Interesting Facts You May Not Have Known in the Automotive World

Let me apologize in advance for that click-bait title. It's hard not to follow the all-powerful Buzzfeeds example because it just works so darn well. But ah yes, as the title states today I want to go over a few things about the automotive world that your common pedestrian might not know. There isn't much that is "secret" about the car business, it is fairly cut and dry. However, there are quirks and neat facts about these companies that (still) surprise others when I mention it to them. If you breeze through this list and aren't seeing any new information than perhaps we should get together because you are the kind of person I want to be friends with. But, on to the point!

Did You Know?...

Volkswagen houses a crazy number of different car companies

Volkswagen has a much higher presence in other parts of the globe than here in the United States and the list of companies under its corporate umbrella are staggering. There is, of course, Volkswagen. But also included are:

-Audi

-Bentley

-Bugatti

-Ducati (Motorcycles)

-Lamborghini

-Porsche

-SEAT*

-Skoda*

* brands not available in the U.S.

This makes VW synonymous with GM as a giant vehicular force to be reckoned with because of it's brand diversity and size!

Acura=Honda, Infiniti=Nissan, Lexus=Toyota

This one I have found a 50/50 balance of those who know and those who had no clue. In 1986, Honda was one of the first mainstream manufacturers to create a "premium, luxury" brand. The vehicles Acura introduced relied heavily on Honda components but were devised to be more luxurious and upscale to set them apart from the lesser pack. 3 years later, both Nissan and Toyota were not going to sit idly by and offered their own luxurious counterparts, Infiniti and Lexus, respectively. In modern day, these brands have gone to great lengths to differentiate their mainstream offerings and upscale offerings and it's a formula that has proved to be very successful. All praise to Honda however, for without Infiniti and Lexus might not exist.

Sexy, right?

Almost all "import" vehicles are actually made here in the United States

Due to the rising cost of importing vehicles from countries such as Japan and Germany, automakers are shifting their production to right here in North America. This is important for multiple factors: it reduces the cost of importing, meaning vehicle price would be lower to balance this, it provides multiple jobs for Americans every year, it lessens the time of production if a vehicle is ordered, and so on. For example, various Volkswagen models are made in Tennessee. The vast majority of BMW SUVs are actually created in South Carolina. However, this isn't to say each and every component of the vehicle is American, quite the contrary. Most parts are actually imported but then assembled at the plant here.

I aimed to keep this list fairly short and simple, as I will add different facts and info throughout the life of this blog so make sure you check back every so often and you might just learn something new for once!

-Cameron