The history of McLaren

Bruce McLaren was born in 1937 in Auckland, New Zealand and in 1963 founded Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in order to develop and race sports cars alongside his commitment as lead driver in the Cooper Grand Prix team.

He had arrived in the UK in 1958 with the ‘Driver to Europe’ scheme that was designed to encourage antipodean drivers to compete with the cream of the world’s drivers. His mentor was Jack Brabham who introduced Bruce to Cooper Cars, the small Surbiton (London)-based team who were poised to create a revolution with compact, lightweight Grand Prix cars powered by an engine behind the driver. Following an auspicious start to his F2 career in 1958 he joined the F1 team for 1959 and stayed with Cooper for seven years.

Bruce made an impact almost immediately by winning the 1959 US Grand Prix aged just 22 years 80 days, at that time the youngest Grand Prix winner. He went on to win three more Grand Prix and countless sports car victories. Yet Bruce was no ordinary driver. His upbringing was steeped in cars and practical engineering at his parent’s service station and workshop. By the age of 14 he had entered a local hill climb in an Austin 7 Ulster and shown promise both as a driver and an engineer.

Back to the 1960s Bruce raced, as did most Grand Prix drivers of this time, in sports cars, Grand Touring cars and more humble saloon cars alongside his commitments to Cooper in Formula 1.He drove for Jaguar, Aston Martin and Ford with whom he won the Le Mans 24 hours in 1966.

He was a true competitor who excelled at innovating and developing racing cars. It was this passion that led Bruce to start his own company, firstly to develop and race a Cooper with a rear-mounted Oldsmobile engine that helped to kick start the ‘big banger’ sports car era. In a show of loyalty to Cooper cars Bruce engineered two 2.5 litre Coopers for the 1964 Tasman series which he won.

In 1964 Bruce and his small team built the first true McLaren sports car – the M1A – which became a top contender in sports car racing both in Europe and America. After proving its credentials the orders rolled in and 24 examples were built. Its successor, the M1B, was quicker still and carried Bruce’s nascent team into the inaugural Can-Am (Canadian –American Challenge Cup) championship. These cars were faster than the then current Formula 1 cars providing a spectacle of colour accompanied by the deep rumble of highly-tuned, large American V8 engines. The inaugural year of this championship did not yield a victory for McLaren but Bruce came third in the series.

The following year, 1967, saw the start of one of the most dominant episodes in motor sport history.

Now in its trademark papaya orange livery, Bruce and fellow Kiwi Denny Hulme’s Can-Am cars won five of the six races with Bruce taking McLaren’s first title. In the following five seasons what became known as the ‘Bruce and Denny show’ rolled on with Hulme winning the title in 1968 and 1970, while Bruce claimed his second title in 1969. Peter Revson won for McLaren in 1971. Between 1967 and 1971 the works McLarens won 37 of the 43 races including 19 one-twos. Such dominance won many admirers and many sales of racing sports cars and, just occasionally a customer car won too. Over the duration of the Can-Am series McLaren was the dominant victor with 43 victories, almost three times more than its closest competitor Porsche.

Back in 1965 Bruce had already decided to leave Cooper and build his own Formula 1 car for the first season of the new 3 litre formula. Having built a ‘mule’ chassis for testing in 1965, the first McLaren F1 car, the M2B, made its debut at the Monaco GP. Although saddled with under powered and unreliable engines, Bruce scored a point for sixth place in only its third race, at Brands Hatch, with a further two points later in the season. It was a respectable start but the real mark left by McLaren’s first F1 car was the innovation it featured.

Establishing a tradition that has long guided McLaren, the car’s designer, Robin Herd, was recruited from the aerospace industry at Farnborough. Herd had worked with a material called Mallite - endgrain balsa wood sandwiched between two sheets of aluminium in a honeycomb, from which he constructed the entire inner and outer monocoque of the M2B. It was strong and light – a watchword for the aviation industry and a prescient and enduring quest for McLaren to this day.

It took only another season for the McLaren F1 team to make it to the top step of the podium. A feat achieved, appropriately, by Bruce himself at the 1968 Belgian GP. The Cosworth-powered M7A was among the fastest cars of the season and was liveried in McLaren orange for the first time. Denny Hulme won a further two races in 1968, the latter in Canada yielding the team’s first one-two. Hulme went on to win four more Grands Prix in the following years.

Bruce’s tragic death while testing at Goodwood in 1970 would have thrown lesser teams into disarray but under the guidance of Teddy Mayer and with the support of Denny Hulme, who stayed loyal to his compatriot’s team until his retirement in 1975, McLaren was on the cusp of achieving the ultimate success. The team’s first Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships came in 1974 when Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi won three races and took the crown in the McLaren M23. The same model, now in its fourth season, also powered James Hunt to the 1976 Drivers’ Championship after a season-long, and enthralling, battle with Niki Lauda and Ferrari.

In the 1970s McLaren had also been very active in the USA. Not only had McLaren created history with its Can-Am success but the team also coveted glory at the prestigious Indianapolis 500.

Following an unlucky accident that precluded Hulme from competing with the M15 in 1970, McLaren bounced back in 1971 with the F1-inspired M16. Powered by the ubiquitous turbocharged Offenhauser engine and presenting the first wedge-shaped car at the Brickyard, Peter Revson and Mark Donohue were both super quick but failed to take the win, Revson finishing second.

The following year Donohue won the Indy 500, and several other USAC races, in Roger Penske’s M16B. It wasn’t the orange car that won, but it was a McLaren. Two years later Texan Johnny Rutherford took the flag at the Brickyard in a McLaren M16 C/D and this time it was orange. The now venerable M16 line of cars progressed into D and E specifications with Rutherford finishing second in 1975 and winning again in 1976. Although this marked the end of McLaren’s active involvement at Indy, customer examples of the M16 continued at the 500 mile race until 1981 when Vern Schuppan’s example still managed third place.

