THE HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE

(I)Car designers had explored just about every wheel configuration by the dawn of the 1960s. These even included wheels arranged in both as a short-lived production car and several prototypes. Pininfarina’s X, though, pushed the parameters out further by using a rhomboid for the car’s ‘footprint’. This amazing 4-door sedan had 2 wheelbases – one from the single front wheel to the two in the center; and one from the center wheels to the rear wheel. The smoothly pointed nose had the car’s only steered wheel hidden deep in its center and was fronted by 3 headlights. It also had prominent chrome over riders beneath for protection. At the back, the single powered wheel was similarly concealed and the tail, housing the Fiat engine, was dominated by its twin stabilizing, buttress-type fins. Pininfarina was happy to build the car as a display showpiece for the Turin motor show. It was a serious study of aerodynamics and fuel economy, exploiting some of Morelli’s design patents. Pininfarinastill has the car in its collection although not in the same form as it originated in fall 1960. The rear doors that hinged from the back were changed to front-hinged types before road testing. The X also led to Y, a city car prototype, similar in profile but with wheels back to their 4-cornered convention.

The Amphicar is the only amphibious car to reach proper mass-production. As a plaything for rivers and calm lakes it was enormous fun. But for anything more seagoing it was a precarious hazard. The car was designed by German engineer Hans Trippel. It had a 2-part transmission with an adapted VW Beetle gearbox for the road and a two-speed (forward-and-back) in-water unit. The wheels and the twin propellers could operate independently and the steering wheel controlled the rudders – the front wheels. Two cars attempted to cross the English Channel. One broke down after letting in too much water and the second had to tow it. When the fuel tank was empty, it had to be refilled. The operation involved opening the roof and pouring the fuel into the tank from over the windscreen. Manufacturing stopped in 1963 after over-ambitious forecasts produced a huge inventory of parts.

The Jeep Wagoneer was the first off-road vehicle with selectable 4-wheel drive, purpose-designed to be just as suitable for cruising on highways. There were a lot of visual tricks used, such as a waistline just below the side windows, slim window pillars and suggestions of fenders and running boards pressed into the lower side panels. The high-riding car also included a brand-new straight-six engine – the only American camshaft unit at that time. It had automatic transmission. It was the first purpose-designed SUV and became the longest-lived. Despite frequent cosmetic makeovers, the Wagoneer remained a timeless icon until 1992.

1. Complete these sentences with the information from the text:

a) Pininfarina’s X pushed the parameters out further ………

b) The single powered wheel ………

c) The X also led to Y ………

d) The Amphicar is ………

e) It had a 2-part transmission ………

f) Two cars attempted to cross ………

g) Manufacturing stopped ………

h) The Jeep Wagoneer was the first ………

2. Make sure that you know how to pronounce and translate these words and word combinations:

Wheelbase, smoothly pointed nose, fuel economy, road testing, mass-production, to be refilled, to pour some fuel into the tank, over-ambitious forecasts, off-road vehicle, cruising on highways, waistline, timeless icon, cosmetic makeovers, brand-new engine, replacement, repair, improvement, filling station, self-propelled vehicle.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 793