The Origin of the Automobile

The origin of the automobile is a controversial topic. This is because there have been many claims to the origin of the automobile that go against the accepted fact. Karl Benz, a German engineer, is the one accredited with the invention of the modern automobile. He received his patent in 1886 but there are people that claim they invented the automobile before then like a Frenchman by the last name of Delamare-Deboutteville, who claimed he built the first car in 1884. There were even others that claimed that the first car was built in 1860. Now you can see why i said it was a controversial topic. One thing is for certain though, it was not Henry Ford who invented the first automobile (contrary to popular belief). Ford was simply able to successfully perfect the production line with the Model T.

Benz Patent Motorwagen:

Ford Model T:

In my opinion, automobiles are one of the best inventions ever! I know that's subjective but think about, what would you do in today's society here in America without a car? Maybe not having a car would be acceptable in a small town in Italy or something of that sort where you dont have to travel long distances to get things you need but the way cities and the infrastructure in America in general is set up today with the nearest pharmacy or supermarket being miles away, highways, interstates, etc. it would be impossible to get around without a vehicle.

I hope you learned something you didn't already know about the origin of the automobile. Check back for updates.

Miguel

Automobiles and Advertising

I would like to begin this post by stating that by writing this blog on automobiles i realized that there are many different topics and issues of todays society that are related to the automotive world. So far i have written about class, race, the green movement, and gender roles. Who knew that such a broad array of topics could relate back to automobiles? Anyways, now im going to add advertising to that list of topics.

I believe advertising is an enormous part of the automotive culture. If you sit down and think about it for just a minute, you would realize that there is some kind of advertising for car manufacturers anywhere you look. Television commercials, magazine ads, etc. all serve as advertisement. Another form of advertising that may not be intended as an ad but definitely puts a certain manufacturer in our head are car magazines. For example, Import Tuners magazines usually feature asian car makes like Toyota, Nissan, Honda, etc. and Panorama is a magazine exclusively about Porsches. Also, television shows and movies can advertise a car simply by having the main character drive an specific make like for instance, in the movie I Am Legend with Will Smith; every single car he drives in that movie is made by Ford.

I went ahead and found some interesting and clever automobile manufacturer ads for you guys. Enjoy!

Renault:

Lamborghini:

Audi:

Mini:

Smart:

I hope you found those interesting. As you can see, the ads dont only advertise an specific manufacturer but also have a message. The Audi ad is most likely directed towards kids in middle school or high school that think about having a nice car when they grow up and by having "Stay in School" on the ad it encourages them to pursue an education and successful career. In the Smart ad you see what looks like an oil refinery but from the inside view of a Smart car (an environmentally friendly vehicle) its a beautiful, green and luscious view that implies that if you purchase you are helping out the Earth and the green movement.

Next time you see a car ad try to determine if it contains a message. I hope you guys liked this post. Check back for updates!

Miguel

The Green Movement and Automotive Culture

What's up everybody?

The green movement is something that has taken American culture and the rest of the world by storm. Almost every type of industry out there has been affected by it and the automotive industry is definitely one of them. Most, if not all, car manufacturers nowadays have a "green," more environmentally friendly car. Whether it is an electric, diesel, or hybrid vehicle every manufacturer has something for the green consumers. Examples of these types of cars are: 

Volkswagen Golf TDI (Diesel vehicle)

Tesla Roadster (Electric vehicle)

Toyota Prius (Hybrid vehicle)

Another option for environmentally friendly vehicles is going to be hydrogen powered vehicles and it wont be long before they are on the road. One of the first manufactures to release a hydrogen powered car is going to be BMW.

The only problem that i am foretelling with hydrogen powered vehicles is that they are going to be really expensive when they first hit the market.

That's all for today folks. Check back for updates!

