle with wheels . Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads , seat one to eight people, have four wheels , and mainly transport people over cargo . There are around one billion cars in use worldwide. The French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built
Nash Metropolitan - Misplaced Pages Continue
5088-527: A station wagon version. Two prototypes were built and displayed at car shows, but the project was abandoned. One of the two prototypes has been restored and is on display at a Metropolitan restoration facility in North Hollywood, California. Approximately 95,000 Metropolitans were sold in the United States and Canada, making it one of the top-selling cars to be imported into those countries at
5247-467: A steam-powered road vehicle. It was unable to maintain sufficient steam pressure for long periods and was of little practical use. The development of external combustion (steam) engines is detailed as part of the history of the car but often treated separately from the development of true cars. A variety of steam-powered road vehicles were used during the first part of the 19th century, including steam cars , steam buses , phaetons , and steam rollers . In
5406-544: A steam-powered tricycle. He also constructed two steam tractors for the French Army, one of which is preserved in the French National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts . His inventions were limited by problems with water supply and maintaining steam pressure. In 1801, Richard Trevithick built and demonstrated his Puffing Devil road locomotive, believed by many to be the first demonstration of
5565-579: A three-wheeled car powered by electricity at the International Exposition of Electricity . Although several other German engineers (including Gottlieb Daimler , Wilhelm Maybach , and Siegfried Marcus ) were working on cars at about the same time, the year 1886 is regarded as the birth year of the modern car—a practical, marketable automobile for everyday use—when the German Carl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen ; he
5724-429: A variety of lamps . Over the decades, additional features and controls have been added to vehicles, making them progressively more complex. These include rear-reversing cameras , air conditioning , navigation systems , and in-car entertainment . Most cars in use in the early 2020s are propelled by an internal combustion engine , fueled by the combustion of fossil fuels . Electric cars , which were invented early in
5883-673: A way to head off on unchaperoned dates, plus they had a private space to snuggle up close at the end of the night." Similarly the costs to society of car use may include; maintaining roads , land use , air pollution , noise pollution , road congestion , public health , health care, and of disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life; and can be balanced against the value of the benefits to society that car use generates. Societal benefits may include: economy benefits, such as job and wealth creation, of car production and maintenance, transportation provision, society wellbeing derived from leisure and travel opportunities, and revenue generation from
6042-463: Is absolutely up to you." In 1958, upon leaving for a world tour, Farina added, "In my family, we inherit our legacies from live people–not from the dead." In 1961, at 68, "Pinin" Farina formally turned his firm over to his son, Sergio, and his son-in-law, Renzo Carli. The same year, the President of Italy formally authorized the change of Farina's last name to Pininfarina, and the business took on
6201-593: Is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder , with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin , Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930. On 14 December 2015, the Indian multinational Mahindra Group acquired 76.06% of Pininfarina S.p.A. for about €168 million. Pininfarina is employed by a wide variety of automobile manufacturers to design vehicles. These firms have included long-established customers such as Ferrari , Alfa Romeo , Peugeot , Fiat , GM , Lancia , and Maserati , to emerging companies in
6360-479: Is called " Fordism " and was copied by most major industries. The efficiency gains from the assembly line also coincided with the economic rise of the US. The assembly line forced workers to work at a certain pace with very repetitive motions which led to more output per worker while other countries were using less productive methods. In the automotive industry, its success was dominating, and quickly spread worldwide seeing
6519-448: Is expected to improve in future due to lower carbon electricity , and longer lasting batteries produced in larger factories. Many governments use fiscal policies, such as road tax , to discourage the purchase and use of more polluting cars; and many cities are doing the same with low-emission zones . Fuel taxes may act as an incentive for the production of more efficient, hence less polluting, car designs (e.g., hybrid vehicles ) and
Nash Metropolitan - Misplaced Pages Continue
6678-469: Is generally acknowledged as the inventor of the car. In 1879, Benz was granted a patent for his first engine, which had been designed in 1878. Many of his other inventions made the use of the internal combustion engine feasible for powering a vehicle. His first Motorwagen was built in 1885 in Mannheim , Germany. He was awarded the patent for its invention as of his application on 29 January 1886 (under
6837-525: Is registered and publicly traded on the Milan Stock Exchange, Borsa Italiana . When automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina broke away from his brother's coachbuilding firm, Stabilimenti Farina , in 1928, he founded "Carrozzeria Pinin Farina" with financial help from his wife's family and Vincenzo Lancia . That first year, the firm employed eighteen and built 50 automobile bodies. On 22 May 1930 papers were filed to become
6996-520: Is restored and kept at a museum in California. Almost from the beginning of sales of the Metropolitan, American Motors received many letters and photographs from Metropolitan owners with stories of their good experiences with their cars. Some of these comments were used in later brochures for the Metropolitan. In January 1957, James W. Watson (AMC's Sales Manager for the Metropolitan) initiated
7155-621: Is that cars can use lighter batteries. Most cars are designed to carry multiple occupants, often with four or five seats. Cars with five seats typically seat two passengers in the front and three in the rear. Full-size cars and large sport utility vehicles can often carry six, seven, or more occupants depending on the arrangement of the seats. On the other hand, sports cars are most often designed with only two seats. Utility vehicles like pickup trucks , combine seating with extra cargo or utility functionality. The differing needs for passenger capacity and their luggage or cargo space has resulted in
7314-826: Is the replacement of physical knobs and switches by secondary controls with touchscreen controls such as BMW 's iDrive and Ford 's MyFord Touch . Another change is that while early cars' pedals were physically linked to the brake mechanism and throttle, in the early 2020s, cars have increasingly replaced these physical linkages with electronic controls. Cars are typically equipped with interior lighting which can be toggled manually or be set to light up automatically with doors open, an entertainment system which originated from car radios , sideways windows which can be lowered or raised electrically (manually on earlier cars), and one or multiple auxiliary power outlets for supplying portable appliances such as mobile phones , portable fridges, power inverters , and electrical air pumps from
