1.
Mini
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The Mini is a small economy car produced by the English based British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered an icon of 1960s British popular culture and its space-saving transverse engine front-wheel drive layout – allowing 80 percent of the area of the cars floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage – influenced a generation of car makers. In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T and this distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates – the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III, within these was a series of variations, including an estate car, a pick-up truck, a van and the Mini Moke – a jeep-like buggy. The performance versions, the Mini Cooper and Cooper S, were successful as race and rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964,1965 and 1967. In 1966, the first-placed Mini was disqualified after the finish, on introduction in August 1959 the Mini was marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor. The Austin Seven was renamed Austin Mini in January 1962 and Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969, in 1980 it once again became the Austin Mini and in 1988 the Rover Mini. BMW acquired the Rover Group in 1994, and sold the part of it in 2000. Designated by Leonard Lord as project ADO15 and the product of the Morris design team, petrol was once again rationed in the UK, sales of large cars slumped, and the market for German bubble cars boomed. Lord, the autocratic head of BMC, reportedly detested these cars so much that he vowed to rid the streets of them. Alec Issigonis, who had working for Alvis, had been recruited back to BMC in 1955 and. The team that designed the Mini was remarkably small, as well as Issigonis, there was Jack Daniels, Chris Kingham, together, by October 1957, they had designed and built the original prototype, which was affectionately named The Orange Box because of its colour. Almost all small front-wheel-drive cars developed since have used a similar configuration and this location saved vehicle length, but had the disadvantage of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine. It also exposed the entire system to the direct ingress of rainwater through the grille. The suspension system, designed by Issigoniss friend Dr. Alex Moulton at Moulton Developments Limited, used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs and this space-saving design also featured rising progressive-rate springing of the cones, and provided some natural damping, in addition to the normal dampers. Initially an interconnected fluid system was planned, similar to the one that Alec Issigonis, the short development time of the car meant this was not ready in time for the Minis launch. The system intended for the Mini was further developed and the system was first used on the Morris 1100, launched in 1962. Ten-inch wheels were specified, so new tyres had to be developed, Issigonis went to Dunlop stating that he wanted even smaller,8 in wheels
2.
Toyota Sienna
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The Toyota Sienna is a minivan manufactured by Toyota at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana facility, in Princeton, Indiana, United States, for the North American market. It replaced the first-generation Previa van in 1997 with a conventional front wheel drive layout. Both the Previa and original Sienna were smaller than the other minivans they competed against, the Sienna is currently the only minivan in its class to offer all-wheel-drive. It was redesigned a second time in 2010, the third generation Sienna was put on sale in the US in February 2010 and is the first Sienna to ever receive a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Exports from the US to Korea began in November 2011, in late 1997, Toyota launched the front wheel drive MY1998 Sienna in the North American market as a replacement for the mid-engined Previa. The Sienna debuted with a 3. 0-liter 1MZ-FE V6 engine rated at 194 hp and 209 lb·ft of torque, built on an extended platform of the Toyota Camry, the Sienna was appropriately marketed as the Camry of minivans, capitalizing on the Camrys popularity and reputation. It is named for the Italian city of Siena, in the region of Tuscany and it came in three trim levels, CE, LE, and XLE. The LE and XLE models were equipped with 2nd row captains chairs while the CE models came equipped with a 2nd row 2-passenger bench seat, the seats can be easily folded and individually removed as needed. The driver side sliding door and roof rack were standard on the LE and XLE models, the XLE models offered leather seats and a wood trim package. The Sienna also touted best-in-class fuel economy of 16 city/22 highway miles per gallon and it was built in Georgetown, Kentucky. A year after its release, the Sienna faced new competition from the redesigned Honda Odyssey minivan, for the 2001 model year, the Sienna underwent a mid-cycle refresh. This update included a facelift to both front and rear fascias which added a front grille and bumper along with revised rear taillights sporting a more modern appearance. Toyota also revamped the center console area to add more usability to the HVAC controls along with new locations for the accessory switches, the engine also came equipped with a variable valve timing feature VVT-i boosting output to 210 hp and 220 lb·ft torque. The driver side sliding door became standard on all models, although the roof remained optional on the CE models. This generation was noteworthy for its impressive safety content as one of the few minivans to offer options including front seat-mounted side torso airbags, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Sienna Good in all six frontal crash test measures, which was far better than the Previa. The reputation of this generation was marred by a settlement for an engine oil sludge problem which affected the V-6 engines in many Toyota models. Symptoms of the problem include oil smoke in the exhaust, oil quickly becoming dark or black after an oil change, gasoline odor in the oil, high oil consumption, Toyota assigned Yuji Yokoya as chief engineer on the new Sienna project. Yokoya and his family drove the previous model over 53,000 miles throughout North America to find weaknesses from the design, the engine was an updated ULEV certified 3. 3-liter 3MZ-FE V6 paired with a new five-speed automatic transmission
3.
Mini MPV
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MPV stands for multi-purpose vehicle, although the full name is rarely used. The term Leisure Activity Vehicle is sometimes used for van based MPVs, a mini MPV is generally based on a supermini platform, sharing interiors, engines and specifications with their supermini derivative. Mini MPVs are generally the length as a supermini. Euro NCAP do not differentiate between mini and compact MPVs, classing them all as small MPVs, examples include the Citroën C3 Picasso and its crossover version the Citroën C3 Aircross, Hyundai ix20, Ford B-Max, Fiat Idea, Suzuki Ertiga, Kia Soul and Toyota Avanza. The Renault Kangoo or the Fiat Qubo are two examples of a van-based MPV marketed as a LAV and they have become popular in Europe in the 1990s as a cheaper alternative to car-based MPVs. An early example of the category was the Matra Rancho introduced in 1977 based on a Simca pick-up
4.
Compact MPV
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A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars, fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments. In Japan, the term space wagon is used to refer to this type of vehicle. Concept cars that many aspects of the compact MPV approach to space effiency in a small footprint include American Motors 1977 Concept 80 AM Van,1978 Lancia Megagamma. The first production vehicle to be described by that term was the Renault Scénic, in Japan, the 1982 Nissan Prairie was introduced featuring many features now associated with the MPV format, along with the Mitsubishi Space Runner in 1991. Examples from Japanese manufacturers were the Toyota Gaia, Nissan Lafesta, some models have an extended version, for example the Citroën Grand C4 Picasso, Ford Grand C-Max, BMW 2-Series Gran Tourer, and Renault Grand Scénic. Most compact MPVs have better flexibility than other styles, for example. Due to the architecture, the bonnet may be shorter. Compact MPVs remain predominantly a European phenomenon, although they are also built, as of 2016, the only MPVs sold widely in the United States are the Kia Rondo and the Ford C-Max. Larger MPVs are referred to as minivan in the U. S. examples are the Hyundai Trajet, Kia Carnival, Mitsubishi Grandis, Ford Galaxy, Volkswagen Sharan and Renault Espace. Generally, compact MPVs are five and seven-seaters — the first, the two rear seats are sometimes smaller than the others, enough for children or for short distances. In some cars, these seats can only carry a limited weight, some compact MPVs referred to as six-seaters have three seats both in the front and rear row — examples are the Fiat Multipla and the Honda FR-V. Many automakers are releasing modified compact MPVs with off-road accessories, either as a level or under a new nameplate. Examples of the first are the Renault Scénic Conquest and Seat Altea Freetrack, in some cases, a compact SUV is released with shared platform and structural and mechanical elements with a compact MPV. The Peugeot 3008 combines the roominess of a MPV to a high ground-clearance or all-wheel-drive Hybrid4 capability
5.
Three-box styling
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The Renault Dauphine is a three-box that carries its engine in the rear and its cargo up front. The styling of the Škoda Octavia integrates a hatchback with the articulation of a three-box and this style was later used by its larger Škoda Superb, which marketed as the TwinDoor, within the liftgate operable as a trunk lid or as a full hatchback. As with the third generation European Ford Escort, the box may be vestigial. Two-box designs articulate a volume for engine and a volume that combines passenger and cargo volumes, e. g. station wagons or hatchbacks, ponton styling Coke bottle styling Glossary of automotive design
6.
Hatchback
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A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger vs. cargo volume. Hatchbacks may feature two- or three-box design, while early examples of the body configuration can be traced to the 1930s, the Merriam-Webster dictionary dates the term itself to 1970. The hatchback body style has been marketed worldwide on cars ranging in size from superminis to small family cars, Hatchbacks may be described as three-door or five-door cars. A model range may include multiple configurations, as with the 2001–2007 Ford Focus which offered sedan, wagon, the models typically share a platform, drivetrain and bodywork forward of the A-pillar. Hatchbacks may have a rigid parcel shelf, liftable with the tailgate. Both station wagons and hatchbacks typically feature a two-box design configuration, with one shared, flexible, interior volume for passengers, further distinctions are highly variable, Pillars, Both configurations typically feature A, B & C pillars, station wagons more likely also feature a D pillar. Cargo volume, Station wagons prioritize passenger and cargo volume, with alongside the cargo volume. Cargo floor contour, Favoring cargo capacity, a station wagon may prioritize a fold-flat floor, seating, Station wagons have two or three rows of seats while hatchbacks have one or two rows of seats. Rear suspension, A station wagon may include reconfigured rear suspension for additional load capacity, Station wagons also have numerous tailgate configurations. Typically, a hatch or liftgate does not extend down to the bumper. You could have a 90-degree break in the back and have a station wagon, a liftback is a broad marketing term for a hatchback where the rear cargo door is more horizontal than vertical, with a sharply raked or fastback profile. In comparison with the hatchback the back opening area is sloped and longer and is lifted up to open. Liftback and fastback are often misused, a fastback is described as a hatchback where the rear cargo door flows down continuously from the roof of the car and most of the time is not as raked as the liftback. In 1946, DeSoto marketed the Suburban as a station wagon, in 1949, Kaiser-Frazer introduced the Vagabond and Traveler hatchbacks. Although these were styled much like the typical 1940s sedan, they incorporated an innovative split rear tailgate, folding rear seats, the design was neither fully a sedan nor a station wagon, but the folding rear seat provided for a large, 8-foot long interior cargo area. These Kaiser-Frazer models have described as America’s First Hatchback. In 1953, Aston Martin marketed the DB2 with a rear tailgate
7.
Vehicle frame
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A vehicle frame is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism. Until the 1930s, virtually every car had a structural frame and this construction design is known as body-on-frame. Over time, nearly all cars have migrated to unibody construction, meaning their chassis. Nearly all trucks, buses, and most pickups continue to use a frame as their chassis. The main functions of a frame in motor vehicles are, To support the mechanical components and body To deal with static and dynamic loads. These include, Weight of the body, passengers, and cargo loads, vertical and torsional twisting transmitted by going over uneven surfaces. Transverse lateral forces caused by conditions, side wind. Torque from the engine and transmission, longitudinal tensile forces from starting and acceleration, as well as compression from braking. In the case of a chassis, the frame is made up of structural elements called the rails or beams. These are ordinarily made of steel sections, made by folding, rolling or pressing steel plate. There are three designs for these. If the material is folded twice, an open-ended cross-section, either C-shaped or hat-shaped results and it is made by taking a flat piece of steel and rolling both sides over to form a c-shaped beam running the length of the vehicle. Hat Hat frames resemble a U and may be either right-side-up or inverted with the area facing down. Not commonly used due to weakness and a propensity to rust, however they can be found on 1936–1954 Chevrolet cars, abandoned for a while, the hat frame gained popularity again when companies started welding it to the bottom of unibody cars, in effect creating a boxed frame. Boxed Originally, boxed frames were made by welding two matching C-rails together to form a rectangular tube, modern techniques, however, use a process similar to making C-rails in that a piece of steel is bent into four sides and then welded where both ends meet. While appearing at first glance as a form made of metal. The first issue addressed is beam height, or the height of the side of a frame. The taller the frame, the better it is able to resist vertical flex when force is applied to the top of the frame and this is the reason semi-trucks have taller frame rails than other vehicles instead of just being thicker
8.