The 1980s were to see major upheaval at McLaren, setting the tone for McLaren’s Formula 1 successes. Before moving on to this significant chapter in the history of McLaren there were some important learning points from the company’s first 17 years. First McLaren learnt that success breeds success: with each new Can-Am car it experienced strong demand from customers who wanted the fastest cars available. The company also learnt that it needed a production partner in order for it to be able to focus the efforts of the young company on developing its products. Accordingly McLaren established a partnership with Trojan to build customer cars. Between 1965 and 1976 Trojan built around 160 customer Group 7 Can-Am cars, 52 Formula 500/A cars and 25 Formula 2/B cars. In addition McLaren made no fewer than 24 cars for USAC racing in America.

The company’s fame in the United States led it to form McLaren Engines based in Livonia, Michigan in order to be close to its racing centres and provide on the spot support. Its experience of Indycar racing delivered tremendous experience in aerodynamics due to the high speeds generated on the oval circuits – average speeds came close to 200 mph - and in the use of turbocharged engines at a time when almost all European racing was with normally-aspirated units. All this experience would prove valuable in the new era of the 1980s with Ron Dennis at the helm.

After McLaren’s purple patch in the mid-1970s, the team’s performance went downhill in 1978, 79 and 80. It was a time that saw the emergence of hugely powerful turbo cars from the big manufacturers competing against the small teams equipped with the normally-aspirated Cosworth engine that made its debut back in 1967. So in 1980 McLaren merged with Ron Dennis’ Project 4 Racing team.

Ron’s arrival was timely. He had worked in Formula 1 since 1966 joining Cooper Cars soon after Bruce McLaren departed, then started his own F2 team in 1971.

Not only did he bring a new drive and ambition to the famous team but he also brought back a skilled designer, John Barnard. Barnard was working in America where he designed the Chaparral 2K that won Indianapolis in 1980, but he had been at McLaren earlier in the 1970s where he worked on the M23 car that delivered two Formula 1 Drivers’ Championships (Fittipaldi and Hunt) and McLaren’s first, and to date only, Constructors’ title (1974).

More significantly, Barnard was interested in a material new to racing car design, carbon fibre composite. This material was used in aerospace applications but had never been applied to a complete racing car monocoque. McLaren pioneered the use of carbon fibre in motor racing with its new car, the MP4/1, and revolutionised racing car construction. The carbon fibre chassis was built by Hercules Aerospace and brought new levels of rigidity and driver safety to Formula 1.

The MP4/1 series of cars raced for three years delivering one victory in 1981, four in 1982 and another in 1983 by which time the turbo cars were outgunning the more nimble Cosworth-powered teams. Towards the end of 1983 McLaren’s long-awaited turbo engine arrived in the form of a Porsche-designed V6 named TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde). TAG principal Mansour Ojjeh became a shareholder in McLaren and shared in a period of rewarding success for the company. Ron attracted Niki Lauda out of retirement to join John Watson in 1982/3 on driving duties and both were to win races.

The 1984 season saw race wins turn into championships. Frenchman, Alain Prost replaced Watson, but it was Lauda who took his third title despite Prost winning seven Grands Prix to the Austrian’s five. Guile and experience won over youth and pace but McLaren had won its second Constructors’ Championship and celebrated its most successful season so far with 12 victories from 16 events. The MP4/2 B repeated its championship victories in 1985, Prost lifting the driver’s trophy with five wins while Lauda managed just one before retiring. Prost went on to win the driver’s championship in 1986 and 1989 for McLaren.

For 1988 McLaren entered what would be a an enormously fruitful relationship with Honda, firstly with the Japanese company’s 1.5 litre turbo engine then, when turbos were banned, with 3.5 litre V10 and V12 power plants. Also new for 1988 was Ayrton Senna. The explosive combination of Senna, the fastest driver in the world, and the master tactician and strategist Prost would yield two championships (Constructors’ and Drivers’). The first season of this partnership yielded almost the perfect score with Senna winning eight races and Prost seven, leaving just one for the other teams, and McLaren scored no less than ten one-twos. In 1989 the score was Senna six and Prost four but the latter won the title.

Into the new decade, Senna had a new team mate in Gerhard Berger and he continued to dominate winning Drivers’ Championships in 1990 and 1991 with Berger’s consistency helping the team to two more Constructors’ Championships. The last year for McLaren and Honda was 1992 and although the team could not celebrate five championships on the bounce, they won five races and finished second. Honda withdrew from Formula 1 leaving McLaren to use Ford and then Peugeot engines before linking up with Mercedes-Benz in 1995, a relationship that endures to this day.

In 1995 McLaren also entered Le Mans for the first time in its 30 year history.

The company’s decision to build the F1, the ultimate super sports car (see McLaren road cars history) was never intended to spawn a racing car. However, the burgeoning interest amongst racing teams for a GT series using road-derived cars, and the eagerness of some McLaren owners to compete, stirred the competitive spirit at Woking. McLaren set about strengthening the iconic F1 road car for the parts that might not stand the punishment meted out in endurance racing.

The basis of the car was good – a carbon fibre tub for strength, high torsional rigidity and light weight and a 6.1 litre BMW V12 engine that issued 627bhp. It was almost a modern Can-Am car for the road. The resultant racing version was named the McLaren F1 GTR and from an intended production of three, nine were produced in 1995 alone.

Weight was reduced by 90 kilos, bigger brakes and wheels, a roll cage, a faster steering rack, a reinforced gearbox, and a rear wing were added. Engine power was reduced over the standard car to 600bhp in order to comply with Le Mans regulations. It must be the only car in the world that went to the track with less power than its road-going sibling.

The GTR’s first outing was the first race in the BPR Global GT Championship at Monza, a series for professional racers and gentlemen drivers. Three GTRs entered and owner Ray Bellm had the honour of giving his car a debut victory with Maurizio Sandro Sala as co-driver. The GTR won its first six races and then headed for the big one – the Le Mans 24 Hours. Six McLarens entered the race with drivers ranging from ex-GP aces J J Lehto, Mark Blundell and Yannick Dalmas to long distance specialists Derek Bell and Andy Wallace.