7473-471: Is the usual formal term in British English . "Autocar", a variant likewise attested from 1895 and literally meaning " self-propelled car", is now considered archaic. " Horseless carriage " is attested from 1895. "Automobile", a classical compound derived from Ancient Greek autós ( αὐτός ) "self" and Latin mobilis "movable", entered English from French and was first adopted by
7632-515: The Astra-Gnome "Time and Space Car," a design concept influenced by space travel forms. The vehicle was featured on the 3 September 1956 cover of Newsweek magazine and exhibited at the 1956 New York International Auto Show . Arbib modified a 1955 Nash Metropolitan and it was his vision of what an automobile would look like in the year 2000. Among the features were a "celestial time-zone clock permitting actual flight-type navigation". The car
7791-718: The Austin A40 Devon /Dorset) driving the rear wheels through a three-speed manual transmission . The initial order was for 10,000 units, with an option to increase the order if sales were sufficient. The new car underwent rigorous testing at the Nash Proving Grounds, but the first assignment for newly hired Assistant Technical Advisor, Carl Chakmakian, was to conduct supervised testing to achieve advertising and sales training objectives. In December 1953, two new NKI-branded (serial numbers 1009 and 1013) were driven 800 metres (1 km) from their arrival port to
7950-540: The Austin A50 Cambridge ). Polished stainless steel sweep-spears on the body sides allowed a new two-tone finish to be incorporated, which had the cosmetic effect of lowering, slimming, and lengthening the car. The new exterior colors were P905 "Caribbean Green", P910 "Sunburst Yellow", and P911 "Coral Red" with P909 "Snowberry White" as a contrast. The grille was also redesigned, and the hood had its non-functional hood scoop removed. American Motors changed
8109-657: The Austin Motor Company (by then part of BMC ) and Fisher & Ludlow (which also became part of BMC in September 1953, later operating under the name Pressed Steel Fisher), both English companies based in Birmingham, England and vicinity. Fisher & Ludlow would produce the bodywork, the mechanicals would be provided, and the Austin Motor Company would perform the final assembly. This
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#17327720780828268-593: The Automobile Club of Great Britain in 1897. It fell out of favour in Britain and is now used chiefly in North America , where the abbreviated form "auto" commonly appears as an adjective in compound formations like " auto industry " and " auto mechanic ". In 1649, Hans Hautsch of Nuremberg built a clockwork-driven carriage. The first steam-powered vehicle was designed by Ferdinand Verbiest ,
8427-769: The Cadillac Allanté . The Allanté project led to the building of the San Giorgio factory in 1985. In 1996, Mitsubishi entered into talks for Pininfarina to build their new compact SUV, the Pajero , in Italy. While Mitsubishi recognized Pininfarina's expertise in design and engineering, the reason for choosing them was that manufacturing costs were half of those in Germany. After entering into an agreement in 1996, Pininfarina purchased an industrial site at Bairo Canavese near Turin , Italy. in April 1997, Bairo Canavese
8586-771: The Ferrari Mythos , were concept cars , although several have become production models, including the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Ferrari F50 . A recent privately commissioned custom example was the Ferrari P4/5 of 2006, a one-car change to the exterior design of the Enzo Ferrari according to the client's specifications. Its design began in September 2005 with sketches by Jason Castriota moving through computer-aided sculpture and stringent wind tunnel testing. More than 200 components were designed especially for
8745-639: The Great Depression , by 1940, only 17 of those were left. In Europe, much the same would happen. Morris set up its production line at Cowley in 1924, and soon outsold Ford, while beginning in 1923 to follow Ford's practice of vertical integration , buying Hotchkiss' British subsidiary (engines), Wrigley (gearboxes), and Osberton (radiators), for instance, as well as competitors, such as Wolseley : in 1925, Morris had 41 per cent of total British car production. Most British small-car assemblers, from Abbey to Xtra , had gone under. Citroën did
8904-679: The Portsmouth Block Mills , England, in 1802. The assembly line style of mass production and interchangeable parts had been pioneered in the US by Thomas Blanchard in 1821, at the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts . This concept was greatly expanded by Henry Ford , beginning in 1913 with the world's first moving assembly line for cars at the Highland Park Ford Plant . As
9063-520: The Wankel engine has had more than very limited success. All in all, it is estimated that over 100,000 patents created the modern automobile and motorcycle. Large-scale, production-line manufacturing of affordable cars was started by Ransom Olds in 1901 at his Oldsmobile factory in Lansing, Michigan , and based upon stationary assembly line techniques pioneered by Marc Isambard Brunel at
9222-409: The history of the car , became commercially available in the 2000s and are predicted to cost less to buy than petrol-driven cars before 2025. The transition from fossil fuel-powered cars to electric cars features prominently in most climate change mitigation scenarios , such as Project Drawdown 's 100 actionable solutions for climate change. There are costs and benefits to car use . The costs to
9381-569: The second car in a two car family , for Mom taking the kids to school or shopping or for Dad to drive to the railroad station to ride to work: the "commuter/shopping car" with resemblance to the big Nash, but the scale was tiny as the Met's wheelbase was shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle 's. The NXI design study incorporated many innovative features and attempted to use interchangeable front and rear components (the symmetrical door skins were
9540-440: The tax opportunities. The ability of humans to move flexibly from place to place has far-reaching implications for the nature of societies. Cars are a major cause of urban air pollution , with all types of cars producing dust from brakes, tyres, and road wear , although these may be limited by vehicle emission standards . While there are different ways to power cars, most rely on petrol or diesel , and they consume almost
9699-404: The "Royal Runabout" a black-and-gold one-off built for and presented to Britain's Princess Margaret. Production ceased in April 1961 (final VIN — E95981, built 19 April 1961). Sales of the existing inventory continued until March 1962. A drawing attributed to Richard Arbib, dated 17 January 1956, shows a Metropolitan station wagon with additional fins and sharp edges. American Motors contemplated
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#17327720780829858-531: The "baby Nash", the cars were tiny. They had an 85 in (2,159 mm) wheelbase, overall length of 149.5 in (3,797 mm) and a gross weight of only 1,785 lb (810 kg) for the convertible and 1,825 lb (828 kg) for the hardtop, thus making the Metropolitan smaller than the Volkswagen Beetle . The two models, a convertible and a hardtop, were powered by the OHV 1,200 cc (73 cu in) straight-4 Austin 'A40' series engine (as used in