Front-wheel drive
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Front-wheel drive is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature an engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel-drive. Rear-engined layouts are possible, but rare, according to various sources, sometime between 1895 and 1898 Gräf & Stift built a voiturette with a one-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engine fitted in the front of the vehicle, powering the front axle. It was thus arguably the worlds first front-wheel-drive automobile, but it never saw mass production, in 1898, Latil, in France, devised a front-wheel-drive system for motorising horse-drawn carts. In 1898/9 the French manufacturer Société Parisienne patented their front-wheel drive articulated vehicle concept which they manufactured as a Victoria Combination and it was variously powered by 1.75 or 2.5 horsepower De Dion-Bouton engine or a water cooled 3.5 horsepower Aster engine. The engine was mounted on the front axle and so was rotated by the tiller steering and it also known as the Eureka. By 1899 Victoria Combinations were participating in motoring events such as the 371 km Paris-St Malo race, finishing 23rd overall, in October a Victoria Combination won its class in the Paris-Rambouillet-Paris event, covering the 100 kilometre course at 26 km/h. In 1900 it completed 240 kilometres non-stop at 29 km/h, when production ceased in mid-1901, over 400 copies had been sold for 3,000 Francs each. J. Walter Christie of the United States patented a design for a front-wheel-drive car and he promoted and demonstrated the vehicle by racing at various speedways in the United States, and even competed in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup and the French Grand Prix. In 1912 he began manufacturing a line of wheeled fire engine tractors which used his front-wheel-drive system, the next successful application of front-wheel drive was the supercharged Alvis 12/50 racing car designed by George Thomas Smith-Clarke and William M. Dunn of Alvis Cars of the United Kingdom. This vehicle was entered in the 1925 Kop Hill Climb in Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire on March 28,1925, however, the idea of front-wheel drive languished outside of the motor racing arena as no major auto manufacturer attempted the same for production automobiles. Market experiments in the United States were left to small endeavors such as the Ruxton, neither automobile maker was particularly successful on the open market. Alvis Cars introduced a commercial model of the Alvis 12/50 in 1928. The first successful consumer application came in 1929, the BSA produced the unique front-wheel-drive BSA three-wheeler. Production continued until 1936 during which time sports and touring models were available, in 1931 the DKW F1 from Germany made its debut. Buckminster Fuller adopted rear-engine, front wheel drive for his three Dymaxion Car prototypes, other German car producers followed, Stoewer offered a car with front-wheel drive in 1931, Adler in 1932 and Audi in 1933. In 1934, the very successful Traction Avant cars were introduced by Citroën of France, the Cord 810 of the United States managed a bit better in the late 1930s than its predecessor one decade earlier. These vehicles featured a layout that places the engine behind the transmission, another result of this design is a lengthened chassis
9.
Sedan (automobile)
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A sedan /sᵻˈdæn/ or saloon is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with A, B & C-pillars and principal volumes articulated in separate compartments for engine, passenger and cargo. The passenger compartment features two rows of seats and adequate passenger space in the compartment for adult passengers. The cargo compartment is typically in the rear, with the exception of some rear-engined models, such as the Renault Dauphine, Tatra T613, Volkswagen Type 3 and it is one of the most common car body styles. A battery electric sedan such as the Tesla Model S has no engine compartment, but a front cargo compartment, the primary purpose of the sedan is to transport people and their baggage on ordinary roads. Sedan versions of the body style have a central pillar that supports the roof and come in two-. Sedans usually have a two-box or three-box body, popular in the U. S. from the 1950s through the 1970s, true hardtop body designs have become increasingly rare. For example,1962 Rambler Classic sedans feature identical windshield, A-pillar, roof, C-pillar, and rear window. A two- or four-door design built on a chassis, but with a shorter roof and interior space. Originating from the car on a Pullman passenger train that was well appointed. A notchback sedan is a sedan, where the passenger volume is clearly distinct from the trunk volume of the vehicle. The roof is on one plane, generally parallel to the ground, the window at a sharp angle to the roof. A fastback sedan is a sedan, with continuous slope from the roof to the base of the decklid. They are not fastbacks because their bodyline changes from the roof to the rear deck and their steeply raked rear windows end with a decklid that does not continue down to the bumper. Instead, their ends are tall — sometimes in a Kammback style — to increase trunk space. Typically this design is chosen for its aerodynamic advantages, automakers can no longer afford the penalty in fuel consumption produced by the traditional notchback three box form. In historic terminology, a sedan will have a frame around the door windows, a true hardtop design also has no center or B pillar for roof support behind the front doors). This pillarless body style offers greater visibility, however, it requires extra underbody strengthening for structural rigidity. The hardtop design can be considered separately, or it can be called a hardtop sedan, during the 1960s and 1970s, hardtop sedans were often sold as sport sedans by several American manufacturers and they were among the top selling body styles
10.
Station wagon
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The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design — to include an A, B, and C-pillar, as well as a D-pillar. Station wagons can flexibly reconfigure their interior volume via fold-down rear seats to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. Can be loaded through a tailgate, when a model range includes multiple body styles, such as sedan, hatchback and station wagon, the models typically share their platform, drivetrain and bodywork forward of the A-pillar. In 1969, Popular Mechanics said, Station wagon-style, follows that of the production sedan of which it is the counterpart. Most are on the wheelbase, offer the same transmission and engine options. Station wagons have evolved from their use as specialized vehicles to carry people and luggage to and from a train station. Station wagon and wagon are the names in American, Canadian, New Zealand, Australian and African English, while estate car. Both names harken to the role as a shuttle, with storage space for baggage. Having shared antecedents with the British shooting-brake, station wagons have been marketed as breaks, early U. S. models often had exposed wooden bodies and were therefore called woodies. Manufacturers may designate station wagons across various model lines with a proprietary nameplate. Examples include Estate, Avant, Touring, Tourer and Cross-Tourer, SW for Station Wagon or Sports Wagon, Estate, MCV, Tourer, Kombi or Variant and Sports Tourer, SW - Sportswagon or Caravan. Both station wagons and hatchbacks typically share a two-box design configuration, with one shared, flexible, interior volume for passengers and cargo — and a rear door for cargo access. Further distinctions are highly variable, Pillars, Both configurations typically feature A, B & C-pillars, station wagons feature a D-pillar, cargo Volume, Station wagons prioritize passenger and cargo volume — with windows aside the cargo volume. Cargo floor contour, Favoring cargo capacity, a station wagon may prioritize a fold-flat floor, seating, Station wagons may have two or three rows of seats while hatchbacks may only have one or two. Rear suspension, A station wagon may include reconfigured rear suspension for additional load capacity, Station wagons have also enjoyed numerous tailgate configurations. Hatchbacks may be called Liftbacks when the area is very sloped. You could have a 90-degree break in the back and have a station wagon, a model range may include multiple configurations, as with the 2005–2007 Ford Focus which offered sedan, wagon and three and five-door hatchback models. The first station wagons were a product of the age of train travel and they were originally called depot hacks because they worked around train depots as hacks
11.
H-point
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For example, a vehicle design standard known as the Society of Automotive Engineers J1100 Interior Measurement Index sets parameters for such measurements as H30, H5, H61 and H25. As an example, higher H-points can provide more legroom, both in the front and back seats, by the early 2000s there had been a global trend toward higher H-points relative to the road surface and the vehicles interior floor. Buses, minivans, SUVs and CUVs generally have higher H-points than sedans, though certain sedans feature higher H-points than most, sports cars and vehicles with higher aerodynamic considerations, by contrast, may employ lower H-points relative to the road surface. When an automobile features progressively higher H-points at each seating row, the seating is called stadium seating, as in the Dodge Journey. Vehicle interior ergonomics are integral to an automotive design education, see SAE J86 for a description of the H-point machine. H-Point machines have been built by Technosports of Livonia, Michigan, occupant posture-prediction models are used in computer simulations and form the basis for Crash test dummy positioning. Regulatory definition, For the purpose of U. S. Ergonomics Anthropometry SAE Three Dimensional H-Point Engineering Aid Support Motor Trend, Three Advances In The Art Of The Sedan
12.
North America
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North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. It can also be considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers, about 16. 5% of the land area. North America is the third largest continent by area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 565 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7. 5% of the worlds population, North America was reached by its first human populations during the last glacial period, via crossing the Bering land bridge. The so-called Paleo-Indian period is taken to have lasted until about 10,000 years ago, the Classic stage spans roughly the 6th to 13th centuries. The Pre-Columbian era ended with the migrations and the arrival of European settlers during the Age of Discovery. Present-day cultural and ethnic patterns reflect different kind of interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples, African slaves and their descendants, European influences are strongest in the northern parts of the continent while indigenous and African influences are relatively stronger in the south. Because of the history of colonialism, most North Americans speak English, Spanish or French, the Americas are usually accepted as having been named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci by the German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann. Vespucci, who explored South America between 1497 and 1502, was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a different landmass previously unknown by Europeans. In 1507, Waldseemüller produced a map, in which he placed the word America on the continent of South America. He explained the rationale for the name in the accompanying book Cosmographiae Introductio, for Waldseemüller, no one should object to the naming of the land after its discoverer. He used the Latinized version of Vespuccis name, but in its feminine form America, following the examples of Europa, Asia and Africa. Later, other mapmakers extended the name America to the continent, In 1538. Some argue that the convention is to use the surname for naming discoveries except in the case of royalty, a minutely explored belief that has been advanced is that America was named for a Spanish sailor bearing the ancient Visigothic name of Amairick. Another is that the name is rooted in a Native American language, the term North America maintains various definitions in accordance with location and context. In Canadian English, North America may be used to refer to the United States, alternatively, usage sometimes includes Greenland and Mexico, as well as offshore islands
13.
Ford E-Series
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The Ford E-Series is a range of full-size vans produced by Ford Motor Company. Introduced for the 1961 model year as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, in addition to cargo van and passenger van body styles, the Ford E-Series has been produced as a cutaway van chassis and stripped chassis. With a 56-year production run, the Ford E-Series is the second longest-produced nameplate by Ford worldwide, for the 2015 model year, the Ford E-Series cargo/passenger vans were replaced in North America by the Ford Transit introduced worldwide in 2013. As of the 2017 model year, only cutaway and stripped chassis configurations of the E-Series are produced, since 2006, the E-Series has been assembled at the Ford Motor Company Ohio Assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio. From 1961 to 2005, the Ford E-Series was assembled at Lorain Assembly in Lorain, commercial or fleet users represented 95% of sales, with cargo vans accounting for nearly half of production. Based on the compact Ford Falcon automobile, the first Ford Econoline was introduced to the public on September 21,1960 for the 1961 model year based on sketches that were dated 1957. The Ford models were sized to compete with the Chevrolet Greenbrier, Dodge A100, and the Volkswagen Type 2, the Volkswagen van had made an impact on the marketplace, thus Dodge, Chevrolet and Ford responded with their own versions. Originally offered as a van, a window van with or without seats with up to three rows of seating, offering a maximum eight-passenger capacity, and as a pickup truck. A165 lb counterweight was fitted over the wheels to balance the front-heavy vehicle. The 1961 Econoline made Ford the first American manufacturer to offer a van series as it is now known, early models had a 144 cu in I6 engine with a three-speed manual transmission. Later models had 170 cu in or 240 cu in I6 engines with a manual or an automatic transmission. Ford had projections for building more Econoline pickups than vans, but buyers preferred conventional body design and these closed van body versions were popular as service vehicles, such as with utilities like the Bell Telephone System. In its first year,29,932 standard vans,6,571 custom Econoline buses,11,893 standard pickups, the Econoline was sold as a Mercury alongside the M-Series truck lineup. For 1966 and 1967, Lorain-built Econolines were exported to Canada, production numbers were low, for example, a total of 1,291 Mercury Econoline pickup trucks were built in 1965. Only the first generation of Econolines were sold under the Mercury badge in Canada, the next van sold by the division would be the 1993 Villager minivan. Instead of calling it a 1968 or 1968.5 model, shedding its Falcon roots, the second-generation Econoline became a heavier-duty vehicle, sharing many of its underpinnings with the F-Series full-size pickups. While the unibody construction of the previous generation van was carried over, as they had become introduced as options in Dodge and Chevrolet/GMC vans, Ford introduced a V8 engine option into the powertrain line. With the change of chassis and axle configurations, the Econoline gained a conventional hood for engine access, to aid in engine compartment ventilation, the model was given a conventional grille, styled similar to the F-Series
14.