It was a wet race that placed a premium on delicacy of touch and although the lighter prototypes were expected to be faster the conditions played into the hands of the McLarens with Lehto in particular driving spectacularly well. At one stage in the night he was lapping ten seconds faster than any other car on the track. In the end, the black GTR of Lehto, Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya came home first by a single lap. The other McLaren GTRs finished 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th with only one retiring due to a crash.

It was a remarkable achievement in that a real road car with only minimal modifications had taken on and beaten the best in the world’s most gruelling race, at its first attempt and in the first year of production. The result also guaranteed that the McLaren F1 would claim an iconic status in the eyes of aficionados the world over.

It also secured for McLaren a first in that it is the only manufacturer to win the triple crown – The Formula 1 World Championship, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours. It remains a unique achievement.

The F1 story continues with a resounding victory in the BPR GT series in both 1995 and 1996 and the All-Japan GT Championship. The F1 revisited Le Mans in 1996 finishing 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 11th and again in 1997 with a revised long tailed GTR finishing 2nd and 3rd.

Back in the Formula 1 arena the relationship between McLaren and Mercedes Benz gelled and the driver team of Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard complemented each other for six seasons of positive results. In this period the Finn won 20 Grands Prix and took the Drivers’ title in 1998 and 1999, while the Scot won 10 Grands Prix with another two to come after Häkkinen had retired. In 1998 McLaren won its eighth Constructors’ Championship.

Another Finn, Kimi Räikkönen, replaced Häkkinen as Coulthard’s partner and finished second in the championship in both 2003 and 2005, taking nine victories. He was joined by another exciting driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, for 2005/6 who took three wins for McLaren before going back to America.

In 2007, reigning double World Champion Fernando Alonso arrived at McLaren to challenge for a third title while the gifted protégé of the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz team, Lewis Hamilton, would start his rookie year alongside an established master. Hamilton was quick ‘out of the box’ and went on to win five Grands Prix and take a close second in the title race. Alonso also took four wins to finish third. Alonso was to leave after just a single season, but Hamilton went on to take five more victories in 2008 and secured the Drivers’ Championship at his second attempt – the youngest ever driver to do so.

McLaren now has a heritage of 45 years, in 43 of which it has been represented at the pinnacle of the sport.

In Formula 1, it has been on the podium on average once in every three Grands Prix. It has won no fewer than 165* of the 668 Grands Prix in which the team has competed. It has delivered 12 world championships for its drivers, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen and, most recently, Lewis Hamilton. It has won eight Constructors’ Championships. As of the Spa Grand Prix 2009, McLaren has achieved 142 pole positions, 434 podiums, and 44 double wins (one –twos).

In addition McLaren has won five Can-Am titles with 43 race wins, three Indy 500 victories, the Le Mans 24 hour race and many F5000 and Formula A races.

From 2011, McLaren Automotive will launch the first of its new range of technologically advanced high performance sports cars. These cars will break new ground in driving dynamics, automotive technology, Formula 1 process transfer, and performance, but their future success lies in the roots of a company steeped in a rich motorsport history.

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The history of General Motors

General Motors (GM) was formed in 1908 as a holding company for Buick. William Crapo "Billy" Durant was the company owner at the time. During the company's early years, Durant went on a shopping spree for automobile manufacturers. That buy-out of 30 other companies came to an end in 1910. Durant had spent so much money that he was unable to hold his position, because banks were now unsure of the company's financial stability.

The firm prospered, however, and went on to purchase the internal combustion engine railcar builder Electro-Motive Corporation and its engine supplier, Winton Engine, in 1930. By 1955, General Motors was the first company in America to make more than $1 billion in a single year.

Olds Motor Vehicle Company, Inc., the oldest unit of General Motors Corporation, was organised in 1887 by Ransom E. Olds with $50,000 of capital (5,000 shares of stock at $10 per share). On May 8, 1899, shortly after the appearance of the world's first Oldsmobile, Olds Motor Vehicle Lansing merged (with $500,000 capital) to form Olds Motor Works. The new auto company then constructed its first factory in Detroit, Michigan, specifically for the manufacture of premier U.S. automobiles.

An important building block for the eventual GM corporation occurred in 1907. In that year, the Buick Company began production of a four-cylinder car, the Model D.

Henry M. Leland then established the Cadillac School of Applied Mechanics, the first school to train machinists, technicians and toolmakers. And on August 28th, 1907, in Pontiac, Michigan, the Oakland Motor Car Company, predecessor to Pontiac Motors, was founded by Edward M. Murphy. Under Billy Durant's leadership, General Motors Company was founded on September 16, 1908. That year the Buick Motor Company, then Oldsmobile, were bought out by the growing GM.

By the time 1909 rolled around, General Motors had purchased a half interest in Oakland Motor Car Co. When Oakland's founder passed away the following summer, General Motors took little time to gain full control of the company.

That same year, Cadillac, AC Spark Plug, and Rapid Motor Vehicle Company (predecessor of GMC Truck) of Pontiac, Michigan, were integrated into the GM family as well. Fortunately for the Ford Motor Company (1909), William Durant was denied a "buy-out loan" of $9.5 million by his bankers.

Over the next two decades, General Motors fine tuned its standards of quality, producing state-of-the-art driving machines. Also during this period, GM developed the General Motors Truck Company (later known as GMC), Chevrolet Motor Company of Michigan, General Motors Export Company, and General Motors of Canada.

In 1925, Ethyl Gasoline Corporation was formed by General Motors and Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. The added ethyl produced a higher octain level, and produced a cleaner gasoline for the engine. That advancement in fuel efficiency was one more asset to the prosperous GM company.

By the time of the stock market downfall (Black Thursday, 1929), and the following Great Depression, GM had become known worldwide.

In 1923, GM decided to establish a proving ground. It was to be the place where all types of cars were tested and compared, a place where independent tests could be conducted by resident engineers free from the problems of design and production.

Shops and garages were built to house and maintain hundreds of test cars. There were living quarters for the staff of resident and visiting engineers. A feature of the equipment at this station was the only device in existence for making instantaneous record of wind velocity.

