Famous Company Originally Didn’t Make Cars – A car is one of the things that has very many types and brands that are spread throughout the world, and of course there are some car brands that are more dominant than other brands.
So many car brands and of course their variants. From year to year, of course, companies that produce cars make the latest innovations in order to attract consumer interest and of course to increase sales.
But did you know that there are several car manufacturing companies that at the beginning, not producing cars?
1. Opel
This German company was founded by Adam Opel on January 21, 1862, headquartered in Russelsheim, Germany. Opel manufactured sewing machines at the start of its establishment in a cow shed.
Apparently, the business was growing, and in 1888, Opel moved production to a building in Russelshaim, together with producing bicycles. Both businesses were increasingly successful.
After Adam Opel’s death in 1895, Adam Opel’s wife Shopie and his two children collaborated with Friedrich Lutzman, a car designer. However, the cars that were produced were not very successful.
In 1902, Opel collaborated with Automobile Darrcq S.A, and introduced the Opel Darracq car at the Hamburg Motor Show. In March 1931, General Motors acquired Opel. Under General Motors, Opel manages to produce 100,000 units a year!
2. Toyota
In fact, Toyota’s early pioneering started with the Weaving Machine! Toyota was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937. However, the forerunner to the founding of Toyota stems from Kiichiro’s father, Sakichi Toyoda, who created the loom. Sakichi created a loom to help his mother knit.
This is what later became the forerunner to the establishment of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. The son, Kiichiro Toyoda, sold a patent for a loom to a British company, Platt Brothers & Co, in 1926.
The proceeds from the sale were then used for capital in the automotive business, which began in 1934. Almost four years developing the automotive business, in 1937 Toyoda inaugurated the automotive industry and changed the company’s name to Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.
Changing the name Toyoda to Toyota, because the name Toyota is considered a lucky name, compared to the name Toyoda whose pronunciation is too stiff. The head office of Toyota is currently located in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan.
3. BMW
Bavarian Motow Works, or better known as BMW is a German company founded by Franz Josep Ppop in 1916, which is headquartered in Munich, Germany.
The company, which is known for producing luxury cars, initially pioneered engines for aircraft in 1917. However, since World War I ended, BMW was forced to end production of aircraft engines due to the Versailess agreement.
However, in 1923 the agreement was “loosened up a little.” Initially, in that year BMW made a motorbike under the name R32, then in 1928 BMW started producing cars, and acquired the car company Autommobilwerk Eisenach. BMW’s first car was the BMW 3/15.
Also Read:Lack of Double Cabin Cars
4. Peugeot
French company Peugeot began as a coffee mill producer in 1810, and in 1930 began production of bicycles. Peugeot is a family business, which started with Jean-Pierre Peugeot, then continued by his son Emile Peugeot who proposed the lion trademark as the logo in 1858.
Then, only then did Armand Peugoet who was the son of Emile Peugeot in 1889 made a steam-powered car with 3 wheels, but only four models were made. The power up car, requires a very long heating and requires a large amount of steam power. In 1890, began producing four-wheeled cars, but still relied on artificial engines. In 1896, then Peugeot made a car with its own engine.
Had “turned” to the field of weapons during World War I, becoming a major producer for the military. After World War I ended, Peugeot started car production again. The car was named Peugeot Type 163 which was produced from 1919 to 1924.
5. Suzuki
Suzuki was originally a company founded by Michio Suzuki as a weaving machine company called Suzuki Loom Works in 1909. Until 1922 it was named the largest weaving company in Japan.
The development of this business, made Suzuki expand its business into automobile. However, during World War II, the Japanese government was judged to be a commodity that was not too important.
It was only after World War II ended that Suzuki started making motorized vehicles at the request of the Japanese government, which required affordable private transportation. The two-wheeled motorbike made was the 1952 Suzuki Power Free, which had a capacity of 36 cc. This motorbike is a brilliant idea from Michio Suzuki’s son, namely Shunzo Suzuki.
In 1955, Suzuki was even more successful in making a car that was named the Suzuki Suzulight, which at that time had a capacity of 360 cc.…