Dodge Ram Van
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The Dodge B-Series is a full-size van that was built by Dodge. Starting in 1981, the B-Series was sold as the Dodge Ram Van, daimlerChrysler discontinued production of the Ram Van and Ram Wagon after more than 30 years of production following the 2004 model year, replacing them with the Dodge Sprinter. All Ram Vans and Wagons were built at the Pillette Road Truck Assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, built on the B platform, the full-size vans entered production for the 1971 model year. Due to a one-welded-piece Uniframe design, the Dodge platform was lighter and stronger and featured a cargo floor than the competition, at the expense of noise, vibration. The resulting lower center of gravity improved handling versus the competing products, the B-series van was popular for cab-over motorhome conversion until Chrysler Corporations egress from that market during their financial difficulties in the late 1970s. All generations of the B-series van feature similar construction, with small variation from era to era. The most pronounced changes were to the front fenders, hood, grille, and bumpers, much of this was a result of the need to meet Federal crash-worthiness standards. This panel was eliminated in 1978 which was a year for the B-series van. Dodge first pioneered the extended-rear 15-passenger van favored by school and church groups and it offered a sliding side door as well as a unique side-swinging tail door with a full-width window. It was also popular in class-C RV and ambulance conversions, the minivan eventually took over the passenger wagon market. With the Sprinter, Chrysler shifted from American-style full-sized vans in favor of more fuel-efficient European-style models, the B-series van was available with nearly every engine used in a rear-wheel-drive Chrysler product during its production. Six-cylinder engines included the 225-cubic-inch Slant Six I6, the 3. 9-liter LA V6, and the 3.9 L Magnum V6. Small-block V8 engines included the LA-series 318 in3,360 in3, the Magnum 5.2 L, Dodge was the last of the four major full-size van makers to market a short-wheelbase van and passenger wagon. The rest of the Big Three took their shortest full-size vans off the early in the 1990s. DaimlerChrysler discontinued production of the Ram Van and Ram Wagon after the 2003 model year, for the first eight model years, the different configurations of B vans were given names. Sportsman passenger vans had side windows and passenger seating not present in the otherwise identical Tradesman models, the same range of gasoline-powered slant-6 and V8 engines was offered in these vans as was offered in the Dodge D Series pickup truck. Dodge pioneered the American 15-passenger van genre with the introduction of the Maxiwagon along with the front engine B series vans that were new for 1971. Ford didnt produce a 15-passenger van until 1978, and GM did not introduce theirs until 1990, little changed on Dodge vans produced between 1971 and 1977, with only a grille change from metal to plastic for the 1974 model year
15.
Chevrolet Van
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This page talks about the 1964–1996 Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura. For the post-1996 successor, see Chevrolet Express, the Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the vehicle class as the discontinued Ford E-Series. The term Chevrolet van also refers to the series of vans sold by Chevrolet. The first Chevrolet van was released in 1961 on the Corvair platform, the G20 and its counterparts replaced the original Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Van which was manufactured until 1965. First fielded in the mid-1960s, the line evolved until it was replaced in 1996 by the Chevrolet Express. 1964-70 G20s came with six-lug wheels, while the 1971-96 generation came with the 5 lug -5 bolt circle, G20s were fitted with the ball joints from the Chevrolet/GMC 3/4 and 1 ton pickups although using the 1/2 ton pickups brake rotors. Currently there are more after market part options available for its V8 counterparts, not much has been done in the lines of performance options for the small V6 G20 models, but the reliability remains the same throughout all the G-series models. The G20s low cost of upkeep, size, and options have made this van popular with all different kinds of trades, production of the Chevrolet Greenbrier ended during the 1965 model year. The 1st generation ChevyVan refers to the first Chevrolet G-Series vans G-10 1⁄2 ton production years 1964 through 1966, General Motors saw a market for a compact van based on a modified passenger car platform to compete with the already successful Ford Econoline and Dodge A100. The 1964 ChevyVan had a cab design with the engine was placed in a doghouse between and behind the front seats. The implementation of situating the driver on top of the front axle with the engine near the front wheels is called internationally a cab over vehicle, engines and brakes were sourced from the Chevy II, a more conventional compact car than Chevrolet Corvair. The forward engine design allowed a flat floor with low deck heights in the rear of the van for loading/unloading cargo. This model was sold by GMC as Handi-Van. The 1st Gen vans were available in only the short 90-inch wheelbase and were sold with the standard 90 hp 153-cubic-inch straight-4 or Chevrolet Straight-6 engine. A first gen is quickly identified by its single piece flat windshield glass, the first 1964 ChevyVan was originally marketed and sold as a panel van for purely utilitarian purposes. Windows were available as an option, but were cut into the sides from the factory. In 1965, Chevy added Sportvan which featured windows actually integrated into the body, GMC marketed their window van as Handi-Bus
16.
DKW Schnellaster
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The DKW Schnellaster, also known as the DKW F89 L, was a van produced by DKW from 1949 to 1962. Alongside the DKW F89 passenger car, it was the first vehicle to be manufactured by the new Auto Union conglomerate in Ingolstadt, the model name Schnellaster translates from German to English as Rapid Transporter. The van included a rear suspension system incorporating springs in the cross bar assembly. The modern layout featured a prewar two-cylinder 700 cc two-stroke engine of the DKW F8 rated at 20 hp, in 1955 the van received the DKW F9s three cylinder unit with 900 cc, producing 32 hp. The vans layout enabled a flat loading floor only 40 cm off the ground and it was also fitted with a large single rear door fitted to hinges on the right-hand side. The van was produced in Vitoria, Spain, by Industrias del Motor S. A. from 1954. In Spain, DKW became a term for any van. The Spanish subsidiary also produced a successor with all new bodywork, introduced in 1963. This van started with the three-cylinder 981 cc two-stroke DKW engine, the Finnish heavy vehicle producer Suomen Autoteollisuus assembled a series of ten Schnellasters in Karis, Finland at the turn of November 1956. The bodies were welded in Finland by use of fixtures delivered from West Germany, welding of the complete body took just two hours per unit. Plans were in place for a larger scale production but it was not started because the technically archaic vehicle did not meet the needs of the potential Finnish customers, one repairable Donau-Sisu has survived and saved by vintage vehicle enthusiasts at the end of 2011
17.
Chevrolet Greenbrier
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The name Chevrolet Greenbrier was used by Chevrolet for two vehicles. The first vehicles were a van and pickup based on the Corvair. The Greenbrier name was used a time from 1969 until 1972. Chevrolet introduced the Corvair lineup for the 1960 model year as the first of a series of generations of passenger compact cars, Chevrolet introduced a more utilitarian style of vehicle the following year under the model designation Corvair 95. The Corvair air-cooled horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine was located in the rear of the vehicle under a raised cargo floor. It was similar in principle to the 4-cylinder engine of the Volkswagen, the 145 cu in engine developed 80 hp at 4,400 rpm. Engine size was increased to 164 cu in for the 1964 model year, unlike the Corvair cars, the Corvair Greenbrier had a 95 in wheelbase and were thus known as 95s. They came standard with a manual transmission but could be ordered with a two-speed Corvair Powerglide automatic transmission. There were essentially two different bodies available in the 95 series, the van and the truck, the base version was the panel van with no side or rear windows. The Greenbrier normally had windows all around and six doors, although an option was to have eight doors where there were opening double doors on both sides, the Greenbrier seated up to nine people with the available third-row seat. The 95s and cars had an optional heater running off of gasoline from the vehicles tank, the Greenbrier also had a camper option. A Corvair truck could be ordered as a Loadside or Rampside, the Loadside was essentially a pickup truck with a standard tail gate. The Loadside was only produced two years and is the rarest of the Corvairs, production totaled 2,844 in 1961 and 369 in 1962, the Rampside had a side ramp to be used for loading and unloading cargo. These were used by the Bell Telephone Company, because loading and unloading of cable drums was eased by the side ramp, ford and Chrysler introduced compact vans of their own, using a more conventional water-cooled engine mounted between the front seats. As these became successful, General Motors responded with its own design which placed the Chevy II sourced engine in a doghouse between and behind the front seats, the forward engine design allowed a flat rear floor with low deck heights in the rear of the van for loading/unloading cargo. General Motors stopped producing the truck versions of the Corvair in 1964, eventually, Chevrolet and Volkswagen would abandon rear-engined vans in favor of conventional or front-wheel-drive water-cooled engines. Although the Greenbriers were a success, passenger vans would continue to evolve through full-sized vans. The similarly sized 7–8 passenger would become a successful vehicle segment by the 1980s as alternatives to station wagons, the top-of-the-line model, the Chevelle Malibu 135/136, became the Concours and Concours Estate Wagon, the latter being distinguished by exterior woodgrain paneling
18.
Volkswagen Type 2
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Following – and initially deriving from Volkswagens first model, the Type 1 – it was given the factory designation Type 2. European competition included the 1947-1981 Citroën H Van, the 1959-1980 Renault Estafette, japanese manufacturers also introduced similar vehicles, such as the Nissan Caravan, Toyota LiteAce and Subaru Sambar. Brazil contained the last factory in the world that produced the T2, production in Brazil ceased on December 31,2013, due to the introduction of more stringent safety regulations in the country. This marks the end of an era with the rear-engine Volkswagens manufactured, the concept for the Type 2 is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. He first sketched the van in a doodle dated April 23,1947, proposing a payload of 690 kg, production would have to wait, however, as the factory was at capacity producing the Type 1. When capacity freed up, a prototype known internally as the Type 29 was produced in a three months. The stock Type 1 pan proved to be too weak so the prototype used a chassis with unit body construction. Coincidentally the wheelbase was the same as the Type 1s, engineers reused the reduction gear from the Type 81, enabling the 1.5 ton van to use a 25 hp flat four engine. Although the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor, engineers used the tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig to optimize the design. Simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a vee helped the production Type 2 achieve Cd=0.44, only two models were offered, the Kombi, and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951, in all 9,541 Type 2s were produced in their first year of production. An ambulance model was added in December 1951 which repositioned the fuel tank in front of the transaxle, put the spare tire behind the front seat and these features became standard on the Type 2 from 1955 to 1967. 11,805 Type 2s were built in the 1951 model year and these were joined by a single-cab pickup in August 1952, and it changed the least of the Type 2s until all were heavily modified in 1968. However, only generations T1 to T3 can be seen as related to the Beetle. The Type 2, along with the 1947 Citroën H Van, are among the first forward control vans in which the driver was placed above the front roadwheels. They started a trend in Europe, where the 1952 GM Bedford CA,1958 RAF-977,1959 Renault Estafette,1960 BMC Morris J4, except for the Greenbrier and various 1950s–70s Fiat minivans, the Type 2 remained unique in being rear-engined. The Type 2 was available as a, Panel van, a van without side windows or rear seats. Double-door Panel Van, a van without side windows or rear seats
19.
Renault Espace
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The Renault Espace is a mid-size luxury crossover from Renault. Generations 1–3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra, the Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with increased rear leg room and boot size. The name Espace means space in French, the car is often considered to be the first MPV, but previous vehicles had similar designs. In February 2012, the Espace was retired in the United Kingdom, the Espaces design was originally conceived in the 1970s by the British designer Fergus Pollock, who was working for Chrysler UK, at its design centre at Whitley in Coventry. Later, Matra, which was affiliated with Simca, the then French subsidiary of Chrysler, was involved in partnership in the design, the Espace was originally intended to be sold as a Talbot, and to be a replacement for the Matra Rancho leisure activity vehicle. Early prototypes used Simca parts, and hence featured a grille reminiscent of the Simca 1307. In 1978, six years before the Espace went into production, Chrysler UK and Simca were sold to the French company PSA Peugeot Citroën, which phased out Simca within a decade because of falling sales. PSA decided the Espace was too expensive and too risky a design to put into production, so it was given to Matra, the Matra concept became the Renault Espace. The design featured a body mounted on a warm-galvanised steel chassis, using the same technique. The introduction of the Espace required the relatively small factory to cease the production of the Murena to make room for the Espace, the Espace was eventually launched by Renault in July 1984. After a slow start - a mere nine Espaces were sold in the first month - consumers realised the benefits of the MPV concept and it was sold in the United Kingdom from August 1985. In 1984, American Motors Corporation announced it would begin to market the front-wheel-drive Espace in the United States, the minivan was exhibited to consumers at the 1985 Chicago Auto Show, but AMCs negotiations with Matra continued over the vehicles import pricing. Plans for the Espace to be launched in the U. S. ended with the purchase of AMC by Chrysler. In 2004, BBCs motoring show Top Gear set up a race between two Espaces, a Toyota Previa, a Toyota MasterAce, a Mitsubishi Space Wagon, the Espaces came first and second. Building upon its success, the Espace was revamped in 1988 with most of the Talbot/Simca content being replaced by equivalent Renault parts, the chassis and mechanical components of the car remained largely unchanged. Along with the changes in design, a four-wheel drive version called Quadra was also introduced, a heavily revised Espace was launched in 1991, adopting the Renault family look, to replace the Talbot–themed styling of the original. This was essentially a re-skin of the car, with a new dashboard. In an episode of Top Gear, then–presenter Jeremy Clarkson referred to this generation as probably the best of the MPVs, however, he went on to say but thats like saying, Oh good, Ive got syphilis, the best of the sexually transmitted diseases
20.
