Out of experiments in many places and with many elements of design, the essential features of the automobile emerged around the turn of the century. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, and especially in the 1890's, much work was carried in France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, and United States to develop practical designs of both vehicle and motor. In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler, who had previously worked with Dr Nikolaus August Otto, applied a single cylinder and air-cooled vertical machine to a carriage. A few years later Daimler created his first "four wheeled wooden built light wagonnete" powered by petrol. Karl Benz of Manheim (Germany) then built an engine specifically intended for motor cars, leading to the four-wheelers (Thomas 321). As petrol cars became more dependable the advantage of not having to wait until steam was generated gave them clear superiority

In the United States, the automobile came within reach of the average wage earner earlier in the century. In the Europe, it didn't do so until 1950's. That explains the disparity in the number of cars in use between United States and Europe. In 1950, France had 2,150,000 cars in use, Great Britain 3,290,000, and United States 49,143,275.

It is hard to exaggerate the influence of the motor car on the industrialized countries. From the early years, when it was an experimental vehicle of interest only to technical enthusiasts, automobile became a necessity in the lives of millions of families and businesses. It became, at the same time, a symbol of prestige and status and the basis of a major industry. As the automobile hangs precariously on the cliff edge between necessity and status symbol one must agree that to get by today without an automobile is quite an impossible task.

The oil resources, on which the whole "car-age" depended, were discovered in a few new areas: Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula, and the Indonesian archipelago (Ware 295). The whole network of pipelines was established to carry oil to great distances. Tanker fleets and tank cars were also means of transportation of oil.

In 1894, the French newspaper La Petit Journal introduced a new invention to the wider public by organizing a trial run of motor cars from Paris to Rouen. In 1895 the race was organized from Paris to Bordeaux. The winner averaged fifteen miles an hour. In the first decade of 1900's, French led the world in the production of cars, and automobiles even took part in French army maneuvers. In England, they were allowed to travel on roads at fourteen miles an hour. Around the same time in the United States, Henry Ford was making twin-cylinder water-cooled engine cars, which traveled at 25 miles an hour. (Zeldin II 640). Car ownership early in the century was limited to the rich and privileged. The revolution in the whole character of the car, as well as its method of manufacture, was made by the introduction of mass production. In 1908, Henry Ford, a farmer's boy from Michigan with little education, conceived the idea of a car designed for the masses. After careful examination of the Sears Roebuck factory, he began mass production of his model T car. The benefit of this mass-production was a low-priced and affordable car. It was the beginning of mass production and mass acceptance of automobiles. The consequence was that, in 1913, there were already over a million automobiles on the United States roads as opposed to 200,000 in Great Britain, 90,000 in France, and a mere 70,000 in Germany (Zeldin 649). Cars, which were not mentioned in the census of the United States' business in 1900, soon will be at the top of the list.

over the steamers, and the self-starter took away

Some common words found in the essay are:
Peninsula Indonesian, Five European, War II, Paris Madrid, United States', World War, Manheim Germany, Russia Retail, , United Thomas, mass production, henry ford, car 1955, beginning century, automobile people, ware 297, cars means, miles united, motor cars, automobile accidents,
Approximate Word count = 1887
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)