Most people are aware that automobiles were invented, but few can tell you when and where they first became popular. Do you know how many different car brands are still in use after a century? Can you think of any models that are more than a century old?
There are some famous old cars that are still in use after more than a century. Let’s check them out now in our old but dope-as-gold garage!
1. Stutz Bearcat (1914)
The Stutz Bearcat is one of the most well-known automobiles ever produced. The Stutz Motor Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, manufactured it.
The Bearcat debuted in 1914, but the company declared bankruptcy in 1934. Stutz produced the Bearcat until 1916 when it was replaced by the Model M.
There were 3,700 Bearcats built, and it was one of the most expensive cars of its time. The design of the Bearcat was based on the Mercedes 35/95 hp model, and it included many technological innovations that are now standard. It had servo-assisted brakes or brake boosters on all four wheels, tappet-controlled self-adjusting valves, and a full-elliptic leaf spring suspension.
N.B: Servo-assisted braking systems are used to reduce the force that must be exercised on the brake pedal of a motor vehicle in such a way as to obtain good braking with the driver exercising a minimum of force.
2. Rolls Royce 40/50 HP (1916)
Rolls-Royce produced the Model 40/50 hp in England from 1906 to 1925. It was the company’s first automobile, and it came in a variety of models and engines. With over 4,600 built, the 40/50 hp model was the car’s best-selling model. In 1915, the car cost 拢750 (approximately $150,000 today). It was a large, luxurious vehicle built for long-distance travel. The car was designed and built long before the Highway Code was enacted. It was a dangerous car to drive, earning it the moniker “The Roller.” The car had a three-speed manual transmission.
3. Checker Taxi (1917)
The Checker Taxi was a taxi manufactured by the Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Checker Cab Manufacturing Company. Checker manufactured automobiles from 1917 to 1982. Joseph W. Hines founded the company in 1909. The first Checker Taxi was built in 1917 and was still in production until 1982.
Checker cabs are still in use today, making it one of the most popular car models of all time. The Checker Taxi was a simple vehicle with a manual transmission, no seatbelts, and no door handles. It was a popular taxi model because of its low cost, simplicity, and durability.
4. Duesenberg (1918)
The Duesenberg Model J was a luxury car produced by the Minneapolis-based Duesenberg Brothers Automobile Company. The Model J was the company’s most well-known model, produced from 1928 to 1937. In 1937, the company declared bankruptcy, and all Duesenberg production ceased.
In 1930, the Model J cost $8,500 (approximately $145,000 today). At the time, it was the most expensive car in the world. With a top speed of more than 100 mph, the Model J was a very powerful car for its time. It had a front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive, as well as a three-speed manual transmission.
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5. Cadillac Type 51 (1919)
General Motors’ Cadillac Type 51 was a luxury car manufactured in Detroit, Michigan. It was produced from 1919 to 1926 and was Cadillac’s first car with an overhead valve engine.
In 1920, the Type 51 cost $3,000 (approximately $70,000 today). It was a large and luxurious vehicle with a top speed of 65 miles per hour.
Type 51 had a three-speed manual transmission. It was a cutting-edge vehicle for its time, with a water-cooled engine and a fully synchronised gearbox.
6. Borgward Brescia (1920)
Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH in Bremen, Germany produced the Borgward Brescia luxury car. The first Brescia was manufactured in 1919 and a total of 20,000 Brescias were produced, with approximately 3,000 still in existence today.
The Brescia was a cutting-edge vehicle for its time, with a hydraulically controlled five-speed manual transmission. The Brescia was built from an innovative mix of materials, including wood, steel, and aluminum.
7. Austin 7 (1921)
The Austin 7 was a low-cost car produced by Longbridge, Birmingham, England-based Austin Motor Company. From 1922 to 1939, the Austin 7 was manufactured. The car, as the first car that ordinary people could afford, was part of a social revolution. In 1925, the Austin 7 cost 拢100 ($1,500 today), making it the world’s cheapest new car. The Austin 7 was a simple car with a three-speed manual transmission. At its peak, 5,000 Austin 7s were produced each week.
8. Durant (1922)
Durant Motors Corporation of New York, New York produced the Durant luxury car. The Durant was manufactured from 1921 to 1924 before the company went bankrupt in 1931.
In 1922, the car cost $3,000 (approximately $70,000 today). William Durant, a co-founder of General Motors, founded Durant Motors. The Durant was a cutting-edge automobile for its time, with a full-pressure lubrication system, an electric starter, and a self-cleaning carburettor. Durant Motors purchased no existing car company or model, so the car was designed from the ground up.
Furthermore, the Durant Model D was the first American car with an overhead-valve engine, and it signalled the end of the low-end Ford Model T. The Model T car company had a virtual monopoly on the low-cost car market, but the Durant 7 rendered the Model T obsolete.
9. Cadillac Type 54 (1923)
General Motors’ Cadillac Type 54 was a luxury car manufactured in Detroit, Michigan. It was the last of the “Wide-Wheelbase” cars, manufactured from 1923 to 1932. In 1923, the Type 54 cost $3,000 (approximately $70,000 today). It was a large, luxurious vehicle with a four-speed manual transmission.
Type 54 was outfitted with a cutting-edge engine that featured an overhead valve and a three-bearing crankshaft. Before GM standardised its car models, the Type 54 was the last of the “Wide-Wheelbase” cars.
The “Wide-Wheelbase” cars had a longer wheelbase than other car models, which made them extremely comfortable. Because GM was transitioning to a standardised car model with a shorter wheelbase, the Type 54 was the last of the “Wide-Wheelbase” cars.
Conclusion
Although we may not realise it, there are many old cars still in use around the world. Some of the oldest vehicles date back more than a century! Even more surprising, some of these models are still being manufactured by their original manufacturers.
The first cars were steam-powered and were frequently used as a status symbol by wealthy people but automobiles became more affordable with the introduction of the internal combustion engine, and people began purchasing them for their utility rather than their appearance.
People may envision an old car with a few rattles and a worn exterior when they think of old cars. In many cases, however, the oldest cars are actually the most modern.
The world’s oldest cars are those that have been in use for the longest time. They are also the most dependable vehicles. In some cases, the original manufacturers continue to use these vehicles. The Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp model from 1916 is the oldest car still in production. It is still manufactured by Rolls-Royce, making it the oldest car still in production.
When you see a vintage car on the road, you can’t help but be impressed by how well they look and function. They make you wonder how fast time flies or does it drive by.