Dodge Caravan
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The Dodge Caravan is a passenger minivan manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and marketed by its Dodge division. Introduced for model year 1984 and now in its generation, the Caravan has been offered in short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase variants. The Grand Caravan is the vehicle of the Chrysler Town & Country. Since their introduction in November 1983, the Chrysler minivans have outsold other minivans in the United States, lee Iacocca and Hal Sperlich had conceived their idea for this type of vehicle during their earlier tenure at Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford II rejected the idea of a minivan in 1974, Chrysler introduced the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager in November 1983 for the 1984 model year, using the Chrysler S platform, an extended derivative of the Chrysler K platform. The Renault Espace launched in Europe the same year, and Chrysler began selling the Chrysler Voyager in Europe four years later, the long wheelbase Grand Caravan was introduced in 1987. During the 1960s, Dodge did sell a cargo van adapted for passenger use, called the Dodge A100 which was discontinued in 1970 and replaced by the larger. Beginning with model year 1987, all levels were also available in a long wheelbase variant, marketed as the Grand Caravan. There were three levels, base, SE, and LE. Base vans came equipped for five passengers in two rows of seating, the LE came with seven passengers standard in three rows of seating. The base van had two seats with attached armrests and open floor space between them in the front, a three-person bench seat in the second row. This configuration allowed for conventional five person seating with a cargo area in the rear. The latching mechanisms for the benches were easy to operate though removing and replacing the seats typically required two adults. A front low-back 60/40 split bench, accommodating a third front passenger in the middle, was offered in the SE trim level in 1985 only, Safety features consisted of 3-point seat belts for the front two passengers, with simple lap belts for the rear five. Seats on base models and cloth-trimmed SEs had no headrests, which were not mandated due to the light truck legal status. However, the two front seats were equipped with non-adjustable headrests on the LE model and in conjunction with vinyl upholstery on the SE, side-impact reinforcements were mandated, and were at all seating positions front and rear. Neither airbags nor anti-lock braking systems were available, access to the rear rows of seating was by a large passenger-side sliding door enabling easy access in confined situations, e. g. parking. Because only one sliding door was offered, the smaller 2nd row bench seat was shifted to the side of the van
21.
National Museum of American History
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Among the items on display is the original Star-Spangled Banner. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, the museum opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. It was one of the last structures designed by the architectural firm McKim Mead & White. In May 2012, John Gray was announced as the new director, the museum underwent an $85 million renovation from September 5,2006 to November 21,2008, during which time it was closed. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill provided the architecture and interior design services for the renovation, major changes made during the renovation include, A new, five-story sky-lit atrium, which is surrounded by displays of artifacts that showcase the breadth of the museums collection. A new, grand staircase that links the museums first and second floors, a new welcome center, and the addition of six landmark objects to orient visitors. New galleries, such as the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention, an environmentally controlled chamber to protect the original Star-Spangled Banner. In 2012, the museum began a $37 million renovation of the west wing to add new spaces, public plazas. The renovation will also include panoramic windows overlooking the National Mall on all three floors and new features to the exhibits. The first floor of the west wing reopened on July 1,2015 with the second and third floors of the west wing reopening in 2016 and 2017, each wing of the museums three exhibition floors is anchored by a landmark object to highlight the theme of that wing. These include the John Bull locomotive, the Greensboro, North Carolina lunch counter, landmarks from pre-existing exhibits include the 1865 Vassar Telescope, a George Washington Statue, a Red Cross ambulance, and a car from Disneylands Dumbo Flying Elephant ride. Artifact walls,275 feet of glass-fronted cases, line the first, the lower level of the museum displays Taking America to Lunch, which celebrates the history of American lunch boxes. The museums food court, the Stars and Stripes Café, the first floors East Wing has exhibits that feature transportation and technology, they include America on the Move and Lighting a Revolution. The John Bull locomotive is the signature artifact, the exhibits in the West Wing address science and innovation. They include Science in American Life featuring Robots on the Road, spark. Lab is a hands-on exhibit of the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The Vassar Telescope is the signature artifact, a café and the main museum store are also located on the first floor. The first floor contains the Constitution Avenue lobby, as well as a space for a temporary exhibit. The exhibitions in 2 East, the east wing of the floor, consider American ideals
22.
Stout Scarab
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The Stout Scarab is a 1930–1940s American minivan designed by William Bushnell Stout and manufactured by Stout Engineering Laboratories and later by Stout Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. Stout, then president of the Society of Automotive Engineers, had met Buckminster Fuller at a major New York auto show, the front-mounted engine typically drove the rear axle through a connecting drive shaft running underneath the floor of the vehicle. This layout worked well, but had space limitations, the car’s creator, motorcar and aviation engineer and journalist William B. Stout, envisioned his traveling machine to be an office on wheels, to that end, the Scarabs body, styled by John Tjaarda, a well known Dutch automobile engineer, closely followed the construction of an aluminium aircraft fuselage. Although reminiscent of the Chrysler Airflow, streamliner, and the slightly later KdF-Wagen — all aerodynamically efficient in appearance, today its futuristic design and curvaceous, finely detailed nose earn it respect as an Art Deco icon. Passengers entered through a single, large common door, a flexible seating system could be easily reconfigured, except for the drivers seat, which was fixed. Anticipating the seating in modern minivans, such as the Chrysler Voyager and Renault Espace, interiors were appointed in leather, chrome, and wood. Design elements also worked in a stylized ancient Egyptian scarab motif, visibility to the front and sides was similar to that of an observation car, although rearward vision was negligible and there were no rear-view mirrors. The innovations did not end with the layout and body design. In an era where almost everything on the road had rigid axles with leaf springs, the rear-engine-induced weight bias coupled to the coil spring suspension endowed the Scarab with very good handling and traction. The rear swing axle suspension with coil spring struts was inspired by aircraft landing gear. The Scarab suspension itself inspired the later Chapman strut used by Lotus from their Lotus Twelve model of 1957, the Ford flathead V8 drove the rear wheels via a custom Stout-built three-speed manual transaxle. The engine was reversed from its position, mounted directly over the rear axle and with the flywheel. The transmission was mounted ahead of this, reversing and lowering the back to the axle. This unusual layout would later be repeated by the Lamborghini Countach, the first running prototype of the Scarab was completed in 1932, probably the first car ever with an aluminum spaceframe unit-construction body, although the frame parts were steel. The second Scarab, completed in 1935, was an evolution of the first, incorporating some styling and mechanical changes. The headlamps were set behind a fine, vertical-bar grille, and at the rear, narrow chrome bars curved from the window down to the bumper. The body was now steel to reduce cost, Stout issued a statement that the car would be manufactured in limited quantities and sold to those who were invited to buy
23.
Volkswagen Beetle
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Hitler contracted Ferdinand Porsche in 1934 to design and build it. Porsche and his team took until 1938 to finalise the design, the influence on Porsches design of other contemporary cars, such as the Tatra V570 and the work of Josef Ganz remains a subject of dispute. The result was one of the first rear-engined cars since the Brass Era, with 21,529,464 produced, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made. Although designed in the 1930s, the Beetle was only produced in significant numbers from 1945 on when the model was designated the Volkswagen Type 1. Later models were designated Volkswagen 1200,1300,1500,1302 or 1303, the model became widely known in its home country as the Käfer and was later marketed as such in Germany, and as the Volkswagen in other countries. For example, in France it was known as the Coccinelle, the original 25 hp Beetle was designed for a top speed around 100 km/h, which would be a viable speed on the Reichsautobahn system. As Autobahn speeds increased in the years, its output was boosted to 36, then 40 hp. The Beetle ultimately gave rise to variants, including the Karmann Ghia, Type 2, the 1948 Citroën 2CV and other European models marked a later trend to front-wheel drive in the European small car market, a trend that would come to dominate that market. In 1974, Volkswagens own front-wheel drive Golf model succeeded the Beetle and it remained in production through 2010, being succeeded in 2011 by the more aggressively styled Beetle. In the 1999 Car of the Century competition, to determine the worlds most influential car in the 20th century, the Type 1 came fourth, after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS. In April 1934, Adolf Hitler gave the order to Ferdinand Porsche to develop a Volkswagen, the epithet Volks- literally, peoples- had been applied to other Nazi-sponsored consumer goods such as the Volksempfänger. The engine had to be powerful for sustained cruising on Germany’s new Autobahnen, everything had to be designed to ensure parts could be quickly and inexpensively exchanged. The engine had to be air-cooled because, as Hitler explained, the Peoples Car would be available to citizens of Nazi Germany through a savings scheme, or Sparkarte, at 990 Reichsmark, about the price of a small motorcycle. Ferdinand Porsche developed the Type 12, or Auto für Jedermann for Zündapp in 1931, Porsche already preferred the flat-four engine, and selected a swing axle rear suspension, while Zündapp insisted on a water-cooled five-cylinder radial engine. In 1932, three prototypes were running, all of those cars were lost during World War II, the last in a bombing raid in Stuttgart in 1945. The Zündapp prototypes were followed by the Porsche Type 32, designed in 1933 for NSU Motorenwerke AG, the Type 32 was similar in design to the Type 12, but it had a flat-four engine. NSUs exit from car manufacturing resulted in the Type 32 being abandoned at the prototype stage, initially designated Type 60 by Porsche, the design team included Erwin Komenda and Karl Rabe. In October 1935, the first two Type 60 prototypes, known as the V1 and V2, were ready, in 1936, testing began of three further V3 prototypes, built in Porsches Stuttgart shop
24.
Fiat Automobiles
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Fiat Automobiles S. p. A. is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy, a subsidiary of FCA Italy S. p. A. which is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Fiat Automobiles S. p. A. was formed in January 2007 when Fiat reorganized its automobile business, Fiats main market is Europe, mainly focused in Italy. Historically successful in citycars and supermini sector, currently Fiat has a range of models focused on two segments. Fiat does not currently offer any large family car, nor an executive car - these market segments have, to some extent been covered by the Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands, which Fiat also owns. Fiats share of the European market shrank from 9.4 per cent in 2000 to 5.8 per cent in the summer of 2004, at this point Sergio Marchionne was appointed as Fiats chief executive. By March 2009 their market share had expanded to 9.1 per cent, Fiats built their five-story Lingotto plant in 1915 through 1918, at the time it was Europes largest car manufacturing plant. Later the Mirafiori plant was built, also in Turin, to prepare for production of the all-new Fiat 128, Fiat opened their Rivalta plant in October 1968. Until the 128 entered production, the plant was used to build versions of the 850 and 124 as well as parts for the Fiat Dino. Fiats 2014 range of car engines comprised eleven units, eight petrols. The second generation Punto was a seller in the UK after its October 1999 launch. The original Fiat 500 had been one of the few competitors for the iconic Mini during its 1960s heyday. Fiat has invested for a time in South America, mainly in Brazil. They built their first Brazilian car plant in the Greater Belo Horizonte city of Betim in 1973, recently a brand new model developed in Brazil has been launched, the Fiat Uno. Other European models are imported to Brazil, Fiat 500. Some others are still in production, Punto, Idea, Bravo, Fiat has a long history in the United States. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the country and a plant in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. began producing Fiats a year later, like the Fiat 60 HP and the Fiat 16-20 HP. These luxury cars were produced long before Chrysler Corp. was formed in 1925 from older manufacturers that were acquired by Walter P. Chrysler, the New Jersey factory was closed when the U. S. entered World War I in 1917. Fiat returned to North America in the 1950s, selling the original 500, Fiat 600 Multipla, Fiat 1100, Fiat 1200, for example the Fiat 124 Sport Spider and the Fiat X1/9
25.