By 1929, General Motors boasted manufacturing facilities and branch sales offices in Shanghai, China; Copenhagen, Denmark; Antwerp, Belgium; Luton, England; São Paulo, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Malaga, Spain; Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; Port Elizabeth, South Africa; Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide, Australia; Petone, New Zealand; Kobe and Osaka, Japan; and Alexandria, Egypt.

The year 1929 also put GM in the pilot seat. Fokker Aircraft Company was bought out, which paved the way for General Motors Aviation Company.

Although the Depression exerted devastating effects on the nation's financial stability, large companies were able to collect and consolidate equity to get by. Also, financial depression did not affect GM's numerous other overseas facilities. The "Big Three" survived the Depression; in fact GM made money every year, and Chrysler Corporation actually grew.

On January 11th, 1940, General Motors celebrated the production of its 25th millionth automobile. Following that milestone, the company continued to push forward with new grit and determination. GM would shortly convert 100 percent of its production to the war effort.

In 1941, General Motors took its story of continuous automotive innovation on the road. The travelling exhibit was appropriately titled Parade of Progress. Its imaginative displays were as creative and timely as the GM cars themselves. The program gave the nation an exciting first-hand glimpse into the automotive industry’s past, present and future.

Featured here is an irresistible crowd favourite from that show. The mechanically animated diorama depicts life in small-town America before and after the advent of the automobile.

The exhibit eventually found its way back to the GM Heritage Center, which it has called home since 2001.

GM Japan closed its doors, and by 1942, the U.S. government asked for help with the production of military vehicles. GM delivered more than $12.3 billion worth of war material to lead the Allied war effort, including trucks, guns, airplane engines, airplanes and parts, tanks, marine diesels, shells and other related products.

In the following five decades, GM and affiliated companies developed and engineered some of the most popular automobiles ever made. The Cadillac, Corvette, El Camino, Malibu, and Camaro are just a few of the memorable models that were sold.

General Motors has made significant contributions to society in important areas besides automotive. One such example is the development of a machine that would temporarily replace the blood-pumping function of the heart, making open heart surgery possible for the first time.

Dr. Forest Dodrill, a surgeon at Wayne State University's Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, first envisioned the mechanical heart pump in 1952. He called upon GM Research Laboratories for help. The result was the Dodrill-GMR Mechanical Heart, built by GM laboratories with funding from the American Heart Association. Its first successful use occurred later that same year, on a 41-year-old man.

The Dodrill-GMR Mechanical Heart set into motion a tidal wave of research and medical advances. Since its revolutionary introduction, more than a million successful open heart surgeries have been performed worldwide.

GM also provided the space program with the mobility system for the Lunar Roving Vehicle, which enabled Apollo 15 astronauts to accomplish mankind's first vehicular drive on the moon.

In spite of a few legal issues with GMAC dealers in the 50s and the U.S. Supreme Court's 1961 decision to charge du Pont, GM's largest shareholder, with violating the Clayton Antitrust Act*, General Motors has successfully and smoothly sailed through its history of technological innovations. Today, General Motors remains a U.S.-based automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands, including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab, and Vauxhall.

The nation's highest court ruled in a case brought by the Justice Department that the 23-percent stock interest du Pont held in GM violated the Clayton Antitrust Act. The du Pont directors on GM's board of directors were forced to resign in 1959. The case was resolved in 1961 when du Pont divested its stock.

Some time around 1961, a man named William L. Mitchell hooked and landed a Mako shark off the coast of Florida. Mitchell also just happened to be vice president of the General Motors Styling Staff. The adventure inspired the 1961 experimental “Mako Shark” Corvette show car.

The car’s vari-coloured paint scheme is an iridescent blue that blends into a white side and lower body, like the natural colouring of the shark itself.

A number of experimental engines were tested in the Mako Shark Corvette, including a supercharged engine with four side-draft carburetors, a fuel-injected engine, and a V8 engine with two four-barrel carburetors and a production 1969 427-cubic-inch ZL-1 Chevrolet V8 that produced upwards of 425 horsepower.

These days you won’t find too many consumers willing to sit through a 90-second commercial. In fact, it wasn’t that common even back in 1984, when this ad ran for the new fourth-generation Corvette. But several things made it a successful effort just the same.

For starters, it was, after all, the new Corvette. There was also a great story to be told. The ’84 Vette represented more than just a body change. It ushered in a new age of computer-based technology applied to sport car performance. And the production values of the commercial itself were unusually advanced for the times.

Put it all together and you have an intriguing story that somehow leaves us wanting to see more. Even today.

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The history of DC design

Mr Dilip Chhabria – Promoter of Dilip Chhabria Design Private Limited is currently recognized as the leading Automobile Designer in India. Qualified in Transportation Design from Art Centre of Design Pasadena, USA. Worked with General Motors USA in the Design Centre. Started own auto accessory business and became one of the largest auto accessory manufacturer in the country.

Using Design as a differentiator Dilip Chhabria has made true the ‘mantra’, ‘Good Design is Good Business’, by establishing a Design based company in a country where intellect was not one paid for, valued or protected. A classic case of entrepreneurship has resulted in translating

The Company:

Dilip Chhabria Design (DCD) was formed in 1993 with the sole aim of offering Design and Prototyping services to the Indian OEM industry as well as customized one off solutions to the Individual Buyer.12 yrs down it has to its credit over 500 designs on the roads as work done in the above segments and in the process have a very strong Brand – ‘DC Design’ known for innovative eye-catching products and a huge fan following. In fact through the website that is constantly updated we have fan list of over 4500 people who have registered and are constantly kept updated on our activities.

The following are the highlights in the company's history:

1995: First international prototyping project for Hawtall Whiting.

1998: 1st generation of add on body styling kits developed for a range of cars

1999: Attracts Private Equity funding and sets up a new production plant for Tuning Kits

2000: Gets second round of funding from Jardine Fleming.

