World Automobile Day: From steam-powered vehicles to electric carriages, a look back

Pathbreaking inventions and new ideas have often been met with doubts, ridicule and even mockery during the initial days of their discovery. But once they have been successful, it is tough to imagine life without them. The same holds true for automobiles too. Ubiquitous and indispensable, the history of automobiles is nothing short of fascinating. The first idea of a self-propelled vehicle was envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci way back in the 15th century after which several inventions like steam-powered land vehicles, internal combustion engines and crude electric carriages were made in the ensuing centuries.

While no single person can be credited for the invention of the automobiles, Karl Benz from Germany is widely credited for creating the first automobile in the true sense of the term during 1885-1886. Powered by a gasoline engine, Karl’s vehicle had three wheels and it had a close resemblance to a carriage. It was on January 29, 1886, that Karl Benz applied for a patent for this gas engine-powered vehicle, the first ever for the automobile industry. The patent which bore the number 37435 is widely regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile and since then January 29 is celebrated as World Automobile Day.

If you are someone who has a penchant for automobiles and their compelling history, auto and car museums are a true haven. Whenever I travel, I manage to visit quite a few car museums during my sojourns. While some have been conventionally well-known, others have turned out to be hidden gems. I chanced upon two such hidden gems in places that I least expected to find them. The Gedee car museum in the south Indian city of Coimbatore, a city known for its textiles, and the Revs Institute in Naples, a city in Florida known for its beaches and golf courses, have been true revelations.

Gedee Car Museum: Ode to the doyens of the automobile world

Located bang in the centre of Coimbatore on the bustling Avinashi Road is the Gedee car museum that was inaugurated in April 2015. Set up by G.D. Gopal, son of G.D. Naidu, a noted industrialist and philanthropist of Coimbatore, the museum traces the evolution of automobiles while displaying a collection of about 70 cars from all over the world. Apart from car models, the museum chronicles key events in automobile history and traces the matchless contribution of individuals like Karl Benz, Henry Ford and Ferdinand Porsche to the industry. The objective of the museum is to not only educate visitors about cars but also about the technology and the genius minds behind these innovations.

The first part of the museum delves into five unique cars that made a huge impact on the automobile industry. This includes the Benz Motorwagen of 1885, the world’s first automobile developed by Karl Benz which had a unique patented evaporative carburettor, the Ford T 1908 which was the first mass produced car, the 1939 Volkswagen Beetle, the 1948 Citroen 2 CV and the 1959 Mini. The museum has a collection of vintage cars from Britain, France, Germany, America and even Japan. Do not miss some rare treasures like the 1926 Morris Bullnose Cowley, the 1957 Fiat 500 Nuova and the 1968 Austin Mini Van MK 1. Against each car is an informative display card that reveals the model’s name, year of production, number of units sold, country of origin, engine details and coach work.

It has some exclusive pieces like G.D. Naidu’s first motorcycle which he purchased from an Englishman who was a revenue officer in the British Government in 1921, his favourite car, the Mercedes Benz 170S, which was given to Naidu as a gift as well as the Ford Quadricycle which was Henry Ford’s first experimental automobile that ran on four bicycle wheels. There is also a special section dedicated to the Indian Maharajas and their ultimate symbol of luxury, the Rolls Royce. The evolution of the transport system in India is also depicted.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com