Fiat 600
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The Fiat 600 is a city car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1955 to 1969. Measuring only 3.22 m long, it was the first rear-engined Fiat, the total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori plant in Turin was 2,695,197. Codenamed Progetto 100, the Fiat 600 mirrored the layout of the Volkswagen Beetle, a total of 5 prototypes were built between 1952 and 1954, which all differed from one another. Chassis number 000001 with engine number 000002 is believed to be the remaining example. It was powered by an innovative single-cam V2-cylinder engine designed to simplify maintenance, at the official launch in 1955, FIAT engineer, Dante Giacosa declared that the aim had been to create something new, both in the interest of progress and simplification. This prototype, however, did not become the chosen design, the car had hydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels. All 600 models had 3-synchro 4-speed transaxles, all models of the 600 had generators with mechanical external regulators. The top speed ranged from 95 km/h empty with the 633 cc inline-four engine to 110 km/h with the 767 cc version, the car had good ventilation and defrosting systems. A year after its debut, in 1956, a version was introduced. It was a precursor of current multi-purpose vehicles, at the time when the millionth car was produced, the manufacturer reported it was producing the car at the then remarkable rate of 1,000 a day. As of 2011 there are only 65 left in the UK that are road legal, in Spain, the 600 model was made under the make of SEAT, from 1957 to 1973. Up to 797,319 SEAT600 were made, the Spanish car maker exported them to a number of countries worldwide. This car motorised Spain after the Spanish Civil War, the most interesting version produced between 1964 and 1967 by SEAT is the SEAT800, the sole four-door derivative of the 600 model which received a longer wheelbase. It was developed in-house by SEAT and produced exclusively by the Spanish car maker without any equivalent model in Fiats range, the Fiat 600 was also manufactured at Fiat Neckar in Germany between 1956 and 1967. Presented in a first time as Jagst 600, in 1960 with the release of Fiat 600D it became Jagst 770, the model was manufactured until the end of 1967, more than 172,000 copies. It was produced by the Zastava factory in Kragujevac, Serbia, from the early 1960s until 1985, during time it played a major role in motorisation of the country. The 600 was built as the Fiat 600 R by Sevel in Argentina from 1960 to 1982, with operations also taking place in Uruguay by Ayax S. A. At first, Someca S. A. built the 600 with rear-hinged doors, as a new plant was constructed in the Ferreyra, a suburb of Córdoba, the local parts content steadily increased
26.
Cab forward
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The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs that place the drivers compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice. In steam locomotive design, a cab forward design will typically have the drivers compartment placed forward of the boiler at the front of the engine. On a coal-fired locomotive, the station remains on the footplate behind the firebox so as to be next to the tender. On an oil-fired locomotive, the station could be in the forward cab. This type of design was widely, though not commonly, used throughout Europe in the first half of the 20th century, visibility is greatly improved from the cab, and fumes from the chimney do not fill a forward cab in tunnels. However, the prospects in the event of a collision are worse. In Germany, Borsig in Berlin built a streamlined cab forward DRG Class 05 4-6-4 in 1937. In 1944, the streamlining was removed, but the 05003 had by then already lost its cab forward layout, after the war, it pulled express trains in West Germany until 1958. The state-owned Italian Ferrovie dello Stato had several cab forward locomotives, Class 670,671 and these 4-6-0 engines had a three-axle tender, and were nicknamed mucca. The engines were used to haul trains on the Milan-Venice railway. This arrangement was made possible by burning fuel oil instead of coal, the cab forward design was widely used by the Southern Pacific Railroad, which developed it to deal with the peculiar problems of its routes. The 39 long tunnels and nearly 40 miles of snow sheds of the Sierra Nevada Mountains could funnel dangerous exhaust fumes back into the compartment of a conventional locomotive. After a number of crews nearly asphyxiated, the locomotive was run in reverse and this meant that the tender was leading the train, which introduced new problems. The tender blocked the view ahead and put crewmen on the sides of the cab for seeing signals. The tenders were not designed to be pushed at the lead of the train, Southern Pacific commissioned Baldwin Locomotive Works to build a prototype cab-forward locomotive, then ordered more units before the prototype had even arrived. All of the cab-forwards were oil-burning locomotives, which meant there was little trouble involved putting the tender at what would normally be the front of the locomotive, the oil and water tanks were pressurized so that both would flow normally even on uphill grades. Visibility from the cab was superb, such that one crewman could easily survey both sides of the track, turning the normal locomotive arrangement around also placed the crew well ahead of the exhaust fumes, insulating them from that hazard. One problematic aspect of the design, however, was the routing of the oil lines, because the firebox was located ahead of the driving wheels, a nuisance under most conditions, it resulted in at least one fatal accident
27.
Ford Carousel
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The Ford Carousel is a prototype vehicle that was developed by Ford in 1973. Called a garageable van, the Carousel included two-box design and three-row forward-facing seating, designed and styled by Dick Nesbitt, the Carousel/Carrousel was completed for Ford by Carron & Company of Inkster, Michigan. In 1972, Ford truck designers had begun design work on what would become the 1975 Ford Econoline/Club Wagon full-size van. Codenamed Nantucket, the redesign was to make for significant increases in front seat interior room, a key drawback to the redesign was its increased height for those who used the Econoline/Club Wagon as a personal vehicle. As most redesigned versions were to be nearly 7 feet tall, in 1972, Ford President Lee Iaccoca approved the expansion of the Nantucket project to include a third vehicle alongside the Ford Econoline series and Ford Club Wagon. Codenamed Carousel, the new variant was set out to be a garageable van, using the 124.0 in wheelbase chassis that would be adopted by the Econoline/Club Wagon, the Ford Carousel was given a complete exterior redesign, distinguished with a lower roofline. Lowered to a height of approximately 6 feet, the Carousel was given a lower than the 64 Volkswagen Microbus. Sourced from the Lincoln Continental Mark III, a 460 cubic-inch V8, to attract potential buyers of station wagons, Ford stylists surrounded the rear roofline of the Carousel in glass and equipped the body sides with simulated woodgrain siding. Similar to a wagon, the rear door of the Carousel was equipped with a tailgate. For the interior, the Carousel followed the configuration of the Club Wagon. In 1973, the Carousel had been fabricated into a prototype ready for production approval. Inside of the company, the Carousel had won a deal of support. After the 1973 energy crisis and the recession of the mid 1970s, as the Carousel was not a direct replacement for any existing Ford vehicle, it was shelved. In 1978, Lee Iacocca was fired from Ford, several months later, soon after, both executives were hired in similar roles at Chrysler Corporation. This would lead to the development of the Chrysler minivans for the 1984 model year, at the same time Chrysler commenced minivan production, Ford revisited the idea of a garageable van for the first time. In 1984, the company revealed the Ford Aerostar for the first time, much like the Carousel, in mid-1985, the Aerostar commenced sales in production form. While fuel economy had played a key role in the demise of the Carousel, in place of the full-size van platform, the Aerostar shared many components with the Ford Ranger light pickup truck. Foregoing the previous design, in a design similar to the European Ford Transit
28.
Ford Aerostar
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The Ford Aerostar is a minivan that was manufactured and marketed by Ford for the 1986 to 1997 model years in the United States and Canada, a limited number were exported outside North America. Several major components of the Aerostar would be derived from the Ford Ranger, during most of its production run. The role of the version has been most directly replaced by the Transit Connect. A total of 2,029,577 Aerostars were produced from 1985 to 1997, all production was sourced from the now-closed St. Louis Assembly Plant in Hazelwood, Missouri. At Ford, development of a minivan began in the early 1970s as a model to the Econoline full-size van. Dubbed Carousel, the vehicle was given a lower roofline and a rear body surrounded by glass, sharing its chassis with the standard-wheelbase van, the Carousel prototype was powered by a 460 cubic inches V8 and an automatic transmission. In a key indication of its market, the Carousel wore a rear tailgate with a drop-down rear window with simulated exterior woodgrain trim. Inside, it was fitted with two bench seats with interior trim similar to the Ford Country Squire and Mercury Colony Park. While the Carousel received a response by many Ford executives for a potential 1976 introduction. While financial constraints forced the company to divert funds towards critical projects, in 1978, Lee Iaccoca and Hal Sperlich left Ford and were hired by Chrysler, leading to the eventual development of the Chrysler minivans. While sharing the garageable van concept of the Ford Carousel, the 1984 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager would become far different vehicles in terms of layout and engineering. During the early 1980s, as information became known about the development of the Chrysler minivans, the energy crises of the late 1970s made fuel economy a high priority of vehicle design, as such, simply downsizing the Econoline was not a competitive option for Ford. To lower weight, the new minivan would use plastic in the bumpers, fuel tank, rear door, and hood with aluminum used for the driveshafts, axles, and wheels. The use of Ranger/Bronco II parts would also make for major fuel economy gains over a vehicle based upon the F-Series/E-Series trucks, unique to the chassis was the rear suspension, a 3-link coil spring suspension with a live rear axle, it was designed specifically for the minivan. Although it would become the first Ford truck to use of a unibody chassis. To reinforce the chassis for towing and overall rigidity, the platform was designed with full-length integrated frame rails. The addition provided the Aerostar with the same 5,000 pounds tow rating as the Astro/Safari, the front suspension consisted of unequal length A-arms through its entire production. The lower A-arm was changed to accommodate the E-4WD option from 1990 onward, the Aerostar differed from all other Ford light trucks in its rear suspension configuration as well
29.
Chrysler minivans (S)
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The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been marketed by Chrysler since 1984. Produced in six generations, the Chrysler minivans are sold in North America. The S platform was a variant of the Chrysler K platform used for the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country. Chrysler manufactured the Generation I minivans, internally codenamed T-115 during development from October 1983 until 1990, design specifications were chosen in 1987 and were evolutionary. This was the last K-based version of the S platform, as the NS platform switched to a new cab forward design. Models, 1991–1995 Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager Generation III of the platform was developed from early 1990 to December 26,1994, being introduced on January 4,1995 and called NS. Its cab forward design was defined by September 23,1991 and inspired by the 1992 Chrysler EPIC concept minivan, final exterior designs were development program approved in May 1992 and frozen for scheduled late 1994 production that same month. The first NS prototypes were built in November 1992 and presented on November 24,1992 to Chrysler executive management, the 1992 Reinventing Chrysler documentary, provided footage of the NS design process in the spring of 1992. Model, 1996–2000 Chrysler Grand Voyager Generation IV of the platform was introduced on January 10,2000 and was called RS, model, 2004–2008 Chrysler Pacifica The Chrysler RG platform is the global export counterpart to the North American Chrysler RS platform. Model, 2001–2007 Chrysler Grand Voyager Generation V Chrysler minivan was introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show as a 2008 model and it offers a new 4.0 L V6 as its top engine, mated to a six-speed automatic. The short-wheelbase model was dropped, and, as a result, there is no longer a Dodge Caravan, a version of the Chrysler Town & Country is sold in Europe as the Lancia Voyager and several other export markets as the Chrysler Grand Voyager. In Europe this version is equipped with a standard 2.8 L 4-cyl turbodiesel engine, for 2011, all the previous engines were dropped and replaced with Chryslers new 3. 6L Pentastar V6. Marketed by Volkswagen exclusively in the North American market, the Routan featured revised interior and exterior styling as well as content from the Chrysler vans. Production of the Routan was discontinued in 2013, the sixth generation of the Chrysler minivan was introduced at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show with the unveiling of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. In a massive change from Chrysler tradition, both the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan nameplates are discontinued, Chrysler platforms Minivan Generations, Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth Minivans. Archived from the original on August 31,2005, allpar minivans section - Chrysler Corp. minivan history, each generation, and 2008 rumors/spy shots Internet forum www. minivanchrysler. com Van Worth Calculator
30.