10017-745: The 1.8% annual average reduction between 2010 and 2015. Given slow progress to date, the IEA estimates fuel consumption will have to decrease by 4.3% per year on average from 2019 to 2030. The increase in sales of SUVs is bad for fuel economy. Many cities in Europe have banned older fossil fuel cars and all fossil fuel vehicles will be banned in Amsterdam from 2030. Many Chinese cities limit licensing of fossil fuel cars, and many countries plan to stop selling them between 2025 and 2050. Pininfarina Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carrozzeria Pininfarina )
10176-533: The 1908 Ford Model T , both American cars, are widely considered the first mass-produced and mass-affordable cars, respectively. Cars were rapidly adopted in the US, where they replaced horse-drawn carriages . In Europe and other parts of the world, demand for automobiles did not increase until after World War II . In the 21st century, car usage is still increasing rapidly, especially in China, India, and other newly industrialised countries . Cars have controls for driving , parking , passenger comfort, and
10335-487: The 1950s, Chevrolet shared bonnet, doors, roof, and windows with Pontiac ; by the 1990s, corporate powertrains and shared platforms (with interchangeable brakes , suspension, and other parts) were common. Even so, only major makers could afford high costs, and even companies with decades of production, such as Apperson , Cole , Dorris , Haynes , or Premier, could not manage: of some two hundred American car makers in existence in 1920, only 43 survived in 1930, and with
10494-433: The 1950s, the Metropolitan was considered "remarkably nimble" by many early testers, and "the consensus is that the Metropolitan isn't just fun to look at, it's fun to drive too." Owners of the cars reported that the "Metropolitan is a good thing in a small package". Automotive industry veteran and the largest publisher of automotive books at the time, Floyd Clymer , took several Metropolitans through his tests. He "abused"
10653-542: The 2012-17 Ferrari F12berlinetta , the last model entirely penned by Pininfarina, while Centro Stile Ferrari has designed each car since 2013's LaFerrari . From 1954 until 1955, Pinin Farina purchased land in Grugliasco , outside Turin, for a new factory. "The factory in no way would look like the one of Corso Trapani. It would be a car no longer on my measurements but those of my children, built looking like them; I had this in mind and wanted it," said Farina. Around
10812-812: The 20th and 21st centuries because there are more cars; the 1980s oil glut even fuelled the sales of low-economy vehicles in OECD countries. The BRIC countries are adding to this consumption. As of 2023 few production cars use wheel hub motors . In almost all hybrid (even mild hybrid ) and pure electric cars regenerative braking recovers and returns to a battery some energy which would otherwise be wasted by friction brakes getting hot. Although all cars must have friction brakes (front disc brakes and either disc or drum rear brakes ) for emergency stops, regenerative braking improves efficiency, particularly in city driving. Cars are equipped with controls used for driving, passenger comfort, and safety, normally operated by
10971-610: The Asian market with Chinese manufactures like AviChina , Chery , Changfeng , Brilliance , JAC and VinFast in Vietnam and Korean manufacturers Daewoo and Hyundai . Since the 1980s, Pininfarina has also designed high-speed trains, buses, trams, rolling stocks, automated light rail cars, people movers, yachts, airplanes, and private jets. Since the 1986 creation of "Pininfarina Extra", it has consulted on industrial design, interior design, architecture, and graphic design. Pininfarina
11130-836: The Austin (mini) Metro. In May 1960, Car Mart Ltd. (a large Austin dealership in London , UK ) presented Princess Margaret as a wedding present with a specially prepared Metropolitan finished in black with gold trim and gold leather interior. It was stolen in London in February 1961. As a result of low sales, production of the Austin Metropolitan ended in February 1961. Two additional "one-offs" were built in March and April after serial Metropolitan production ended. The final car had
11289-455: The Benz car to his line of products. Because France was more open to the early cars, initially more were built and sold in France through Roger than Benz sold in Germany. In August 1888, Bertha Benz , the wife and business partner of Carl Benz, undertook the first road trip by car, to prove the road-worthiness of her husband's invention. In 1896, Benz designed and patented the first internal-combustion flat engine , called boxermotor . During
11448-464: The Corso Trapani facility, "This old plant has reached the limits of its growth. It has no room for expansion and is far from being up to date. If I were alone, I'd leave it as it is. But I want you to decide which way to go–to stay as we are or to enlarge. Either way is fine with me. It's your decision, and I don't want to know what it is. I'm finished, and it's your time to take over. The future
11607-463: The Metropolitan too highly. It is a fascinating little car to drive, its performance is far better than one would expect, and the ride is likewise more than expected". According to Collectible Auto magazine, the car was described in Car Life ' s review as "a big car in miniature" that was "fun to drive" and "ideal for a second car in the family," while Motor Trend was not alone in regarding
11766-473: The NKI name. The first examples badged as Nash went on sale on 19 March 1954 in the U.S. and Canada. Autocar said that "at a production rate of less than 400 cars a week ... it was hardly going to be a runaway best seller." In surveys, Americans had affirmed a desire for economy cars, but in practice, they bought the Metropolitan in relatively small numbers. Although Nash merged with Hudson in 1954 and marketed
11925-479: The Studies and Research Centre ( Studi e Ricerche ) in Grugliasco . The research centre occupied 8,000 sq. metres (2 acres) and employed 180 technicians to produce 25 prototypes yearly. The Calculation and Design Centre was set up in 1967, the first step in the process of technological evolution that, during the 1970s, would take Pininfarina into the lead in automated bodywork design. Then in 1972 construction of
12084-534: The UK. (The first Metropolitans sold in the UK were sold only to American and Canadian service members stationed in the UK.) Series III models carried the prefix HD6 (convertible) or HE6 (hardtop). Some early Series III models carried the prefix HNK3H or HNK3HL (L=Left-Hand Drive). The prefix is thought to indicate " H ome N ash K elvinator Series 3 H =1400-1999cc (Metropolitan=1500cc)". UK Series III sales ran from April 1957 to February 1959. Series IV models, which carried
12243-614: The US's first pedestrian car casualties in 1899 in New York City. There are now standard tests for safety in new cars, such as the Euro and US NCAP tests, and insurance-industry-backed tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, not all such tests consider the safety of people outside the car, such as drivers of other cars, pedestrians and cyclists. The costs of car usage, which may include
12402-571: The United Kingdom, sentiment against them led to the Locomotive Acts of 1865. In 1807, Nicéphore Niépce and his brother Claude created what was probably the world's first internal combustion engine (which they called a Pyréolophore ), but installed it in a boat on the river Saone in France. Coincidentally, in 1807, the Swiss inventor François Isaac de Rivaz designed his own " de Rivaz internal combustion engine ", and used it to develop