2001: Started production of High end buses/coaches

2002: Participation in Geneva Motor Show resulting in the Aston Martin Prototyping Project

2003: Participation in the Geneva Motor Show

2004: Participation in the Geneva Motor Show

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The history of Koenigsegg

The Swedish auto industry has some of the finest luxury cars to offer. What is really interesting is that they are on par with other rival car manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Volvo and even Aston Martin. Koenigsegg is one such manufacturer that has exceeded expectations with the introduction of hyper-cars. The history of Koenigsegg started from nothing and now has made considerable contributions to the car market. Take a look at the Koenigsegg Logo, history timeline and list of latest models.

The company was founded in 1994 by Christian von Koenigsegg in Sweden. His intention was to create the world’s fastest car. Not only was it meant to be a world-class supercar, but it was meant to push existing boundaries beyond limits. This required several years of research, development and prototyping before the first ever hyper-car was manufactured by Koenigsegg. Christian von Koenigsegg worked on the initial designs of the Koenigsegg CC. He went as far as creating the sketches of the car on his own. Once he came up with the perfect interpretation of his dream car, he worked with David Crafoord to create a 1:5 scale model.

David took creative liberties in ensuring the Koenigsegg CC was the finest car you could possibly lay your eyes on. The model was then scaled to create a base and foundation for the prototype that needed to be developed. The prototype was finally completed in 1996, but it went through several phases before it was introduced. This also meant that several other prototypes needed to be manufactured to test each and every aspect to achieve the level of perfection Christian von Koenigsegg had hoped to achieve.

The company started from its base of operation in Olofstorm. But the initial prototyping phase required extensive testing, which meant larger facilities were needed in order to make any progress whatsoever. Hence, it was only a matter of time before Koenigsegg moved all operations to Margretetorp.

By 2000 Koenigsegg had already made tremendous progress with on the Koenigsegg CC8S. The company also converted two different hangars and a factory into a car manufacturing facility. Using revolutionary technologies the company was able to produce vehicles like the CCR, CCGT, CCX, CCXR, CCXR Special Edition, Quant, Trevita, CCR Evolution, Agera and the Agera R.

In 2009, Koenigsegg and other investors came together in order to purchase Saab, which was already suffering from the recession of 2008. Christan von Koenigsegg was quite keen on acquiring Saab to broaden his horizons. However, eventually the deal did not go through due to the uncertainty associated with the acquisition itself.

On the other hand, Koenigsegg did not stop developments on its own vehicles. In 2005 Koenigsegg broke the Guinness World record with the CCR. It was crowned the fastest production car in the world and reached a top speed of 388 km/h without breaking a sweat.

Everything about Koenigsegg was about achieving perfection. Even though each car is incredibly powerful, they are quite durable and incredibly safe at the same time. Additionally, each vehicle manufactured from 2000 onwards was created using high quality and light materials including carbon fiber. A lot of attention was placed on performance during the development of the latter series of vehicles launched by Koenigsegg.

Christian von Koenigsegg and his company have made several technological contributions to the automotive industry over the years. This includes innovative technologies like variable geometry turbo systems, rocket catalytic converters and a supercharger response system. But that is not all, as several new methods of using carbon fiber have been developed at the same time.

Looking at Koenigsegg it is safe to say that the company is here to stay and will continue to prosper for years to come. Not only does it produce some of the fastest production cars in the world but each car is hand crafted and personalized according to the needs of their clients. Koenigsegg is more about delivering performance and quality all the while giving its customers true value for their money.

That being said, it is also worth noting that Koenigsegg has received several awards on numerous occasions, including:

The Award for Superior Design by Red Dot

Hyper-car of the Year by BBC’s Top Gear

Top Speed record by Top Gear

Top Speed record by Nardo

Top Speed record by Sport Auto

Top Speed record by Nurburgring

Import of the year 2007-2008 by Powercar

Koenigsegg’s history and commitment towards delivering an exceptional driving experience is not to be underestimated. The company has proven its worth time and time again and has outdone itself each time. Their emphasis on research, testing and prototyping ensures their customers get nothing but the absolute best. Moreover, their innovative technologies will allow other car manufacturers to take the initiative and bring something new to the table. Other luxury car manufacturers need to take note of Koenigsegg and understand that if they do not stay ahead of the curve, it will only be a matter of time before they are outgunned by new manufacturers.

Koenigsegg’s One: 1 is the world’s first ever mega-car. It has an astonishing 1:1 curb weight ratio. Not only was it considered impossible, but it was unheard of before. While driving around at normal speeds you can expect the same fuel efficiency like that of a 3 series BMW which gives 40 miles per gallon.

Advanced metals and alloys are used to create the wheels of each vehicle. In the case of the CCX, magnesium alloy wheels are used to deliver exceptional lightweight and durable characteristics.

The first ever Koenigsegg factory in Olofstorm burned down which is why the factory was moved to a new location instead of starting over.

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The history of Dodge

After the founding of the Dodge Brothers Company by Horace and John Dodge in 1900, the Detroit-based company quickly found work producing precision engine and chassis components for the city's growing number of automobile firms. Chief among these customers were the established Olds Motor Vehicle Company and the then-new Ford Motor Company.

By 1914, Horace had created the new four-cylinder Dodge Model 30. Marketed as a slightly more upscale competitor to the ubiquitous Ford Model T, it pioneered or made standard many features later taken for granted: all-steel body construction (the vast majority of cars worldwide still used wood-framing under steel panels, though Stoneleigh and BSA used steel bodies as early as 1911); 12-volt electrical system (6-volt systems would remain the norm until the 1950s); 35 horsepower (versus the Model T's 20), and sliding-gear transmission (the best-selling Model T would retain an antiquated planetary design until its demise in 1927). As a result of this, and the brothers' well-earned reputation for the highest quality truck, transmission and motor parts they made for other successful vehicles, Dodge Brothers cars were ranked at second place for U.S. sales as early as 1916. That same year, Henry Ford decided to stop paying stock dividends to finance the construction of his new River Rouge complex. This led the Dodges to file suit to protect their annual stock earnings of approximately one million dollars, leading Ford to buy out his shareholders; the Dodges were paid some US$25 million.