Chrysler Europe
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Chrysler Europe was a division of the American Chrysler Corporation automotive company. It was formed from the merger of the French Simca, British Rootes, Chrysler Europe operated between 1967 and 1979, before it was divested to PSA Peugeot Citroën. For the first half of the 1980s the company and its products became known publicly as Talbot, Chrysler Corporation had never had much success outside North America, contrasting with Fords worldwide reach and General Motors success with Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Bedford. Chrysler first established an interest on the French-based Simca in 1958, in 1963 Chrysler increased their stake to a controlling 63% by purchasing further stock from Fiat. Chrysler acquired a 35% share of the Spanish Barreiros in 1963, in 1970 Rootes formally became known as Chrysler Ltd. and Simca became known as Chrysler. Although the original marques were retained at first, from 1976 British-built cars were badged as Chryslers, Chrysler used the Dodge marque on commercial vehicles produced by both Simca and Rootes. The company systematically retired the previous marques from Rootes, including Hillman, Humber, the Simca brand was retained in its native France, but the Simca vehicles themselves were usually branded as either Chrysler-Simca or simply Chrysler outside France. In 1969, Chrysler Europe closed a deal with French engineering group Matra Automobiles to jointly develop the Matra sports cars, the first European Chrysler was the Chrysler 180, launched in 1970. The 180 was the result of combining two projects that were previously being developed independently by Rootes and Simca and it was voted European Car of the Year for 1976. Chrysler decided to keep the Hillman Hunter, a drive range of saloons and estates. Three years later, the smaller Chrysler Horizon also won the award, in 1977 Chrysler launched the British-only Sunbeam, a three-door supermini hatchback which effectively replaced the Hillman Imp. Chrysler commenced design on the replacement for the 180, which became the Talbot Tagora under Peugeots ownership on its launch in 1980. Chrysler Europe profits failed to materialize, although Simca on its own had been consistently profitable during its tenure under Chrysler ownership and it was the ailing former Rootes Group operations which were to prove to be the ultimate downfall of the company. Chrysler was already in financial trouble back home in America. The companys incoming CEO, Lee Iacocca had shown little interest in the European market from the outset, the Linwood factory in Scotland was closed by Peugeot in 1981 after just 18 years in use, marking the end of Avenger and Sunbeam production. The Sunbeam was replaced by the Peugeot 104 derived, French-built Talbot Samba, the Alpine spawned a saloon version, the Solara, in 1980. But by 1987, the French giant had scrapped the Talbot marque on passenger cars due to falling sales - though retaining it for vehicles until 1992. Peugeot took little interest in commercial vehicles and the production of former British and Spanish Dodge models passed to Renault Trucks
31.
Matra
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Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobiles, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group, Matra was owned by the Floirat family. The name Matra became famous in the 1960s when it went into car production by buying Automobiles René Bonnet, Matra Automobiles produced racing cars and sports cars, and was successful in racing. Matra was privatized in 1988, with Lagardère holding 6% of the stock, in 1992 the Lagardère Group was radically restructured, acquiring more shares in Matra from Floirat, Daimler Benz and GEC, and Hachette from Floirat, Crédit Lyonnais and Aberly. Lagardère merged Matra and Hachette to form Matra Hachette, of which Lagardère Group held 37. 6%, following a share swap in 1994 Lagardère held 93. 3% of Matra Hachettes stock. In 1996 Matra Hachette was formally merged into Lagardère, Matra Hautes Technologies or MHT was the defence arm of Matra. The company was involved in aerospace, defence and telecommunications, in February 1999 Matra Hautes Technologies merged with Aérospatiale to form Aérospatiale-Matra. On July 10,2000 Aérospatiale-Matra became part of EADS, Matra Défense Matra Systèmes & Information Matra BAe Dynamics, formed in 1996, Matra BAe Dynamics brought together the missile business of BAe and half of the missile business of Matra Défense. Matra Marconi Space, was the division of Matra which merged with the space operations of GEC in 1989 to form Matra Marconi Space. In 2000, it was merged with the division of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG to form Astrium. This was later renamed to EADS Astrium, Matra Nortel Communications R.511 air to air missiles R.530 air to air missiles Super 530 air to air missiles R.550 Magic air to air missiles MICA air to air missiles R. In 1984 Renault launched the Matra built Espace minivan, the car became a big success, after the discontinuation of the Renault Avantime, on February 27,2003 Matra announced its intention to close its automobile factory in Romorantin-Lanthenay, with the factory closing a month later. In September 2003, Pininfarina SpA acquired Matra Automobiles engineering, testing, the company was subsequently named Matra Automobile Engineering. On January 13,2009, Pininfarina sold its share in Matra Automobile Engineering to Segula Technologies, Matra competed as a constructor in Formula One from 1967 to 1972 and as an engine supplier between 1975 to 1982, winning the Drivers and Constructors Championships in 1969. Matra also competed in car racing from 1966 to 1974 winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972,1973 and 1974. Matra sponsored Racing Club de France in 1987~1989, Matra produced a home computer, the Matra Alice. Matra produced a fiberglass 14 ft sailing dinghy with a double bottom. Though some hundreds were sold and a class association briefly existed, Matra created an automatic light rubber-tyred metro, the VAL Matra attempted, and failed to produce a personal rapid transit system, Aramis
32.
Taiwan
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Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a state in East Asia. Neighbours include China to the west, Japan to the northeast, Taiwan is the most populous state that is not a member of the United Nations, and the one with the largest economy. The island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, was inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before the 17th century. After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning, the island was annexed by the Qing dynasty, the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War. While Taiwan was under Japanese rule, the Republic of China was established on the mainland in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty, following the Japanese surrender to the Allies in 1945, the ROC took control of Taiwan. However, the resumption of the Chinese Civil War led to the ROCs loss of the mainland to the Communists, and the flight of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949. As a founding member of the United Nations, the ROC continued to represent China at the United Nations until 1971, in the early 1960s, Taiwan entered a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization, creating a stable industrial economy. In the 1980s and early 1990s, it changed from a one-party military dictatorship dominated by the Kuomintang to a multi-party democracy with universal suffrage, Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world, and its high-tech industry plays a key role in the global economy. It is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press, health care, public education, economic freedom, the PRC has consistently claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and asserted the ROC is no longer in legitimate existence. Under its One-China Policy the PRC refused diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the ROC, the PRC has threatened the use of military force in response to any formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or if PRC leaders decide that peaceful unification is no longer possible. There are various names for the island of Taiwan in use today, the former name Formosa dates from 1542, when Portuguese sailors sighted the main island of Taiwan and named it Ilha Formosa, which means beautiful island. The name Formosa eventually replaced all others in European literature and was in use in English in the early 20th century. This name was adopted into the Chinese vernacular as the name of the sandbar. The modern word Taiwan is derived from this usage, which is seen in forms in Chinese historical records. Use of the current Chinese name was formalized as early as 1684 with the establishment of Taiwan Prefecture, through its rapid development, the entire Formosan mainland eventually became known as Taiwan. The official name of the state is the Republic of China and it was a member of the United Nations representing China until 1971, when it lost its seat to the Peoples Republic of China. Over subsequent decades, the Republic of China has become known as Taiwan. In some contexts, especially ones from the ROC government
33.
Luxgen M7
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Luxgen M7, previously the Luxgen7 MPV is a 7-passenger Taiwanese automobile produced by Luxgen beginning from 2009. The vehicle was developed under Yulons R&D center, HAITEC and it was officially shown to the public on August 19,2009, and hit showrooms on 9/19/2009. The car is powered by a 2.2 L I-4 MEFI turbocharged engine developed by tuned by Delphi, the platform is derived from the Renault Espace. The turbocharger is supplied by Garrett and powers the engine up to 175 PS at 5,200 rpm and 28 kg·m of torque from 2,500 to 4,000 rpm, the 5-speed Manumatic transmission is supplied by Aisin. Pricing starts at NT$798,000 up to NT$1,068,000, ABS, EBD, BAS, and the Think+ Multi-purpose system are all standard equipment. The targeted competitor is the BYD M6, in 2014, the Luxgen7 MPV received a facelift and name change to Luxgen M7 to fit the new Luxgen naming theme. A facelift was done in 2014 with a front bumper, dark head lamps with DRL. The fuel efficiency was improved to 13.57 km/l and 11.8 km/l. Luxgen also introduced a Luxgen7 MPV electric vehicle co-developed by AC Propulsion, the top speed is 145 km/h and the electric range is 350 kilometres at 40 km/h. While most of the exterior was based on the regular Luxgen7 MPV, the Luxgen 7 CEO is an executive limousine built on the MPV platform. Most parts of the body remains the same while on the exterior. It has two rear seats with massage, recline and leg rest. A divider with motorized panels separates the passenger and driver compartments, the glass window can be frosted with the flick of a switch, along with an opaque panel that enhances privacy. The Luxgen V7 is Luxgens wheelchair accessible van based on the M7 and it is launched in 2016 and is equipped with an extended and lower tailgate and a raised roof. Luxgen Official Site - English official site Luxgen Motors - Taiwanese official site
34.
Mazda Bongo
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The Mazda Bongo, also known as Mazda E-Series, Mazda Access, and the Ford Econovan, is a van manufactured by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 1966. It has been built with rear-, middle-, as well as front-mounted engines and it also formed the basis for the long running Kia Bongo range. It is named for the African Bongo, a type of antelope, Mazda introduced its small van, the Bongo, in May 1966. It featured a rear-mounted 782 cc water-cooled OHV SA 4-stroke engine driving the rear wheels, the rear-engined Bongo was produced in two versions from 1968, as the F800 was joined by the bigger-engined F1000. This has a 987 cc PB overhead valve engine with 48 PS at 5500 rpm. The chassis code for the 1-litre model is FPA, Mazda also showed an electrically powered version of the van, which could reach 75 km/h and with a 60 km range. The engines were shared with Mazdas Familia small car range, production ended in 1975, due to Mazda suffering serious economic troubles and upcoming stricter emissions regulations for 1976. This model retained the body shape for its 10-year production life, the later models fitted with inertia-reel seat belts. The rear-engined Bongos had a chassis and were very strong and due to the low gearing. Due to rust and poor maintenance, these Bongos are now rare, the 1000 pickup and Bongo chassis are different, with common front suspension and brake components. The next Bongo van appeared in September 1977 and it was a mid-engine rear wheel drive vehicle. Ford sold this version of the van as the Ford Econovan, while Mazda sold it for export as the E1300, E1400, beginning in February 1980 a 2. 2-litre diesel engine was also available, sold in export as the E2200. This generation was manufactured by Kia in South Korea, as the Kia Bongo. The Bongo/Ceres underwent a number of facelifts and was available as late as 1999. As the E1600, this went on sale in Great Britain in 1982. The British market only received the long wheelbase 1-tonne panel van version with small, the UK model has a five-speed manual gearbox with a column mounted shifter. The original version has round headlights and no grille, after a facelift the second generation Bongo/E-series had rectangular headlights and this took place in January 1981. In Australia, rebadged versions were sold as the Ford Econovan as a SWB petrol van, LWB petrol van, SWB and LWB window petrol vans also sold in passenger-carrying Ford Econowagon form
35.
Toyota Alphard
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The Toyota Alphard is a full-size luxury MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota since 2002. The vehicle was named after Alphard, the brightest star in the constellation Hydra, in 2006, a Royal Lounge Alphard was introduced. It is a luxurious, four-seat version of the Alphard and its traditional competitor from Nissan is the Elgrand. Toyota also makes a version of the Alphard, called the Vellfire. The Toyota Spade/Toyota Sienta/Toyota Noah are smaller MPV are more affordable, the Japanese Government enforces dimension regulations and annually applies a road tax, and the Alphard/Vellfire incur higher than average operating costs. The full-size Alphard/Vellfire Hybrid MPV qualifies as an Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle, the 2. 5-litre gasoline engine has been developed specifically for use in Toyotas hybrid systems and features a high-expansion ratio cycle that raises efficiency and reduces friction. The Alphard Hybrid uses by-wire technology that monitors brake pedal pressure, by-wire works with the E-Four to maximize the collection of kinetic energy from braking for conversion into electric power. The Alphard Hybrid can generate up to 1,500 watts and is equipped with standard 100-volt AC power outlets, allowing a range of appliances to be used, such as laptops. The Alphard was launched by Toyota in May 2002 to compete against the Nissan Elgrand and Honda Elysion, with full electrical component features and complete comfort and safety features, the Alphard is Toyotas best selling MPV in Japan. The Alphard was facelifted in 2005 with new design of rear lamp, a hybrid version was also added to the lineup. For model year 2007 on Japanese models only, G-BOOK, a subscription service, is offered as an option. Actor Jean Reno appeared on Japanese TV commercials for the Toyota Alphard, for this generation, the Alphard line-up was expanded into two different design variants - Alphard and Vellfire. According to Toyotas press release, the Alphard is described as having an elegant and sophisticated design while the Vellfire emphasizes on strength and strong individuality. Both models are sold via separate distribution channels, with the Alphard sold by Toyotas Toyopet Store dealership chain while the Vellfire is sold at Toyotas youth oriented Netz dealership chain. A facelift model was announced by Toyota on 27 September 2011, the new generation features very large grille similar to the current model Toyota Crown. The length has grown longer by 60 mm, the width by 20 mm, other big audio manufacturers such as Alpine Electronics also manufacture navigation and audio/visual accessories specifically for the Alphard. Using the same radar the Alphard/Vellfire is also able to maintain a constant speed and distance from the car in front, however, this same radar is unable to detect pedestrians. The Alphard/Vellfire is also able to stop at speeds below 15 km/h during parking situations, after around one year after the announcement of the third generation Toyota Alphard/Vellfire, Toyota introduced three bespoke trims towards their top MPV range
36.