12561-690: The United States market. In 1952, Farina visited the U.S. for the unveiling of his design for the Nash Ambassador and Statesman lines, which, although they did carry some details of Pinin Farina's design, were primarily designed by Nash's then-new in-house styling staff when the original Farina-designed model proved unsuited to American tastes, exhibiting a popular 1950s appearance called " ponton ". The Nash-Healey sports car body was, however, completely designed and assembled with Nash drivetrains in limited numbers from 1952 until 1954 at Pinin Farina's Turin facilities. Nash heavily advertised its link to
12720-595: The United States. His patent was challenged by Henry Ford and others, and overturned in 1911. In 1893, the first running, petrol-driven American car was built and road-tested by the Duryea brothers of Springfield, Massachusetts . The first public run of the Duryea Motor Wagon took place on 21 September 1893, on Taylor Street in Metro Center Springfield. Studebaker , subsidiary of
12879-544: The VW's 39.2". However, the magazine noted that at 60 mph (97 km/h), a typical American cruising speed at the time, the Metropolitan was revving at 4300 rpm, which shortened engine life, whereas the Volkswagen could travel at the same speed at only 3000 rpm. Road & Track ' s testers also said that the car had "more than its share of roll and wallow on corners" and there was "little seat-of-the-pants security when
13038-492: The Volkswagen Beetle outsold the Metropolitan by 5 1 ⁄ 2 to 1. For the 1960 model year, American Motors prepared a Metropolitan convertible for the Easter Parade in New York City. Named the "Metropolitan Fifth Avenue", the car was finished with 15 hand-rubbed coats of pearl-pink lacquer outside and featured pink-and-white cowhide upholstery and pink fur carpeting. Rear fender sides had Fifth Avenue lettering while
13197-782: The Volvo P1 platform used in the S40. Pininfarina has helped to plan multi-family residences with Cyrela Real Estate. Related Group, and commercial projects with Bosque Real, Roadside Development, and Higold Group. They were also involved in the building of the Istanbul Airport and Juventus Arena. In 2016 Pininfarina, in collaboration with Reflex, created the Segno furniture Collection; an integrated modular system. They have also collaborated with Italian wood distributor Corà Parquet, to develop wooden flooring surfaces as well as Higold on
13356-507: The addition of an external decklid (previous models only allowed access to the trunk through the rear seatback), one-piece rear window, and vent windows . By this time, the engine had been upgraded by increasing the compression ratio from 7.2:1 to 8.3:1 (Commenced VIN E43116 — 15 October 1957), rated at 55 bhp (41 kW) (as used in the Austin A55 Cambridge ). The additional features added 15 lb (6.8 kg) to
13515-412: The auspices of his major company, Benz & Cie. , which was founded in 1883). Benz began promotion of the vehicle on 3 July 1886, and about 25 Benz vehicles were sold between 1888 and 1893, when his first four-wheeler was introduced along with a cheaper model. They also were powered with four-stroke engines of his own design. Emile Roger of France, already producing Benz engines under license, now added
13674-462: The availability of a large variety of body styles to meet individual consumer requirements that include, among others, the sedan/saloon , hatchback , station wagon/estate , coupe , and minivan . Traffic collisions are the largest cause of injury-related deaths worldwide. Mary Ward became one of the first documented car fatalities in 1869 in Parsonstown , Ireland, and Henry Bliss one of
13833-564: The brand name Daimler . It was a horse-drawn stagecoach built by another manufacturer, which they retrofitted with an engine of their design. By 1895, about 30 vehicles had been built by Daimler and Maybach, either at the Daimler works or in the Hotel Hermann, where they set up shop after disputes with their backers. Benz, Maybach, and the Daimler team seem to have been unaware of each other's early work. They never worked together; by
13992-484: The car as a Hudson Metropolitan in 1955, "demand never took off from the original level", primarily because the Metropolitan was slow by North American standards. In the first month of sales, 862 Metropolitans were sold in U.S. and Canada, while in the first six months, a total of 7,042 were sold. A further order was placed with Austin. Available exterior colors were P903 "Spruce Green", P904 "Canyon Red", P905 "Caribbean Blue", or P906 "Croton Green", with P907 "Mist Grey" as
14151-503: The car to police motorcycles , an AMC brochure advertised superior all-weather protection, cost-effectiveness and storage space, and also the safety of single-unit construction. The Franklin Mint produced a die-cast toy model of a 1956 Metropolitan in a police car version. Among its features are a police hat and handcuffs on the passenger's seat, as well as a fire extinguisher on the floor. Industrial designer Richard Arbib designed
14310-455: The car visible to other users, so that the vehicle can be used at night; in some jurisdictions, daytime running lights ; red brake lights to indicate when the brakes are applied; amber turn signal lights to indicate the turn intentions of the driver; white-coloured reverse lights to illuminate the area behind the car (and indicate that the driver will be or is reversing); and on some vehicles, additional lights (e.g., side marker lights) to increase
14469-782: The car, including the engine, drivetrain, and other components modified from the original Enzo Ferrari. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is unchanged from the Enzo it was derived from. The P4/5 was publicly revealed on 18 August 2006 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and shown again at the Paris Motor Show in late September. Another recent prototype is the Pininfarina Nido , a two-seater sub-compact that could make airbags obsolete. The Pininfarina B0 solar-electric concept, designed with Bolloré
14628-617: The cars took at least six weeks to be shipped from the Longbridge factory to the U.S. distribution network, the actual titled date will be different from the production date. In October 1956, Austin Motor Company obtained permission from American Motors to sell the Metropolitans in overseas countries where AMC did not have a presence. The early brochures for the Austin Metropolitans used a reversed photograph to show
14787-532: The conclusion of the contract to produce the Alfa Romeo Brera and Spider at the San Giorgio plant. Opened in 1958 with nearly 1,000 employees, by 1960 output exceeded 11,000 car bodies. In 2009 Pininfarina sold the factory to Finpiemonte, the public finance of the Piedmont Region, at the price of 14.4 million euro. Finpiemonte, as part of the deal, leases the plant to Gian Mario Rossignolo at
14946-443: The cost of: acquiring the vehicle, repairs and auto maintenance , fuel, depreciation , driving time, parking fees , taxes, and insurance, are weighed against the cost of the alternatives, and the value of the benefits—perceived and real—of vehicle usage. The benefits may include on-demand transportation, mobility, independence, and convenience, and emergency power . During the 1920s, cars had another benefit: "[c]ouples finally had