Miguel

Race and Class in Automotive Culture

In today's world, automotive culture is greatly affected by race and class. Race simply sets stereotypes but class defines where people fit into that world. Now, i will go ahead say that if you happen to feel insulted by the following race stereotypes of the car world, i did not mean to portray derogatory behavior, they are just stereotypes that are common in our culture today through tv, movies, etc.

The race stereotypes i wanted to get into this post are the "White Americans love muscler cars"...

"Latinos love lowriders"...

and "African Americans love pimped cars."

You all have seen those stereotypes before right? Moving on to class in automotive culture. Unfortunately, class has a large impact in this area simply because cars are expensive. As well as anything that has to do with getting involved in racing, show cars, or anything of sort is also very expensive. The reason for high costs in cars is because of the fact that there are technological advancements in the automotive world every day and cars are very complex machines. If you think about it, cars are probably one of the few things out there that require so many different professional fields for development. Engineers of every kind, artists, etc are all important for car manufacturers. Another expensive aspect of the automotive world is maintenance of collectible cars or classics like the first ever Porsche or Ford. There really is nothing we can do about it but it just comes down to the fact that someone who is lower class is not going to be able to afford the same car as somebody who is higher class.

I hope you guys found this post interesting. Please check back for updates.

Miguel

Automotive Culture and Gender Roles

Hey everybody!

I am back for Round 2. In this post i am going to be talking about how gender roles are integrated into today's automotive culture. How are femininity and masculinity involved in the automobile world? Is one sex dominant over the other in this world? How and why? And so on...

So it is obvious that the automobile world is dominated by men. I mean, its that whole "Straight guys love women and cars" stereotype. Every automobile event in the world is dominated by men. Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar Racing, Drifting, etc. and sure there is the random woman here and there like Danica Patrick that is involved but that is rare. On that note, i have to give props to Danica Patrick for being consistent in the world of automobiles (more specifically racing) and being successful at it. It definitely shows that women can do it too and maybe in the future it will encourage more women to take on that role. Seeing how i'm talking about the involvement of women in automotive culture let's talk about the other, more widespread, and popular role that women take in the automotive world, modeling. You can't walk by the magazine isle at your local supermarket without seeing this on the cover of at least a couple car magazines...

...and if you go to a car show or race event there are models everywhere! Taking pictures with any guy that comes along, passing out fliers, and modeling with whatever car the company that hired them is sponsoring. Could that be the reason why that "cars and women" stereotype exists? Maybe men have just gotten used to thinking about cars and women together. I'm not complaining thats for sure but take it from me that i have been to numerous car shows and race events, some of those women should have a little more respect for themselves. That's all im saying.

Ok so the automotive world is definitely considered masculine. I would say it's the adrenaline, danger, rough (but beautiful) engine rumbling, and excitement that this world provides. But at the same time, there is a very little feminine side to it. Sure this car will be considered masculine by anybody...

and at the same time, this one will be considered feminine...

but who got to decide that. Society did. That decision or standard isn't a fact, it is what has come to be accepted by society and so, in a way, it has become the truth.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Please feel free to leave comments below and check back for updates.

Miguel

Hello to my fellow automotive enthusiasts (and to my fellow ENC1102 students),

This is the beginning of a long journey on the road to more knowledge about automobiles. The old, the current, and the upcoming. Everything you want or need to know about cars will be able on this blog. You will be able to find topics such as car specifications and comparisons to their competition, culture such as American Muscle, Import Tuners, or European Exotics, and updates on soon-to-be-released cars and concept cars.

Since this is my first post let's get the introductions out of the way. My name is Miguel A. Potolicchio and i am a college freshmen at Florida State University studying Biological Sciences. My goal is to go to medical school and become a surgeon. The reason i decided to create this blog on automobiles is because even though i have wanted to be a doctor since i was a little boy, i have been around cars my entire life and i love them. My father used to race and represent Porsche in Venezuela and for those of you who are wondering...yes, my favorite car manufacturer is Porsche.

Thank you for reading my first post, check back for updates!

Miguel