Tag: design

Moments in automotive history #171

around the world

In 1932 Mme Chloë Arnaud set out on her round the world trip accompanied by her chauffeur in an amphibious automobile designed by her husband. This photograph was taken as they were about to leave terra firma and embark on the sea-going part of their epic voyage, just down the coast from La Rochelle on France’s Atlantic coast. Never seen again they were deeply mourned by M. Arnaud for three months, after which he married his secretary; he never designed another vehicle, focusing instead on the family’s truffle business which he had worked in before his one attempt at automobile design.

Moments in automotive history #167

tuel truck

In an effort to reduce gasoline imports French 1950’s governments tasked the Total Oil company with producing a vehicle that could travel the length of the country without refuelling. The designers took their tasks seriously and produced exactly what the government specification demanded; unfortunately whilst they were talented engineers, none of the design team had any experience in either automobile manufacture or marketing. This picture is the only surviving record of the prototype vehicle, taken shortly before it exploded killing its’ driver and reducing the town of Aix-le-Mais to decorative rubble.

Moments in automotive history #163

early car

John Blenkinsop built the first steam locomotive in 1813 but his achievements were overshadowed by George Stephenson who produced the first steam train to carry passengers on a public railway twelve years later in 1825. Incensed by this lack of recognition John went on to design the pictured first road-legal automobile in 1864, only to see Karl Benz produce what history recognises as the first true automobile in 1885. Enraged beyond belief, and perhaps to the point of madness, John was last heard of, in his dotage, testing-out his design for a cast-iron glider in the Swiss Alps.

Moments in automotive history #159

early batmobile

Not many people realised that, back in 1929, Bruce Wayne’s grandfather was in fact the designer of the original Batmobile.

Sorted #66

Pete's new invetion proved a brilliant success during the BBQ. It was only when he came to use to eat that saw a couple of draw-backs in the basic design & realised that he had created the world's most annoying implement.
Pete’s new invention proved a brilliant success during the cooking. It was only when he came to use it to eat that he saw a couple of draw-backs in the basic design & realised that he had created the world’s most annoying implement.

No blueprints?

"Are you sure this is how God described the Ark to you? Because I don't think we're going to have enough room."
“Are you sure this is how God described the Ark to you? Because I don’t think we’re going to have enough room.”

Sorted #61

The first railway tunnel that Brunel designed did not benefit from advances in 19th century steam-pumping technology. A cost-based decision that he later cam to regret.
The first railway tunnel that Brunel designed did not benefit from the many advances in 19th century steam-pumping technology. A cost-based decision that he later came to regret.

Moments in automotive history #133

To be honest, the guys in the commercial vehicles division did rather over-react when someone said "Fins are back in a big way, this year".......
To be honest, the guys in the commercial vehicles division did rather over-react when someone said “Fins are back in a big way, this year”…….

Sorted #41

With the holiday season approaching, Pete was onto a winner with the unmarried-males-under-25 consumers.
With the holiday season approaching, Pete was onto a winner with the unmarried-male-under-25 consumers.

Moments in automotive history #113

The ideas behind the "hydrogen economy" were more quickly understood in some auto manufacturers than in others….
The ideas behind the “hydrogen economy” were more quickly understood in some auto manufacturers than in others….