Euro Auto Historyan independent reference on automotive history and engineering

An independent reference on automotive history. Not affiliated with the former website on this domain, with car manufacturers or with clubs; we do not sell cars or parts.

Models and engineering

Models and engineering

This section explains how the car acquired the systems we now take for granted, how classic components differ from modern ones, and how the history of several car plants that readers ask about most often unfolded.

Timeline of key technologies

Four reference points: from the first automobile to a system that brakes by itself.

  1. 1886

    Carl Benz is granted a patent for the Benz Patent-Motorwagen — a three-wheeled vehicle with a petrol engine. It is generally regarded as the first automobile.

  2. 1978

    The electronic Bosch ABS anti-lock braking system is offered on a production car for the first time — the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W116.

  3. Late 1990s

    Immobilisers become mandatory for new cars in the European Union under an EU directive.

  4. 2008

    Volvo introduces City Safety — a low-speed automatic braking system for urban traffic — on the XC60.

Source Mercedes-Benz Classic / Bosch (history of ABS); Volvo Cars (City Safety); encyclopaedic sources

Classic components: a short glossary

The definitions are general; for how a particular component works, see the factory documentation for the model.

Carburettor
A device that prepares the air–fuel mixture mechanically, using the vacuum in the intake. For a long time it was the main way of fuelling petrol engines; it needs adjustment and is sensitive to fuel cleanliness.
Fuel injection
A system in which fuel is delivered by injectors, with the quantity usually calculated by a control unit from sensor signals. It replaced the carburettor on mass-market models.
Air cooling
The engine is cooled by air flowing over finned cylinders, with no liquid circuit or radiator. The design is simpler, but operating temperature depends more on the weather and the load.
Front-wheel drive
Torque is sent to the front wheels. The layout is more compact, and no propeller shaft is needed under the cabin floor.
Rear-wheel drive
Torque is sent to the rear wheels, usually through a propeller shaft and a rear axle. The classic layout for many older cars and lorries.
Selectable drive axle
A second driven axle that the driver engages manually when needed, for example off-road.

Plants and models

A brief note on the plants that have their own reference pages.

LuAZ (Lutsk) (in Russian)

Series production in Lutsk began in 1967. The LuAZ-969 became the first Soviet front-wheel-drive production car, with a selectable rear axle.

ErAZ (Yerevan) (in Russian)

The plant was founded in 1964; the first ErAZ-762 — a licence-built version of the RAF-977 van — was assembled in 1966.

GAZ (in Russian)

The plant built its first lorries in 1932. More on the page about the Russian car industry.

VAZ (in Russian)

The first Zhiguli — the VAZ-2101 — was built in 1970.

Source Archives and encyclopaedic sources on the history of car plants; Kolesa.ru, Za Rulyom

Why engineering history matters to an owner

The year of manufacture tells you what to expect from a car: carburettor or injection, whether it has anti-lock brakes, whether it has a factory immobiliser. That affects maintenance, fault-finding and how the car will behave under hard braking.

Technology dates refer to the first appearance on a production model or to requirements for new cars. A particular car may have received a system later or not at all — check the specification against the documents and catalogues.

Questions about engineering

If ABS appeared in 1978, does every car built after that have it?

No. 1978 is when the system was first offered on a production car. It spread to mass-market models gradually and long remained an option; check the specification of a particular car.

How can I tell whether an engine is carburetted or fuel-injected?

The most reliable way is the documentation and parts catalogue for your model and year. Both versions may have been produced for the same model.

  1. Archived address: the history of LuAZ (in Russian)The Lutsk Automobile Plant: from the ZAZ-969V to the LuAZ-1302 and bus assembly.
  2. SafetyWhat an old car lacks, the history of safety systems and how tyres age.
  3. Common faultsCorrosion, electrics, carburettors, seals: how to trace the cause of a fault.

Sources

This reference covers the history of automotive engineering and general principles. Take service schedules, capacities, torque settings and component specifications for a particular model only from the factory manual and parts catalogues. Check registration rules and the rules on modifications with the official authorities.