Toyota Previa
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The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan, and Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle produced by Toyota since 1990. The name Previa is derived from the Spanish and Italian for preview, along with the Toyota Sienna, the Previa is the second largest minivan in Toyotas line-up after the bigger and more luxurious Alphard/Vellfire. The first generation, designed by Toyota designer Tokuo Fukuichi and Calty designer David Doyle in 1987, was introduced on 27 January 1990, had only one sliding door for the rear passengers. It featured a unique mid-engined platform, where the four cylinder gasoline-powered engine was installed almost flat. This allows for even front/rear weight distribution, which benefits ride quality, however, it also prevents the installation of a larger engine, while the cost could not be relayed by sharing the platform with other vehicles. The first generation Previa was 4,750 mm long and 1,803 mm wide, the Estima Emina and Estima Lucida were also available with a 2. 2-liter diesel engine. In Japan, the Estima and Estima Emina were exclusive to the dealerships called Toyota Store, the Estima Lucida sold at Toyota Corolla Store dealerships. The first generation Previa was available in both rear- and all-wheel drive versions and powered by a 135 hp JIS four-cylinder 2. 4-liter fuel injection engine. Available with an automatic or five-speed manual gearbox, this Previa also seated seven or eight people. All configurations have a driver and front passenger forward. The third row is also upholstered in the seven-seat version. It was available with either four-wheel disc brakes or traditional front disc/rear drum brake setup, in the United States, the Previa was sold from March 1990 to 1997. However, his claims were never substantiated, at same time, this layout granted the Previa greater interior space than the Chrysler competitors. Initially, the S/C engine was available as an option on the LE for the 1994 model year. The United States version of the Previa was discontinued after the 1997 model year, replaced by the traditionally designed, front-wheel-drive, US-designed and built. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the Toyota Previa a Poor rating, the first generation Previa was marketed in the Netherlands between 1991 and 1994. In 1994 the supercharged or SC model was standard on all Previas. The only engine available was a 2. 4-liter 4-cylinder engine until 1995, trim levels were base, GL, GLi and GXi
37.
Nissan Serena
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The Nissan Serena is a five-door minivan manufactured by Nissan Motor Company, joining the slightly larger Nissan Vanette. The car was engineered by Nissans Aichi Manufacturing Division and launched in 1991 as compact passenger van, earlier versions were front engine, rear-wheel drive layout with a live axle mounted on leaf springs. Later versions had an independent rear suspension, and were front-wheel drive or 4WD. The most popular version was the 2.3 diesel engine version, models were manufactured in Japan from 1991 onwards, and many were imported into Australasia and the United Kingdom. Nissan produced many different trim levels - FX, SX etc, full-Auto 4WD versions were also produced providing greater stability and better handling. It was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealerships called Nissan Bluebird Store, each facelift model can be identified by front grill design which was updated in 1994 and 1997. In European markets, the C23 Serena had 1.6 or 2.0 L petrols, trim levels were LX, SLX, SGX and SGXi. Auto Express once named the Serena as the slowest passenger car in the benchmark 0-60 mph test, until around 2002, the standard petrol engine was an SR20DE. A variety of engines were used over the years, including diesels specifically the CD20, CD20T1,973 cc Diesel Turbo. The Nissan Vanette was a series of small vans manufactured in Spain by Nissan Motors alongside the European market Serena models, in June 1998, LDV Limited entered into an agreement with Nissan, to sell a rebranded version of the Vanette Cargo. This was named the LDV Cub, alongside the Vanette, it was sold in Britain. The model was discontinued in 2001, and replaced by a re badged version of the Opel Vivaro/Renault Trafic, called the Nissan Primastar, which is produced in Luton, England and Barcelona, Spain. By 2001, the Nissan Serena was described as the worst new car sale on Britain, by Top Gears Buyers Guide, with absolutely nothing to recommend it for. Although the Nissan Serena handles better than most people expect it to, its ratio is particularly poor. The only models with marginally acceptable acceleration are powered by the SR20DE engine, Largo was the model name used for a Nissan passenger van based on the C23 Serena between 1992 and 1998. Unlike the previous Largo, which was essentially a widened C22 Nissan Vanette and it was exclusive to Nissan Satio Store locations as a large load carrying vehicle next to the Sunny. The Largo was available with either a 2. 4-litre petrol, or a 2. 0-litre turbo-diesel, the second-generation Serena was launched in Japan in July 1999. These versions had a facelift with a variety of engines
38.
Honda Elysion
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The Honda Elysion is a minivan with seven or eight seats that was initially sold only in Japan as a competitor to the Toyota Alphard and the Nissan Elgrand. It is related to the USA-spec Honda Odyssey but is not the same vehicle, the USA-spec Honda Odyssey, known in Japan as the Honda LaGreat, was too large for Japan, so the Elysion took many styling cues from the LaGreat and used them on a smaller vehicle. In June 2012, the Elysion was introduced to the Chinese market, production of the Elysion was ceased in October 2013 in Japan, but continued to be assembled and sold in China. Honda was inspired to name the vehicle the Elysion from the classical Greek word Elysium, the Elysion appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show, on October 2003 as the ASM, and was released for sale on 13 May 2004. A mild body restyle was introduced 29 September 2005, introducing an Aero,13 January 2006 saw the introduction of the G Aero HDD Navi and VG HDD Navi Aero edition. Another styling change was introduced 21 December 2006, including an interior update, the Elysion was offered with either the 2.4 L DOHC direct injection K24A with i-VTEC producing 160 PS or the 3.0 L SOHC J30A V6 i-VTEC producing 250 PS. The V6 was also available with VCM or Variable Cylinder Management, the upper trim level Prestige model was available with the J35A V6 used in the Honda Legend, producing 300 PS and available with AWD. However, vehicles equipped with AWD had the power was reduced to 279 PS. For two-wheel drive vehicles, this was more power than available in the Toyota Estima. The low cd also contributes to better fuel economy and overall stability, the interior wrap all round with well thought after luxury materials combined with a soft and light soundproof material makes the cabin eerily quiet once you close its doors. However, all this extra luxury contributes to the total weight, although the car may look large, the actual dimension is actually modest. At 4840 mm, the length is identical as the 3. 0L second-generation Odyssey RA6 or about 1 cm longer than current Camry, the 1830mm width is about 3 cm wider than the RA6 or about 2 cm wider than Camry. This extra height puts Elysion seating position high, or about the level of Harrier SUV, the high safety percentage translates to how well the car protects its driver and occupants. Interestingly the radar can be double as night vision as it gives picture in a form of graphic of objects displayed on its built in 8 inch navigation system at the dash. Other safety equipment includes ABS, VSA, TCS, sideslip, at launch, two choices of engines are available. The 2. 4L i-VTEC K24A that is used in the current Odyssey produces about 160 horses and 22.2 kg-m of torque. With virtually the same specs and gear ratios, it behaves and drives very similar to the current Odyssey, the compression ratio of 9.7 couples with an anti-knocking sensor and intelligent timing control makes it easy to take RON95 grade. A similar 2. 4L engine but with different overhead and higher compression ratio of 11.0 that produces 200hhp that is used in Honda JDM Odyssey Absolute is not yet available at time for Elysion
39.
South Korea
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South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a sovereign state in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The earliest Korean pottery dates to 8000 BC, with three kingdoms flourishing in the 1st century BC and its rich and vibrant culture left 19 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity, the third largest in the world, along with 12 World Heritage Sites. Annexed into Imperial Japan in 1910, Korea was divided after its surrender in 1945, peace has since mostly continued with the two agreeing to work peacefully for reunification and the South solidifying peace as a regional power with the worlds 10th largest defence budget. South Koreas tiger economy soared at an average of 10% for over 30 years in a period of rapid transformation called the Miracle on the Han River. A long legacy of openness and focus on innovation made it successful, today, it is the worlds fifth largest exporter with the G20s largest budget surplus and highest credit rating of any country in East Asia. It has free trade agreements with 75% of the economy and is the only G20 nation trading freely with China, the US. Since 1988, its constitution guarantees a liberal democracy with high government transparency, high personal freedoms led to the rise of a globally influential pop culture such as K-pop and K-drama, a phenomenon called the Korean Wave, known for its distinctive fashionable and trendy style. Home of the UN Green Climate Fund and GGGI, South Korea is a leader in low carbon growth, committed to helping developing countries as a major DAC. It is the third least ignorant country in the Index of Ignorance, ranking eighth highest for peaceful tolerance. It is the worlds largest spender on R&D per GDP, leading the OECD in graduates in science, the name Korea derives from the name Goryeo. The name Goryeo itself was first used by the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo in the 5th century as a form of its name. The 10th-century kingdom of Goryeo succeeded Goguryeo, and thus inherited its name, the modern spelling of Korea first appeared in the late 17th century in the travel writings of the Dutch East India Companys Hendrick Hamel. After Goryeo was replaced by Joseon in 1392, Joseon became the name for the entire territory. The new official name has its origin in the ancient country of Gojoseon, in 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the official name of the country from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk. The name Daehan, which means great Han literally, derives from Samhan, however, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule, the two names Han and Joseon coexisted, there were several groups who fought for independence, the most notable being the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Following the surrender of Japan, in 1945, the Republic of Korea was adopted as the name for the new country. Since the government only controlled the part of the Korean Peninsula
40.
Kia Carnival
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The Kia Carnival is a minivan manufactured by Kia Motors, introduced in September 1998, marketed globally under various nameplates–prominently as the Kia Sedona is currently in its third generation. In North America, a variant known as the Hyundai Entourage was sold from 2007–2009. In Australia, the Kia Carnival went on sale in 1999, in 2001, it outsold the Toyota Tarago, becoming the top-selling minivan in the country. It was sales leader again in 2004 and 2005, when sales peaked at 5,259 units. In Europe, the first generation was only with the 2.5 Rover KV6 engine 24V petrol with 163 PS and Euro 2 standard emission level. From 2001 Kia Motors introduce the 2.5 KV6 Euro 3 with 150 PS, in North America, the Sedona came equipped with a 3.5 L V6 engine making 195 hp and a 4-speed automatic. Early Sedonas were rated at 15.6 L/100 km and 10.9 L/100 km, the SWB model shares its platform with the Kia Magentis – and was specially designed for the European market, where it falls in the large MPV class. In certain markets, Kia offered the minivan in both wheelbases or in markets, simply as the short-wheelbase configuration. Globally, the minivan was offered with four engines as well as manual, in European and Asian markets, the SWB models offered a full range of options and available equipment, with a 2+3+2 seating configuration. By contrast, in the U. S. the SWB model is offered only in a base equipment level with a 2+2+3 seating configuration–and high-end options exclusive to LWB models, initially offered only in long-wheelbase form, the short-wheelbase model followed for model year 2007. Trim levels include Sedona, Sedona LX, and Sedona EX, a rebadged version of the second generation was offered from 2007–2009 as the Hyundai Entourage. The North American configuration earned a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for all seating positions in frontal, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also rated the Sedona Good – its highest rating – in front, side and rear impacts. The IIHS has christened the 2006 Sedona a Gold Top Safety Pick, Kia had announced that the 2012 Kia Sedona will be the last Sedona for the American market. In 2013, Kia re-launched the Sedona as a 2014 model with minor updates, the second generation was marketed in three trim levels with a 5-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic gearbox. Trim level 1 included air-conditioning, electric windows, trim level 2 received alloy wheels, rear parking camera with the display incorporated into the rear-view mirror, and climate control. Trim level 3 added electronic stability control, leather seats, heated front seats, power tail gate, in September 2012, the Sedona was withdrawn from the UK market due to poor sales. The second generation Carnival went on sale in Australia in January 2006, a 2. 9L turbo diesel engine was introduced in the Grand Carnival in March 2009. In June 2010, the Carnival and Grand Carnival underwent a facelift, the manual transmission was dropped from the SWB model
41.