Also in 1916, the Dodge Brothers' vehicles won acclaim for durability while in service with the U.S. Army's Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. One notable instance was in May when the 6th Infantry received a reported sighting of Julio Cárdenas, one of Villa's most trusted subordinates. Lt. George S. Patton led ten soldiers and two civilian guides in three Dodge Model 30 touring cars to conduct a raid at a ranch house in San Miguelito, Sonora. During the ensuing firefight the party killed three men, of whom one was identified as Cárdenas. Patton's men tied the bodies to the hoods of the Dodges, returning to headquarters in Dublán and an excited reception from US newspapermen.

Dodge Brothers cars continued to rank second place in American sales in 1920. However, the same year, tragedy struck as John Dodge was felled by pneumonia in January. His brother Horace then died of cirrhosis in December of the same year (reportedly out of grief at the loss of his brother, to whom he was very close). With the loss of both founders, the Dodge Brothers Company passed into the hands of the brothers' widows, who promoted long-time employee Frederick Haynes to the company presidency. During this time, the Model 30 was evolved to become the new Series 116 (though it retained the same basic construction and engineering features). However, throughout the 1920s Dodge gradually lost its ranking as the third best-selling automobile manufacturer, slipping down to seventh in the U.S. market.

Dodge Brothers emerged as a leading builder of light trucks. They also entered into an agreement whereby they marketed trucks built by Graham Brothers of Evansville, Indiana. The three Graham brothers would later produce Graham-Paige and Graham automobiles.

Stagnation in development was becoming apparent, however, and the public responded by dropping Dodge Brothers to fifth place in the industry by 1925. That year, the Dodge Brothers company was sold by the widows to the well-known investment group Dillon, Read & Co. for no less than US$146 million (at the time, the largest cash transaction in history).

Dillon, Read & Co. offered non-voting stock on the market in the new Dodge Brothers, Inc., firm, and along with the sale of bonds was able to raise $160 million, reaping a $14 million (net) profit. All voting stock was retained by Dillon, Read. Frederick Haynes remained as company head until E.G. Wilmer was named board chairman in November, 1926. Wilmer was a banker with no auto experience and Haynes remained as president. Changes to the car, save for superficial things like trim levels and colors, remained minimal until 1927, when the new Senior six-cylinder line was introduced. The former four-cylinder line was kept on, but renamed the Fast Four line until it was dropped in favor of two lighter six-cylinder models (the Standard Six and Victory Six) for 1928.

On October 1, 1925, Dodge Brothers, Inc., acquired a 51% interest in Graham Brothers, Inc., for $13 million and the remaining 49% on May 1, 1926. The three Graham brothers, Robert, Joseph and Ray, assumed management positions in Dodge Brothers before departing early in 1927.

Despite all this, Dodge Brothers' sales had already dropped to seventh place in the industry by 1927, and Dillon, Read began looking for someone to take over the company on a more permanent basis. Eventually Dodge was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1928.

To fit better in the Chrysler Corporation lineup, alongside low-priced Plymouth and medium-priced DeSoto, Dodge's lineup for early 1930 was trimmed down to a core group of two lines and thirteen models (from three lines and nineteen models just over a year previous). Prices started out just above DeSoto but were somewhat less than top-of-the-line Chrysler, in a small-scale recreation of General Motors' "step-up" marketing concept. (DeSoto and Dodge would swap places in the market for the 1933 model year, Dodge dropping down between Plymouth and DeSoto.) As Plymouth cars were sold at Chrysler dealerships, Dodge branded vehicles were sold as a lower cost alternative to DeSoto.

For 1930, Dodge took another step up by adding a new eight-cylinder line to replace the existing Senior six-cylinder. This basic format of a dual line with Six and Eight models continued through 1933, and the cars were gradually streamlined and lengthened in step with prevailing trends of the day. The Dodge Eight was replaced by a larger Dodge DeLuxe Six for 1934, which was dropped for 1935. A long-wheelbase edition of the remaining Six was added for 1936 and would remain a part of the lineup for many years.

The Dodge line, along with most of the corporation's output, was restyled in the so-called "Wind Stream" look for 1935. This was a mild form of streamlining, which saw sales jump remarkably over the previous year (even though Dodge as a whole still dropped to fifth place for the year after two years of holding down fourth). Dodge never got the radical Airflow styling that was the cause of depressed sales of Chryslers and DeSotos from 1934 to 1937, as a passenger sedan, but it was used on commercial truck for a short time.

Dodge (along with the rest of Chrysler) added safety features such as a smooth, flat dashboard with no protruding knobs, curved in door handles, and padded front-seat backs for the benefit of the rear-seat occupants.

Another major restyle arrived for the 25th-anniversary 1939 models, which Dodge dubbed the Luxury Liner series. These were once again completely redesigned, with new bodies for 1940, again in 1941, and a refreshing for 1942. However, just after the 1942 models were introduced, Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor forced the shutdown of Dodge's passenger car assembly lines in favor of war production in February 1942. 1941 saw the introduction of Fluid Drive for Dodge cars, which eliminated stalling or bucking if the clutch were released too quickly. This feature put a fluid coupling in between the engine and the clutch, although the driver still had to shift gears manually.

Chrysler was prolific in its production of war materiel from 1942 to 1945, and Dodge in particular was well known to both average citizens and thankful soldiers for their tough military-spec truck models and ambulances like the WC54. Starting with the hastily converted VC series and evolving into the celebrated WC series, Dodge built a strong reputation for itself that readily carried over into civilian models after the war.

Civilian production at Dodge was restarted by late 1945, in time for the 1946 model year. The "seller's market" of the early postwar years, brought on by the lack of any new cars throughout the war, meant that every automaker found it easy to sell vehicles regardless of any drawbacks they might have. Like almost every other automaker, Dodge sold lightly facelifted revisions of its 1942 design through the 1948 season. As before, these were a single series of six-cylinder models with two trim levels (basic Deluxe or plusher Custom). From 1949 until 1954, Fluid Drive could be combined with "Gyro-Matic," a semi-automatic transmmission which reduced (but didn't eliminate) the need to shift gears.

