1893
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Charles and Frank Duryea built the first “motorized wagon” with a two-piston, one- cylinder, two-stroke gasoline engine.
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1885-1898
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A Chicago to Milwaukee contest for horseless carriages inspired a generation of entrepreneurs.
Sponsored by the Chicago Times-Herald, the race was judged on style, technical merit, and practicality, rather than speed.
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1897
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Ransom Olds forms Olds Motor Vehicle Co., the first company organized in Michigan solely to build autos.
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1898
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William Metzger opens the first new car dealership in Detroit, MI.
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Early dealerships operated as retailers of cars, bicycles, gasoline, and served as machinists making replacement parts.
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1902
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The first franchised auto dealerships, called “agents,” emerged.
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1903
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Manufacturers appointed distributors who then appointed “sub-dealers” to provide the manufacturer with greater coverage in their assigned territories. (The practice of appointing distributors and sub-dealers ceased in the 1950s.)
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1903
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Henry Ford’s newly formed Ford Motor Co. sold 1,708 “Model A” cars (selling price - $850) for a profit of $98,851.
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1913
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Ford Motor Company established the first assembly line manufacturing plant.
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1942-1945
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The U.S. automotive industry ground to a halt as U.S automakers and suppliers produced over $30 billion worth of military hardware in support of the war effort.
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1950-1970
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Independent distributors began the import revolution.
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In the early years, “import” meant European
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In 1965, Japan’s Datsun began to crack Europe’s hold on U.S. imports.
By 1996, the import manufacturer distribution system had evolved to a franchise system similar to the domestic vehicles and only five independent distributors remained.
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1973-1979
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Middle East unrest and the oil embargo spurred manufacturers to design smaller, high-mileage vehicles manufactured from new and lightweight materials.
Small imported vehicles grabbed a larger part of the automotive industry and domestic dealers were forced to add import franchises.
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1978
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Volkswagen began producing the “Rabbit” in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, the first high volume foreign manufacturing operation in the U.S.
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1982
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Honda built the first Japanese assembly plant in the U.S.
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1990
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General Motors unveils the EVI – the first electric vehicle.
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1996
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A wave of mergers overtakes the automotive supplier industry.
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1996
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The “year of the used car”
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1996-present
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Some independent new car dealerships unite into “mega” dealerships offering “one stop” shopping and “no-haggle” pricing.
Republic Enterprises attempts to establish a new and used car dealership “brand” with AutoNation superstores.
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1997-present
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Internet becomes the “buzz word” of the auto industry.
Auto dealers begin to see the Internet as a way to lower marketing costs and generate new business.
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NADA estimates 30 percent of all dealerships have an Internet presence and report an average of 43 leads each month via the web.
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Internet buying services offer dealers pre-screened sales leads for a price.
Parts makers join the on-line revolution allowing manufacturers, dealers, and individuals to purchase parts through the Internet.
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1998
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Chrysler Corporation and German auto company Daimler-Benz merge.
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1999
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Auto manufacturers roll out web-based supply network that will allow “business to business” purchases over the Internet.
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2003
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Ford celebrates it’s 100th Year anniversary
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2003
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General Motors discontinues the Oldsmobile line
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2003
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China equal US in production plant investment dollars
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