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| | In introducing its new Explorer in Japan, Ford has put the steering wheel on the wrong side ... on purpose. Over the course of many years, Ford has sold right hand drive model cars in Japan where everyone drives on the left. Studies conducted by Ford showed that left hand drive cars are viewed as expensive status symbols and that by switching the steering wheel to the other side would enhance the allure of the Explorer in Japan. The company wants to attract upscale buyers in that country. Ford Japan President Katsuhiko Sato stated that the Explorer is an offering of the American way, an easier lifestyle that puts emphasis on the individual.
Cars in History:
AUTOMOBILE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR:
Hydro-mechanical automatic gearboxes had their origin since 1940 when they have appeared in the American serial models “General Motors”, in particular, "Pontiac" and "Oldsmobile". Americans during this period for cheaper models began to use levers for switching over the gears on a steering column, and factory "Packard" first in the world from 1939 has undertaken equipping their expensive models with conditioners.
As USA, and Germany in 1936-39 carefully created out of road automobiles for army. German army machines of three unified types had an independent suspension bracket for all wheels, the wheel formula 4х4, interlocking differentials, and four controlled wheels. In a counterbalance to German design school, American school has developed the simple (design wise) jeeps with a dependent spring suspension bracket of wheels.
Under requirements of military department of USA the American factories "Studebaker", "Chevrolet", "International", RIO have developed in 1942 large-scale production of three axle complete driving lorries with carrying capacity of 2.5 tons. Their design for many firms became a sample for imitation. But, probably, the most interesting design became floating complete driving lorry - an amphibian "GMC-DUKV" of 1944 issue. First time in the world, the centralized air pressure control system in types was used for these vehicles.
Germany before forthcoming war emphasized on development of production of diesel lorries of the increased passage and diesel car models ("Mercedes-Benz", 1936). It is impossible to ignore the English armored car АЕК (1942), the first in the world serial vehicle of such type with the diesel engine.
POST-WAR PERIOD. “NATIONAL AUTOMOBILES” AND NEW CONCEPTS:
The majority of the countries, which have taken part in the second world war, during wartime, have completely turned off the manufacture of cars, or have reduced to a minimum. The first post-war years are marked also with rationalization of gasoline and shortage of thin steel sheet for forging of components for body. The industry has undertaken to satisfy the famine on new automobiles with cheap cars, mainly with small mileage ("Citroen", Fiat, "Volkswagen", "Maiko", "Austin", "Standard", "Isetta"). These automobiles represented some kind of the "momentary" decision of a problem. But leading firms, expecting tendencies of development for decades forward, have acted in years 1950 with cardinal new designs. They have appreciably defined the further evolution of automobile engineering.
Company "Daimler-Benz" in 1951 has patented the concept of safe automobile, which in years 1960 has found avalanche application on many serial models. The English firm "Jaguar" has acted as initiator for equipping the set of serial cars with disk brakes. Other English firm, "Rover", for the first time in the world in the spring 1950 has carried out tests on experimental model "Т1" equipped with the gas turbine. Factories Fiat (Italy), "Hotchkiss" and "Reno" in France, GAS in the USSR have followed this example. But their vehicles, as well as "Rover" have remained in a germ, expecting when there will be favorable "climatic" conditions when these sprouts can bring a practical crop.
Two technical revolutions took place in automobile industry of USA in the first decade after war, consequences of which have very quickly spread all over the world. Like that, firm "Chevrolet" since 1953 started release of plastic (fiber glass fabric plus epoxy resin) bodies for sports cars. And other American company, tire company "Goodrich" (nowadays "GoodYear"), in 1948 has mastered in manufacture of tubeless tires.
In Europe also tire revolution took place. Company "Michelin" (France) has developed a design and technology of radial type tires, has protected them with appropriate patents and in 1953 has executed the fourth condition of a priority - has organized mass production of such tire covers. Radial arrangement of strings of a cord in them reduced the internal losses, and the automobiles equipped with them consumed less fuel. Radial economic tires in the market appeared just at the right time - in Europe the shortage of fuel caused by Suez crisis 1956 was felt.
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