15105-514: The designation to "Metropolitan 1500" to differentiate it from the earlier 1,200 cc (73 cu in) models. The interior was also changed to incorporate a " houndstooth " check material for the seats trimmed with white vinyl. The dashboard was also painted black, rather than the body color, just like the Series I and II Metropolitans. The MSRP for Series III models was $ 1,527 (hardtop) and $ 1,551 (convertible). After VIN E35133 (16 April 1957),
15264-588: The development of alternative fuels . High fuel taxes or cultural change may provide a strong incentive for consumers to purchase lighter, smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, or to not drive . The lifetime of a car built in the 2020s is expected to be about 16 years, or about 2 millionkm (1.2 millionmiles) if driven a lot. According to the International Energy Agency the average rated fuel consumption of new light-duty vehicles fell by only 0.9% between 2017 and 2019, far smaller than
15423-749: The driver from a crash perspective, but more dangerous for other vehicles and road users. The weight of a car influences fuel consumption and performance, with more weight resulting in increased fuel consumption and decreased performance. The Wuling Hongguang Mini EV , a typical city car , weighs about 700 kilograms (1,500 lb). Heavier cars include SUVs and extended-length SUVs like the Suburban . Cars have also become wider. Some places tax heavier cars more: as well as improving pedestrian safety this can encourage manufacturers to use materials such as recycled aluminium instead of steel. It has been suggested that one benefit of subsidising charging infrastructure
15582-465: The end of contract manufacturing activities, San Giorgio Canavese is being used to produce spare parts for cars manufactured in the past. Pininfarina opened its third manufacturing plant in 1997. Currently, Pininfarina leases the plant and 57 employees to the Cecomp Group. This agreement to produce 4,000 electric Bolloré Bluecars runs from 1 April 2011 to 31 December 2013. On 13 September 2013
15741-412: The end of that year there were more than 16 million electric cars on the world's roads. Despite rapid growth, less than two per cent of cars on the world's roads were fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars by the end of 2021. Cars for racing or speed records have sometimes employed jet or rocket engines, but these are impractical for common use. Oil consumption has increased rapidly in
15900-439: The exterior colors were changed to P910 "Sunburst Yellow", P912 "Berkshire Green", and P913 "Mardi-Gras Red" with P914 "Frost White" as a contrast. After VIN E45912 (9 January 1958), the color P910 "Sunburst Yellow" was replaced by P915 "Autumn Yellow" and P908 "Classic Black" was added to the available exterior colors. In September 1957, AMC announced the discontinuation of the historic Nash and Hudson brand names. The Metropolitan
16059-462: The famous Italian designer, much as Studebaker promoted its longtime association with Raymond Loewy . As a result of Nash's million advertising campaign, Pinin Farina became well known in the U.S. Pinin Farina also built the bodies for the limited-series Cadillac Eldorado Brougham for General Motors in 1959 and 1960. They were assembled in Italy and shipped back to the U.S. There were 99 Broughams built in 1959 and 101 in 1960. A similar arrangement
16218-569: The first petrol-driven car in the country in 1894, followed by Frederick William Lanchester in 1895, but these were both one-offs. The first production vehicles in Great Britain came from the Daimler Company , a company founded by Harry J. Lawson in 1896, after purchasing the right to use the name of the engines. Lawson's company made its first car in 1897, and they bore the name Daimler. In 1892, German engineer Rudolf Diesel
16377-500: The first steam-powered road vehicle in 1769, while the Swiss inventor François Isaac de Rivaz designed and constructed the first internal combustion-powered automobile in 1808. The modern car—a practical, marketable automobile for everyday use—was invented in 1886, when the German inventor Carl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen . Commercial cars became widely available during the 20th century. The 1901 Oldsmobile Curved Dash and
16536-425: The founding of Ford France and Ford Britain in 1911, Ford Denmark 1923, Ford Germany 1925; in 1921, Citroën was the first native European manufacturer to adopt the production method. Soon, companies had to have assembly lines, or risk going broke; by 1930, 250 companies which did not, had disappeared. Development of automotive technology was rapid, due in part to the hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain
16695-472: The front fenders featured triangular badges that combined American and British flags. The car was filled with large plush bunnies that were given away every hour. The Fifth Avenue was displayed on the 1960 auto show circuit and ultimately sold to an AMC dealer in Boston. Three other Metropolitan convertibles were prepared with unique region-inspired features by AMC's styling department: "Westerner", "Cape Cod", and
16854-525: The hardtop and £725 2s 0d for the convertible. An estimated 1,200 Metropolitans were sold there in four years, according to several published sources. However, one British journalist estimated the figure to be around 5,000. Markedly American, the styling was considered outlandish compared with the more sober British-styled models in the British Motor Corporation lineup. Only Series III and Series IV Metropolitans were produced for sale in
17013-528: The idea of different makes of cars produced by one company, called the General Motors Companion Make Program , so that buyers could "move up" as their fortunes improved. Reflecting the rapid pace of change, makes shared parts with one another so larger production volume resulted in lower costs for each price range. For example, in the 1930s, LaSalles , sold by Cadillac , used cheaper mechanical parts made by Oldsmobile ; in
17172-497: The importer for the United States, said he could sell as many as they could make. In 1958, the first year of production, they produced 1,025 units, which then expanded to over 4,000 units in 1959, the first full year of the new Grugliasco factory. Starting with planning the new plant in Grugliasco in 1956, Farina began to groom his replacements–Sergio, his son, and Renzo Carli, his son-in-law. To his heirs apparent, Farina said of
17331-403: The individual include acquiring the vehicle, interest payments (if the car is financed), repairs and maintenance , fuel, depreciation , driving time, parking fees, taxes, and insurance . The costs to society include maintaining roads, land-use , road congestion , air pollution , noise pollution , public health , and disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life . Traffic collisions are
17490-476: The largest cause of injury-related deaths worldwide. Personal benefits include on-demand transportation, mobility, independence, and convenience. Societal benefits include economic benefits, such as job and wealth creation from the automotive industry , transportation provision, societal well-being from leisure and travel opportunities, and the generation of revenue from taxation. People's ability to move flexibly from place to place has far-reaching implications for
17649-637: The last years of the 19th century, Benz was the largest car company in the world with 572 units produced in 1899 and, because of its size, Benz & Cie., became a joint-stock company . The first motor car in central Europe and one of the first factory-made cars in the world, was produced by Czech company Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau (later renamed to Tatra ) in 1897, the Präsident automobil. Daimler and Maybach founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt in 1890, and sold their first car in 1892 under