SsangYong Rodius
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The SsangYong Rodius is a MPV released in late 2004 by the Korean automaker SsangYong Motor Company. Rodius is an portmanteau of the words road and Zeus. It is available in 7,9 and 11 seat configurations, the seats can be folded to act as tables or folded further to add extra cargo area. They can be turned around, encouraging conversation and can be sided forward and backward, the engines are the Mercedes-Benz licensed 3.2 L 6-cylinder gasoline engine and the 2.7 L 5-cylinder common rail diesel engine. The car was designed by Ken Greenley, former head of the automotive design course at the Royal College of Art in London, the design goal was to capture the essence of a luxury yacht In August 2008, the Rodius received a facelift. Afterwards, because of popularity, the Rodius was discontinued in Europe without a direct successor on December 31,2011. In the mass media, the vehicle received negative reviews of its aesthetics. The second generation Rodius, called the Korando Turismo in South Korea, was revealed on February 5,2013 and was first shown at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show with sales commencing soon after. The new model comes in nine-, ten- or eleven-seat configurations, powering the new Rodius/Korando Turismo is a 2. 0-liter turbodiesel engine connected to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed Mercedes-Benz-sourced automatic transmission. The current 2016+ Turismo offers an updated 7-speed Mercedes-Benz e-Tronic gearbox with the same 6-speed manual available, the 2016+ Turismo also complies with Euro VI emissions standards
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Buick GL8
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The Buick GL8 is a minivan produced and sold in China under the Buick brand name by Shanghai GM, the joint-venture of SAIC Motor with the US-American company General Motors. Introduced in 2000, the first generation GL8 is similar to the Pontiac Montana, unlike other GM minivans, a roof rack was never offered. It was redesigned for 2005, however, it has a more aerodynamic look than its American and Canadian counterparts, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, the Pontiac Montana, and the Saturn Relay. A revamped edition was released in late 2010/early 2011, featuring 2.4 L and it is based on an old minivan platform from the U. S. but it would likely require costly upgrade to meet current U. S. safety and requirements. Sales amounted to 52,127 units in 2010, and it was stable over past few years. The previous generation is available as GL8 First Land. The GL8 first entered production in China in 1999, the regular wheelbase GL8 is known as the GL82.5 while the extended wheelbase variant is called the GL8 First Land. There are four trim levels available, called the LT, CT1, CT2, in October 2001, the first bunch of Buick GL10s were exported to the Philippines where it was rebadged as the Chevrolet Venture. The GL8 underwent a facelift in 2005, receiving a redesigned front end, the Buick GL8 XAE1 is a hybrid vehicle that uses a 35 kW fuel cell and compressed hydrogen gas to deliver its power. The General Motors Phoenix was officially unveiled at the Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center in China in the year 2001. Introduced in late 2010 for the 2011 model year, the GL8 II has an appearance inspired by the Buick Business concept car shown in 2009. The wheelbase is the same as for the GL8 First Land,3,099 mm, developed by the Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center, another joint venture of SAIC Motors with General Motors, the vehicle is based on a vehicle architecture of over a decade old. Engines include a 2. 4-litre DVVT Ecotec four-cylinder and a 3. 0-liter V6, to differentiate the new GL8 from its predecessor which remains on sale as a Business Edition, the new one is sold as the Luxury Business Edition. The third generation Buick GL8 is set to debut in China around late 2016 and it will receive a complete exterior overhaul and feature new design elements, such as the newly introduced winged Buick grille treatment, as well as a redesigned roofline. The entire existing engine lineup will be eliminated, to be replaced by a 2. 0-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 253 horsepower, the car will be based on an updated version of the same platform, abandoning the current torsion beam rear suspension in favor of a new independent setup. The entry-level price is lowered to RMB229,000 for the GL8 25S, while a luxury version, the next generation Chevrolet Venture will go on sale in the Philippines in late 2017. It will be built in China, with some customized additions exclusive to Chevrolet, the new Venture will go up against the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Alphard, as the top selling luxury MPV in the Philippine market
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China
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China, officially the Peoples Republic of China, is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia and the worlds most populous country, with a population of over 1.381 billion. The state is governed by the Communist Party of China and its capital is Beijing, the countrys major urban areas include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Hong Kong. China is a power and a major regional power within Asia. Chinas landscape is vast and diverse, ranging from forest steppes, the Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamir and Tian Shan mountain ranges separate China from much of South and Central Asia. The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the third and sixth longest in the world, respectively, Chinas coastline along the Pacific Ocean is 14,500 kilometers long and is bounded by the Bohai, Yellow, East China and South China seas. China emerged as one of the worlds earliest civilizations in the basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, Chinas political system was based on hereditary monarchies known as dynasties, in 1912, the Republic of China replaced the last dynasty and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949, when it was defeated by the communist Peoples Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War. The Communist Party established the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949, both the ROC and PRC continue to claim to be the legitimate government of all China, though the latter has more recognition in the world and controls more territory. China had the largest economy in the world for much of the last two years, during which it has seen cycles of prosperity and decline. Since the introduction of reforms in 1978, China has become one of the worlds fastest-growing major economies. As of 2016, it is the worlds second-largest economy by nominal GDP, China is also the worlds largest exporter and second-largest importer of goods. China is a nuclear weapons state and has the worlds largest standing army. The PRC is a member of the United Nations, as it replaced the ROC as a permanent member of the U. N. Security Council in 1971. China is also a member of numerous formal and informal multilateral organizations, including the WTO, APEC, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BCIM, the English name China is first attested in Richard Edens 1555 translation of the 1516 journal of the Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa. The demonym, that is, the name for the people, Portuguese China is thought to derive from Persian Chīn, and perhaps ultimately from Sanskrit Cīna. Cīna was first used in early Hindu scripture, including the Mahābhārata, there are, however, other suggestions for the derivation of China. The official name of the state is the Peoples Republic of China. The shorter form is China Zhōngguó, from zhōng and guó and it was then applied to the area around Luoyi during the Eastern Zhou and then to Chinas Central Plain before being used as an occasional synonym for the state under the Qing
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Buick
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Buick, formally the Buick Motor Division, is an upscale automobile brand of the American manufacturer General Motors. Buick-branded vehicles are known for reliability, ranking high for reliability in Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings. Buick has the distinction of being the oldest active American marque of automobile, before the establishment of General Motors, GM founder William C. Durant had served as Buicks general manager and major investor. Buick also has the distinction of being the first automobile maker in the world to equip its cars with overhead valve engines, in 2015, Buick sold 1,231,941 vehicles, a record for the brand. The main market is in China, where 80% of Buick-branded automobiles are sold, Buicks are also sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Since restructuring in 2009, GM has also started to share technology, vehicles, Buick was founded in 1899 in Jackson, Michigan by David Dunbar Buick as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, an internal combustion engine manufacturer. Buick is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and his replacement was Eugene Richard, who applied for a patent in 1902 for Marrs valve-in-head engine, which patent, number 771,095, was awarded to Richard in the name of Buick in 1904. This was the worlds first overhead valve internal combustion engine, although it was called valve-in-head because the cylinders were horizontal so the valves were not actually overhead. In 1903, the third Buick automobile was made, this time by Richard, but in 1904 Buick moved to Flint, Michigan, Marr was rehired in Flint as chief engineer, to begin making automobiles in production. David Dunbar Buick incorporated his company as the Buick Motor Company on May 19,1903, in Detroit, Michigan. In March,1904, the company was purchased by Benjamin Briscoe, Whiting moved Buick to Flint that summer, to a location across the street from his factory, with the idea of adding Buicks engines to his wagons. David Buick stayed on as a manager, and re-hired Walter Marr as chief engineer, the engine Buick and Marr developed for this automobile was a 2-cyinder valve-in-head engine of 159 cubic inches, with each cylinder horizontal and opposed to each other by 180 degrees. Durant that year as controlling investor, Durant was co-owner, also in Flint, of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, which was the largest carriage-making company in the country. Durant spent the next 4 years turning Buick into the automobile brand in the US. David Buick sold his stock upon departure in 1906, and died in modest circumstances 25 years later, in 1907, Durant agreed to supply motors to R. S. McLaughlin in Canada, an auto maker, and in 1908 he founded General Motors. Between 1899 and 1902, two vehicles were built in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr. Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, in mid-1904, another prototype was constructed for an endurance run, which convinced James H. Whiting to authorize production of the first models offered to the public. The architecture of this prototype was the basis for the Model B, the first Buick made for sale, the 1904 Model B, was built in Flint, Michigan at a re-purposed factory that was known as the Flint Wagon Works
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SAIC-GM
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SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited is a joint venture between General Motors Company and SAIC Motor that manufactures and sells Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac brand automobiles in mainland China. SAIC-GM was founded on June 12,1997 with 50% investment each from each partner, SAIC-GM began assembling the ventures first vehicle, the Buick Regal, in Shanghai, China in 1999. In 2003, China became the second largest single market for General Motors, selling 201,188 vehicles, in that year SAIC-GM achieved a 13% market share in mainland China, second only to Volkswagen Group China among foreign carmakers. SAIC-GM market share climbed back to nearly 9.8 percent, SAIC-GM was the top passenger vehicle producer in China in 2006, with sales of 413,400 vehicles. In 2011, SAIC-GM sold 1,200,355 vehicles in the Chinese market, SAIC-GM is the largest joint venture GM has in China. In April 2012, GM regained 50% control of the joint venture
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SAIC Motor
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SAIC Motor Corporation Limited is a Chinese state-owned automotive design and manufacturing company headquartered in Shanghai, China, with multinational operations. Its manufacturing mix is not wholly consumer offerings, however, with as many as 1,000, 000+ SAIC passenger vehicles being commercial vans. SAIC traces its origins to the years of the Chinese automobile industry in the 1940s. Currently, it participates in the oldest surviving sino-foreign car making joint venture, with Volkswagen, SAIC products sell under a variety of brand names, including those of its joint venture partners. Two notable brands owned by SAIC itself are MG, a historic British car marque, a small company in the 1970s, SAIC owes its rise to more than an increase in domestic demand for passenger vehicles. Early success at SAIC may also be a result of guidance provided by local Shanghai authorities, for these two reasons and more, SAIC grew swiftly. In the 11 years leading to 1996, annual production capacity increased ten-fold to 300,000 units/year, during this period, SAIC effectively built an entire modern automotive component supply chain in Shanghai from scratch, and the number and quality of locally produced auto parts rose significantly. In 1987, the local parts used in one car, the Volkswagen Santana, were tires, radio, and antenna. A goal set by the Shanghai Municipal government, creation of a local industry is an example of the influence that the local government has had on the development of SAIC. In June 1997, SAIC formed a major joint venture, Shanghai General Motors Co Ltd. The new joint venture operations in 1998, and helped to drive a doubling in SAICs vehicle production between 2000 and 2004. Initially partnering with foreign automakers, creating joint ventures with component suppliers, such as the American Visteon, at the start of the 2000s, SAIC made several acquisitions in Korea. Around this time SAIC created a new holding company for its subsidiaries employed in passenger car production, in the middle of the decade, SAIC attempted to acquire the British automaker MG Rover, but in 2005 was outbid by another Chinese automaker, Nanjing Automobile. SAIC did manage to obtain some MG Rover technology that was incorporated into a new line of luxury sedans sold under the Roewe marque, and it subsequently purchased the winning bidder. While the company saw success in the late 2000s, with 2.72 million vehicles sold in 2009, its 2004 purchase of an ownership stake in a Korean SUV-maker, Ssangyong. In January 2009, after an additional US$45 million was provided to it by SAIC, courts might have mandated SAIC reduce its ownership, and by 2010 a 51. 33% share of the Korean company had become a 10% one. The 2009 Ssangyong failure also saw riot police quell protesting Ssangyong workers who staged a 77-day-long sit in, SAIC may have benefitted from exposure to some technology from Mercedes that Ssangyong controlled during this time. In 2010, SAIC produced 3.58 million units, the largest output of any China-based automaker that year, in February 2011, SAIC unveiled a new commercial vehicles marque, Maxus