Styling was not initially Dodge's strong point during this period, though that began to change by 1953 under the direction of corporate design chief Virgil Exner. At the same time, Dodge also introduced its first V8 engine – the Red Ram Hemi, a smaller version of the original design of the famed Hemi. The new 1953 bodies were smaller and based on the Plymouth. For 1954, sales dropped, the stubby styling not going over well with the public. 1954 also saw the introduction of the fully automatic PowerFlite transmission.

Chrysler borrowed $250 million from Prudential in 1954 to finance expansion, acquisition, and updating the outdated styling of their car lines that was contributed to Chrysler failing to benefit from the postwar boom as GM and Ford were.

Exner led creation of the new corporate "Forward Look" styling of 1955, beginning a new era for Dodge. With steadily upgraded styling and ever-stronger engines every year through 1960, Dodge found a ready market for its products as America discovered the joys of freeway travel. This situation improved when Dodge introduced a new line of Dodges called the Dart to do battle against Ford, Chevrolet and Plymouth. The result was that Dodge sales in the middle price class collapsed. Special and regional models were sold as well, including the LaFemme (a white and orchid-trimmed hardtop marketed toward women) and the Texan, a gold-accented Dodge sold in the Lone Star State.

1957 saw the introduction of a new automatic transmission, three-speed TorqueFlite. Both PowerFlite and TorqueFlite were controlled by mechanical push-buttons until 1965.

Dodge entered the compact car field for 1961 with their new Lancer, a variation on Plymouth's Valiant. Though it was not initially successful, the Dart range that succeeded the Lancer in 1963 would prove to be one of the division's top sellers for many years.

Chrysler did make an ill-advised move to downsize the Dodge and Plymouth full-size lines for 1962, which resulted in a loss of sales. However, they turned this around in 1965 by turning those former full-sizes into "new" mid-size models; Dodge revived the Coronet nameplate in this way and later added a sporty fastback version called the Charger that became both a sales leader and a winner on the NASCAR circuit. Not only did this style dominate the racetrack for 4 full years, its aerodynamic improvements forever changed the face of NASCAR racing.

Full-size models evolved gradually during this time. After Dodge dealers complained about not having a true full-size car in the fall of 1961, the Custom 880 was hurried into production. The Custom 880 used the 1962 Chrysler Newport body with the 1961 Dodge front end and interior. The 880 continued into 1965, the year a completely new full-size body was put into production, the Polara entered the medium price class and the Monaco was added as the top series. The Polara and Monaco were changed mostly in appearance for the next ten years or so. Unique "fuselage" styling was employed for 1969 through 1973 and then was toned down again for the 1974 to 1977 models.

odge is well-known today for being a player in the muscle car market of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Along with the Charger, models like the Coronet R/T and Super Bee were popular with buyers seeking performance. The pinnacle of this effort was the introduction of the Challenger sports coupe and convertible (Dodge's entry into the "pony car" class ) in 1970, which offered everything from mild economy engines up to the wild race-ready Hemi V8 in the same package. In an effort to reach every segment of the market, Dodge even reached a hand across the Pacific to its partner, Mitsubishi Motors, and marketed their subcompact as the Colt to compete with the AMC Gremlin, Chevrolet Vega, and Ford Pinto. Chrysler would over the years come to rely heavily on their relationship with Mitsubishi. At the same time, Dodge got a version of the Plymouth Duster, marketed as the Dodge Demon. It was inexpensive, but with its slant-six engine (or V8), the Demon couldn't achieve the fuel economy of the four-cylinder Colt. The Demon sold in much fewer numbers than the Duster, so it is considered more collectible today, especially the V8 versions.

The 1973 oil crisis caused significant changes at Dodge, as well as Chrysler as a whole. Except for the Colt and Slant Six models of the Dart, Dodge's lineup was quickly seen as extremely inefficient. In fairness, this was true of most American automakers at the time, but Chrysler was also not in the best financial shape to do anything about it. Consequently, while General Motors and Ford were quick to begin downsizing their largest cars, Chrysler (and Dodge) moved more slowly out of necessity.

At the very least, Chrysler was able to use some of its other resources. Borrowing the recently introduced Chrysler Horizon from their European division, Dodge was able to get its new Omni subcompact on the market fairly quickly. At the same time, they increased the number of models imported from Japanese partner Mitsubishi starting in 1971: first came a smaller Colt (based on Mitsubishi's Galant line), then a revival of the Challenger (Dodge Challenger) in 1976 as a compact hardtop coupe with nothing more than a four-cylinder under the hood, rather than the booming V8s of yore.

Bigger Dodges, though, remained rooted in old habits. The Dart was replaced by a new Aspen for 1976, and Coronet and Charger were effectively replaced by the Diplomat for 1977, which was actually a fancier Aspen. While the Aspen got accolades for styling and handling, build quality was problematic, sullying the car's reputation at the time when sales were desperately needed. Meanwhile, the huge Monaco (Royal Monaco beginning in 1977 when the mid-sized Coronet was renamed "Monaco") models hung around through 1977, losing sales every year, until finally being replaced by the St. Regis for 1979 following a one-year absence from the big car market. In a reversal of what happened for 1965, the St. Regis was an upsized Coronet. Buyers, understandably, were confused and chose to shop the competition rather than figure out what was going on at Dodge.

Everything came to a head in 1979 when Chrysler's new chairman, Lee Iacocca, requested and received federal loan guarantees from the United States Congress in an effort to save the company from having to file bankruptcy. With a Federal Loan in hand, Chrysler quickly set to work on new models that would leave the past behind, while reorganizing to pay the government loan which stood at 29%.

The first fruit of Chrysler's crash development program was the "K-Car", the Dodge version of which was the Dodge Aries. This basic and durable front-wheel drive platform spawned a whole range of new models at Dodge during the 1980s, including the groundbreaking Dodge Caravan. The Caravan not only helped save Chrysler as a serious high-volume American automaker, but also spawned an entirely new market segment that remains popular today: the minivan.

Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Dodge's designation as the sporty-car division was backed by a succession of high-performance and/or aggressively styled models including the Daytona, mid-sized 600 and several versions of the Lancer. The Dodge Spirit sedan was well received in numerous markets worldwide. The Omni remained in the line through 1990. Dodge-branded Mitsubishi vehicles were phased out by 1993 except for the Dodge Stealth running through 1996, though Mitsubishi-made engines and electrical components were still widely used in American domestic Chrysler products. In 1992, Dodge moved their performance orientation forward substantially with the Viper, which featured an aluminum V10 engine and composite sports roadster body. This was the first step in what was marketed as "The New Dodge", which was an aggressive advertising campaign with a litany of new models, with television ads narrated by Edward Herrmann that pointed out the innovations in the vehicles and challenged their competitors. Later that year, was the introduction of new Intrepid sedan, totally different from its boxy Dynasty predecessor and, in 1994, the new second generation Dodge Ram pickup was introduced with bold styling that departed radically from the boxy designs of trucks made by the big 3 for two decades prior. The Intrepid used what Chrysler called "cab forward" styling, with the wheels pushed out to the corners of the chassis for maximum passenger space. They followed up on this idea in a smaller scale with the Neon and Stratus. The Neon in particular was a hit, buoyed by a clever marketing campaign and good performance.

In a move that never lived up to the expectations of its driving forces, Chrysler Corporation merged with Daimler-Benz AG in 1998 to form DaimlerChrysler. Rationalizing Chrysler's broad lineup was a priority, and Dodge's sister brand Plymouth was withdrawn from the market. With this move, Dodge became DaimlerChrysler's low-price division as well as its performance division.

The Intrepid, Stratus, and Neon updates of the 1998 to 2000 timeframe were largely complete before Daimler's presence, and Dodge's first experience of any platform sharing with the German side of the company was the 2005 Magnum station wagon, introduced as a replacement for the Intrepid. Featuring Chrysler's first mainstream rear-wheel drive platform since the 1980s and a revival of the Hemi V8 engine. The Charger was launched in 2006 on the same platform.

Further cost savings were explored in the form of an extensive platform-sharing arrangement with Mitsubishi, which spawned the Caliber subcompact as a replacement for the Neon and the Avenger sedan. The rear-drive chassis was then used in early 2008 to build a new Challenger, with styling reminiscent of the original 1970 Challenger. Like its predecessor, the new Challenger coupe was available with a powerful V8 engine (base models featured a V6). In Spring 2007, DaimlerChrysler reached an agreement with Cerberus Capital Management to dump its Chrysler Group subsidiary, of which the Dodge division was a part. Soon after, the housing bubble began to collapse the American market, and on May 1, 2009, Chrysler and GM filed for bankruptcy on the same day.

On June 10, 2009, Italian automaker Fiat formed a partnership with Chrysler under Sergio Marchionne, with the UAW, and the US Government to form Chrysler Group LLC, of which Dodge remained fully integrated. For its part, the US Government provided more than $6 billion in loans at 21%, called a "bridge loan" or "bailout". The newly formed company went on to fully repay that loan, remortgaging to reduce the interest rate several times down to 6%. They fully paid back the loan with interest to the U.S. Government on May 24, 2011, a full five years early. The UAW, being partners throughout the process, were paid well and above $3.9 billion in 2013 as Sergio's plan for full consolidation has continued on schedule. This has allowed Chrysler LLC to fully merge with Fiat to form FCA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, in 2014. The combined company will be based in London.

In 2013, Dodge re-introduced a compact car based on an Alfa-Romeo design called the Dart. It was the first new Dodge model produced under FCA.

On May 6, 2014, FCA announced a major restructuring, in which Dodge would focus solely on performance vehicles and will be positioned between Chrysler (which is moving downmarket into mainstream vehicles) and a relaunched Alfa Romeo (making its return to North America after a 20-year absence) in the FCA lineup. This is a set up similar to PSA Peugeot Citroën, which positions Peugeot as its conservative mainstream brand while Citroën is more performance-based, as well as Hyundai Motor Group having its two mainstream brands, Kia Motors and Hyundai Motor Company focusing on performance and mid-luxury, respectively. (Among the American press, it has drawn comparisons to the decades-long set up of Chevrolet and Pontiac at General Motors before the phase-out of Pontiac in 2010.) As part of the restructuring, Dodge will discontinue the Dodge Grand Caravan (after 32 years) and Dodge Avenger without replacements, while launching a sporty subcompact below the Dart in 2018. Additionally, while the Ram Trucks division will remain separate (although the Dodge Durango will remain in production as a Dodge), the SRT division was merged back into Dodge.

Dodge's first experiments with anything like a sport utility vehicle appeared in the late 1950s with a windowed version of their standard panel-truck - known as the Town Wagon. These were built in the same style through the mid-1960s.

But the division didn't enter the SUV arena in earnest until 1974, with the purpose-built Ramcharger. Offering the then-popular open body style and Dodge's powerful V8 engines, the Ramcharger was a strong competitor for trucks like the Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Blazer and International Harvester Scout II.

Once again, though, Dodge was left with outdated products during the 1980s as the market evolved. The Ramcharger hung on through 1993 with only minor updates. When the Ram truck was redesigned for the 1994 model year, the Ramcharger was discontinued in the American and Canadian markets. A version using the updated styling was made for the Mexican Market but was never imported to the U.S. or Canada.

Instead, Dodge tried something new in 1997. Using the mid-sized Dakota pickup's chassis as a base, they built the four-door Durango SUV with seating for eight people and created a new niche. Sized between smaller SUVs (like the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Explorer) and larger models (like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition), Durango was both a bit more and bit less[original research?] of everything. The redesigned version for 2004 grew a little bit in every dimension, becoming a full-size SUV (and thus somewhat less efficient), but was still sized between most of its competitors on either side of the aisle. For 2011 a new unibody Durango based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee was released. The 2011 Durango shrank slightly to size comparable to the original model.

Dodge also imported a version of Mitsubishi's popular Montero (Pajero in Japan) as the Raider from 1987 to 1989.

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