17808-580: The location for the accelerator and brake, but this was not always the case. Controls are evolving in response to new technologies, for example, the electric car and the integration of mobile communications. Some of the original controls are no longer required. For example, all cars once had controls for the choke valve, clutch, ignition timing , and a crank instead of an electric starter . However, new controls have also been added to vehicles, making them more complex. These include air conditioning , navigation systems , and in-car entertainment . Another trend
17967-422: The longest trip by a petrol-driven vehicle when their self-designed and built Daimler powered Peugeot Type 3 completed 2,100 kilometres (1,300 mi) from Valentigney to Paris and Brest and back again. They were attached to the first Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race, but finished six days after the winning cyclist, Charles Terront . The first design for an American car with a petrol internal combustion engine
18126-545: The market. In Japan, car production was very limited before World War II. Only a handful of companies were producing vehicles in limited numbers, and these were small, three-wheeled for commercial uses, like Daihatsu , or were the result of partnering with European companies, like Isuzu building the Wolseley A-9 in 1922. Mitsubishi was also partnered with Fiat and built the Mitsubishi Model A based on
18285-426: The nature of societies . The English word car is believed to originate from Latin carrus / carrum "wheeled vehicle" or (via Old North French ) Middle English carre "two-wheeled cart", both of which in turn derive from Gaulish karros " chariot ". It originally referred to any wheeled horse-drawn vehicle , such as a cart , carriage , or wagon . "Motor car", attested from 1895,
18444-668: The new Raleigh Speedway in North Carolina to conduct two days of speed endurance and fuel economy evaluation. The tests were run and certified by NASCAR officials that included Bill France . With two drivers from Shreveport, Louisiana, Roxy Dancey and Herschel Buchanan, one car finished the 24-hour endurance run achieving 1,469.7 miles (2,365 km) at an average speed of 61.2 miles per hour (98 km/h) and 21.1 mpg ‑US (11.1 L/100 km; 25.3 mpg ‑imp ) overall. It had eleven pit stops to change drivers, add fuel and oil, and make tire changes because of
18603-473: The new technique also known as unibody construction. This development happened in the mid-1930s when others saw the frameless construction as the end of the independent coachbuilder. In 1939, World War II ended automobile production, but the company had 400 employees building 150 bodies monthly. The war effort against the Allies brought work making ambulances and searchlight carriages. The Pinin Farina factory
18762-404: The on-board electrical system. More costly upper-class and luxury cars are equipped with features earlier such as massage seats and collision avoidance systems . Dedicated automotive fuses and circuit breakers prevent damage from electrical overload . Cars are typically fitted with multiple types of lights. These include headlights , which are used to illuminate the way ahead and make
18921-499: The only interchangeable items used in production). Although more complex, the new vehicle also incorporated Nash's advanced single-unit ( unit body ) construction. It was displayed at several "surviews" (survey-previews), commencing on 4 January 1950, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, to gauge the reaction of the American motoring public to a car of this size. The result of these "surviews" convinced Nash that there
19080-408: The prefix A-HJ7 (convertible) or A-HP7 (hardtop), were sold from September 1960 to February 1961. The Metropolitan was unavailable for UK sales between February 1959 and September 1960 since all production was destined for U.S. and Canadian dealers. When sales in the UK resumed, they were sold through Austin dealers at listed prices of £707 6s 8d for the hardtop and £732 2s 6d for the convertible. Austin
19239-406: The rear "utility" seat as "a joke". Motor Trend praised the car's economy: its test Metropolitan returned: Mechanix Illustrated editor Tom McCahill wrote: "It is not a sports car by the weirdest torturing of the imagination but it is a fleet, sporty little bucket which should prove just what the doctor ordered for a second car, to be used either for a trip to the movies or for a fast run to
19398-403: The rear end takes its time getting back in line". Road Test magazine wrote in 1954 that "on roadability and responsive handling, the Met shines. It also offers easy maintenance and downright stinginess when it comes to gasoline consumption. Also, it's literally a brute for punishment. On several occasions I took familiar corners at speeds half again what I would dare to use in some cars of twice
19557-567: The sale of its 40% stake in the Uddevalla, Sweden plant to Volvo in 2013. In the past, Pininfarina produced cars and car bodies under contract from other automakers. This production includes Pininfarina-designed cars and vehicles designed by others. Before the war Pininfarina built car bodies primarily for individual customers, many of the bodies were "one offs" and not mass-produced. In addition to production vehicles , Pininfarina creates prototype , show , and custom cars for auto manufacturers , as well as private clients. Most prototypes—such as
19716-472: The same in France, coming to cars in 1919; between them and other cheap cars in reply such as Renault 's 10CV and Peugeot 's 5CV , they produced 550,000 cars in 1925, and Mors , Hurtu , and others could not compete. Germany's first mass-manufactured car, the Opel 4PS Laubfrosch (Tree Frog), came off the line at Rüsselsheim in 1924, soon making Opel the top car builder in Germany, with 37.5 per cent of
19875-411: The same name. Pininfarina was run by Battista's grandson Andrea Pininfarina from 2001 until he died in 2008. Andrea's younger brother Paolo Pininfarina was appointed successor. Paolo died in April 2024. Starting in the mid-1960s, Pininfarina started investing in the science of automotive design, a strategy to differentiate itself from the other Italian coachbuilders. In 1966, Pininfarina opened
20034-456: The same time, Alfa Romeo accepted Pininfarina's design over Bertone for the new Giulietta Spider . The Alfa was the first vehicle that Pinin Farina produced in large numbers. Alfa Romeo chose Pinin Farina to make the Spider mainly because they felt confident they could produce 20 cars daily for a run of 1,000 bodies. The Spider was a massive success for Alfa Romeo and Pinin Farina. Max Hoffman ,
20193-619: The start of production. The total tooling cost amounted to US$ 1,018,475.94 (Austin: US$ 197,849.14; Fisher & Ludlow: US$ 820,626.80), a fraction of the tooling cost for a U.S.-built vehicle. The styling for all Nash vehicles then was an amalgam of designs from Pinin Farina and his design house of Italy and the in-house Nash design team. The Nash models, from the Ambassador to the Metropolitan, utilized similar design features, including fully enclosed front wheels, notched "pillow" style door pressing, bar-style grille, etc. The new Metropolitan
20352-405: The time of the merger of the two companies, Daimler and Maybach were no longer part of DMG. Daimler died in 1900 and later that year, Maybach designed an engine named Daimler-Mercedes that was placed in a specially ordered model built to specifications set by Emil Jellinek . This was a production of a small number of vehicles for Jellinek to race and market in his country. Two years later, in 1902,
20511-487: The time, and its sales in 1959 helped to spur the introduction of the Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) new compact models. To establish the production date for a Metropolitan (U.S. and Canadian models only), check the VIN or Serial number on a data plate affixed to the firewall. Chassis numbers after 4781 are prefixed by the letter "E". The number on the list below can provide an approximate production date. NB. Since
20670-409: The tooling costs would have been prohibitive. The only cost-effective option was to build overseas using existing mechanical components (engine, transmission, rear end, suspension, brakes, electrical), leaving only the tooling cost for body panels and other unique elements. With this in mind, Nash Motors negotiated with several European companies. On 5 October 1952, they announced that they had selected
20829-503: The track's abrasive aggregate surface and fast corners. The car did not need any service or parts other than the tires. The second car was subjected to a non-stop 24-hour fuel economy test with drivers changing every three hours while the car was in motion, and refueling was also accomplished in motion three times by attaching a gas can to the side window drained into the car's tank. The car averaged 41.7 mpg ‑US (5.64 L/100 km; 50.1 mpg ‑imp ). The new model
20988-530: The visibility of the car. Interior lights on the ceiling of the car are usually fitted for the driver and passengers. Some vehicles also have a boot light and, more rarely, an engine compartment light. During the late 20th and early 21st century, cars increased in weight due to batteries, modern steel safety cages, anti-lock brakes, airbags, and "more-powerful—if more efficient—engines" and, as of 2019 , typically weigh between 1 and 3 tonnes (1.1 and 3.3 short tons; 0.98 and 2.95 long tons). Heavier cars are safer for
21147-504: The weight – proof that proper weight distribution, low center of gravity and well engineered suspension have more to do with roadability than massiveness, weight and long wheelbases. Admittedly, the short wheelbased Met does pitch moderately on very rough roads, but the sensitivity and ease of steering make driving a pleasure." Production at Austin's Longbridge factory started in October 1953 (Commencing VIN 1001). Nicknamed
21306-466: The weight. Exterior color options were the same as for Series III. The interior used a diamond pattern for the seats, with white vinyl trim. The MSRP for Series IV models was $ 1,672.60 (hardtop) and $ 1,696.80 (convertible). Sales rose to 22,209 units in 1959, the Metropolitan's best-selling year, promoting it to second place behind Volkswagen in sales of cars imported to the U.S. American Motors' advertising made much of this ranking while not mentioning that
21465-482: The world's attention. Key developments included electric ignition and the electric self-starter (both by Charles Kettering , for the Cadillac Motor Company in 1910–1911), independent suspension , and four-wheel brakes. Since the 1920s, nearly all cars have been mass-produced to meet market needs, so marketing plans often have heavily influenced car design. It was Alfred P. Sloan who established
21624-645: The world's first vehicle to be powered by such an engine. The Niépces' Pyréolophore was fuelled by a mixture of Lycopodium powder (dried spores of the Lycopodium plant), finely crushed coal dust and resin that were mixed with oil, whereas de Rivaz used a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen . Neither design was successful, as was the case with others, such as Samuel Brown , Samuel Morey , and Etienne Lenoir , who each built vehicles (usually adapted carriages or carts) powered by internal combustion engines. In November 1881, French inventor Gustave Trouvé demonstrated
21783-473: Was 90 ft (27.4 m) from 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) to a full stop. After the first 10,000 cars were built, the engine was changed to a B-Series , but still of 1,200 cc (73 cu in), (as used in the Austin A40 Cambridge ). Other modifications included a new gearbox and hydraulic actuation for the clutch (Series I models used a mechanical clutch linkage). The change to
21942-480: Was a market for such a car if it could be built at a competitive price. A series of prototypes followed that incorporated many of the improvements from the "surviews" that included roll-up glass side windows, a more powerful engine, and a column-mounted transmission shifter with bench seat (rather than bucket-type seats with floor shift fitted in the concept car). The model was named NKI (for Nash-Kelvinator International), and it featured revised styling incorporating
22101-435: Was chosen because neither Farina nor Enzo Ferrari wanted to meet at the other's headquarters. Battista's son, Sergio Pininfarina recalled, "It is not difficult to imagine how I felt that afternoon when my father, without taking his eyes off the road for one moment, told me his decision as we drove back to Turin: "From now on you'll be looking after Ferrari, from A to Z. Design, engineering, technology, construction—the lot!"—I
22260-424: Was dedicated to the production of the new Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin. Pininfarina Sverige AB in Uddevalla, Sweden, was established in 2003 as a joint venture (JV) between Volvo Cars and Pininfarina to produce a new Volvo convertible that will be sold in Europe and the United States. The JV is owned 60% by Pininfarina and 40% by Volvo. The C70 model designed by Volvo's John Kinsey—was launched on 13 April 2006, sharing
22419-480: Was destroyed by Allied bombers, ending the firm's operations. After the war, Italy was banned in 1946 Paris Motor Show . The Paris show was attended by 809,000 visitors (twice the pre-war figure), and queues stretched from the main gate to the Seine. Pinin Farina and his son Sergio, determined to defy the ban, drove two of their cars (an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 S and a Lancia Aprilia cabriolet) from Turin to Paris and found
22578-407: Was developed in 1926. This is the source of Ford's apocryphal remark, "any color as long as it's black". In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay. Ford's complex safety procedures—especially assigning each worker to a specific location instead of allowing them to roam about—dramatically reduced the rate of injury. The combination of high wages and high efficiency
22737-521: Was dropped from the name, which became simply "Metropolitan," and the cars carried no Austin badges, although they had Austin Company chassis plates. Despite this, the car remained known, by trade and public alike, as the Austin Metropolitan, often shortened to Austin Metro in common parlance. British Motor Company (BMC and later, British Leyland) adopted the' Metro' tag as a house name, re-emerging in 1980 on
22896-1429: Was formed from a conglomerate of six companies who banded together as Fuji Heavy Industries , as a result of having been broken up under keiretsu legislation. The transport sector is a major contributor to air pollution , noise pollution and climate change . Most cars in use in the early 2020s run on petrol burnt in an internal combustion engine (ICE). The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers says that, in countries that mandate low sulphur motor spirit, petrol-fuelled cars built to late 2010s standards (such as Euro-6) emit very little local air pollution. Some cities ban older petrol-driven cars and some countries plan to ban sales in future. However, some environmental groups say this phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles must be brought forwards to limit climate change. Production of petrol-fuelled cars peaked in 2017. Other hydrocarbon fossil fuels also burnt by deflagration (rather than detonation ) in ICE cars include diesel , autogas , and CNG . Removal of fossil fuel subsidies , concerns about oil dependence , tightening environmental laws and restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions are propelling work on alternative power systems for cars. This includes hybrid vehicles , plug-in electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles . Out of all cars sold in 2021, nine per cent were electric, and by
23055-414: Was granted a patent for a "New Rational Combustion Engine". In 1897, he built the first diesel engine . Steam-, electric-, and petrol-driven vehicles competed for a few decades, with petrol internal combustion engines achieving dominance in the 1910s. Although various pistonless rotary engine designs have attempted to compete with the conventional piston and crankshaft design, only Mazda 's version of
23214-518: Was honored in the Museum of Modern Art's landmark presentation "Eight Automobiles" in 1951. A total of 170 Coupés were produced by Pinin Farina. The publicity of the Museum of Modern Art exhibit brought Pinin Farina to the attention of Nash-Kelvinator managers. The subsequent cooperation with Nash Motors resulted in high-volume production of Pinin Farina designs and provided a significant entry into
23373-462: Was initially to be called the "NKI Custom", but the name was changed to "Metropolitan" just two months before its public release. New chrome nameplates with the "Metropolitan" name were made to fit into the same holes as the "NKI Custom" script on the passenger side front fender. Nash dealers had to rebadge the early cars that came with the "NKI Custom" name. Still, some factory manuals had already been prepared and distributed to service departments with
23532-511: Was introduced one year later. The first spokesperson for the car was Miss America 1954, Evelyn Ay Sempier . The car was prominently advertised in Women's Wear Daily . American Motors' marketing brochures described the new model as "America's entirely new kind of car" (1955), "Luxury in Miniature" (1959), and "crafted for personal transportation" (1960). Compared with the typical American car of
23691-627: Was made by Fisher & Ludlow on 10 April 1961. US-bound Metropolitan production ended in April 1961, as a result of its "marginal sales plus the fact that a four or five-passenger Rambler American could be purchased for only about $ 100 more". The Metropolitan "was a car that appealed to an eclectic mix of Americans" because it was "economical, yet a joy to drive," and it has been described as "pure automotive whimsy." It also "swam against nearly every current of American car design." AMC marketed right-hand drive models to U.S. police departments for use in parking enforcement and other urban duties. Comparing
23850-427: Was made in 1877 by George Selden of Rochester, New York . Selden applied for a patent for a car in 1879, but the patent application expired because the vehicle was never built. After a delay of 16 years and a series of attachments to his application, on 5 November 1895, Selden was granted a US patent ( U.S. patent 549,160 ) for a two-stroke car engine, which hindered, more than encouraged , development of cars in
24009-411: Was made in two body designs: convertible and hardtop. All came with several standard features that were optional on most cars of the era. Among these factory-installed benefits for customers were a map light, electric windshield wipers, cigar lighter, and even a " continental-type " rear-mounted spare tire with cover. To give a "luxury" image to the interior, " Bedford cord " upholstery trimmed with leather
24168-522: Was over the moon with happiness." Since that meeting, a 61-year relationship endured where the only road-going production Ferrari not designed by Pininfarina was the 1973 Dino 308 GT4 . Their relationship was so close that Pininfarina became a partner of Ferrari in "Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC", the organization that ran Ferrari's race team from 1961 until 1989, Pinin was a vice president of Ferrari, and Sergio later sat on Ferrari's board of directors. However, this special relationship came to an end with
24327-502: Was priced at $ 1,425. In May 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation announced that it had merged with the Hudson Motor Company to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). Thus, by August 1954, Metropolitans become available through Hudson dealers. These Hudson Metropolitans carried a Hudson grille badge, hubcaps incorporating an "M" logo, a "bulls-eye" horn button design, and a plain spare wheel cover. Braking performance
24486-631: Was repeated in the late 1980s when Pininfarina designed (and partially assembled) the Cadillac Allanté at the San Giusto Canavese factory. The car bodies were assembled and painted in Italy before being flown from the Turin International Airport to Detroit for final vehicle assembly. It started in 1951 with a meeting at a restaurant in Tortona , a small town halfway between Turin and Modena. This neutral territory
24645-527: Was run by Battista's son Sergio Pininfarina until 2001, then his grandson Andrea Pininfarina until he died in 2008. After Andrea's death, his younger brother Paolo Pininfarina was appointed CEO. At its height in 2006, the Pininfarina Group employed 2,768 people, with subsidiary company offices throughout Europe, Morocco, and the United States. As of 2012, with the end of the automotive production series, employment has shrunk to 821. Pininfarina
24804-464: Was separate from the factory and wind tunnel in Grugliasco to keep design and research activities independent from manufacturing. On 14 October 2002, Pininfarina inaugurated a new engineering center. The new facility, built at the Cambiano campus, gave greater visibility and independence to the engineering operations. In 1983, Pininfarina reached an agreement with General Motors to design and build
24963-409: Was subsequently marketed under the "Metropolitan" name only and sold through Rambler dealers. The Nash and Hudson Grille medallions were believed to have been discontinued around October 1956 (VIN E28326); they were replaced with the "M" style grille medallion. January 1959 saw the start of Metropolitan Series IV (NK4) production (Commencing with VIN E59048 on 12 January 1959). This major redesign saw
25122-569: Was the first time an American-designed car was exclusively marketed in North America and had been entirely built in Europe. It became a captive import – a foreign-built vehicle sold and serviced by Nash (and later by American Motors) through its dealer distribution system. It is believed that Austin completed the first pre-production prototype on 2 December 1952. In all, five pre-production prototypes were built by Austin Motors and tested before
25281-420: Was used (similar to larger Nash vehicles). An AM radio, " Weather Eye " heater, and whitewall tires were offered as optional extras for the U.S. market. (It is unlikely that a Metropolitan could have been purchased without a heater and radio, as all vehicles left the factory with both items fitted.) The Metropolitan was the first postwar American car that was marketed specifically to women. The Dodge La Femme
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