We all see a huge amount of cars on the streets every day. That’s why we tend to take them for granted and often forget how amazing these machines really are, and what rich history they have. In lieu of all that, we have prepared some interesting facts and statistics about cars that will remind you how amazing they really are. Here are 10 impressive facts about cars that you (probably) didn’t know about.
Fact 1 – There are Over 1.4 Billion Cars in the World
That’s right, statistically, every seventh person owns a car. As people’s financial capabilities increase (especially in countries such as China and India), the number of cars produced increases, hence — the number of purchased cars increases. It currently stands at nearly 100 million cars a year. In 2010, when their number was first estimated, the number of cars was about 1 billion. Today, it has increased by at least 400 million and will continue to grow with each passing day.
Fact 2 – The Country With the Most Cars is China
With its vast area and huge population, it is not surprising that China is the country where we can find the largest number of cars. In fact, their number is impressive – 372 million motor vehicles can be seen on its streets, 281 million of which are cars. It’s beginning to be such an issue for big metropolises like Beijing as they cause immense pollution, that the government has declared a rotation principle for driving — meaning you can use your car on certain days depending on criteria.
Fact 3 – The Best-Selling Car in the World is the Toyota Corolla
Is this simple and not very impressive car the bestselling automobile in the world? Why not. The Corolla is a reliable car with an affordable price – less than $20,000 for many of its models. It has been produced since as far back as 1966, and the number of units sold worldwide is over 40 million – much more than the number sold by its competitors. For comparison, in second place in terms of sales is the Volkswagen Beetle with 21.5 million, and in third place is the Ford Model T with 16.5 million.
Fact 4 – Toyota Produces the Most Cars Per Year
In this line of thinking, the production giant Toyota is also a leader in the number of cars produced in one year. In just one reported period, the brand launched 10,466,051 cars (compared to 2017 data). It is followed by Volkswagen Group with 10,382,334 and Hyundai / Kia with 7,218,391.
Fact 5 – The Best Quality Car
Statistically, the highest quality car model is the Rolls-Royce. The data show that a huge amount of all its models ever produced are still strong and usable. Rolls-Royce has always focused on developing vehicles that are durable and usable in time. The superior workmanship means that at least 65% of all Rolls-Royce cars that have ever left the production line are still in service today.
Fact 6 – White is a Favourite Colour of the Majority
Take a look when you pass a car dealership and you will be impressed by one thing – the colour of the cars. In fact, in the last two decades, white, silver, black and grey have been the most popular colours for cars, and 8 out of every 10 cars is solved in one of them. And of these – white is arguably the most popular – as much as 22% of all cars and this continues to be a fact for the last 8 years. It is arguable that the reasoning behind it is the price — white car paint is the cheapest on the market.
Fact 7 – The First Speeding Fine Was Drawn up 125 years ago
On January 28, 1896, motorcyclist Walter Arnold was caught racing through the streets of Paddock Wood in Kent at 8 miles per hour (~16km/h), becoming the first driver in the world to be fined for speeding. The speed limit at that time was 2 miles per hour, and in front of the driver there had to be a person waving a red flag to warn passers-by. After a brief chase by police, Walter was caught and fined a shilling.
It is well known that speeding is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents worldwide. It is therefore advisable that you always drive under the speed limit in the relevant area. If you are involved in a car crash in Western Australia you might need assistance with your claim from motor vehicle accident lawyers Perth. Highly experienced personal injury lawyers can assist you with the claims process and are skilled at gathering all of the evidence required to support your claim.
Fact 8 – The Maximum Fine for Speeding is $290,000
The largest speeding fine was $290,000, and was imposed on an anonymous Swiss driver who was caught driving 137 km/h (85 mph) in an 80 km/h (50 mph) zone in a village near St. Gallen Switzerland, January 2010. The man in question was driving a red Ferrari Testarossa, and his fine was calculated based on his financial situation, which the court estimated at $ 22.7 million. The fine was further increased because the driver had been caught in violation before.
Fact 9 – The Concept of Electric Cars is Not so Innovative
In fact, Porsche’s first model was electric – and it was created back in 1898. The car, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, is called Egger-Lohner, nicknamed P1. It could reach 21 miles per hour and had a range of 49 miles after a single charge. Unfortunately, the 22-year-old engineer was interested in many other projects and this car remained forgotten and untouched, stored under a canopy in Austria until 2014.
Fact 10 – The Highest Mileage
The Guinness World Record for the longest mileage is held by Volvo – as much as 3.04 million miles (about 4.8 million km). This beautiful and comfortable vehicle, the Volvo P1800, is used by the owner for a single purpose: long-distance driving in the United States. He achieved his astonishing mileage in 2014 when he stated that his secret to the longevity of the car is the regular oil change, strict adherence to the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions and keeping the car clean.
Have you heard of any of these facts before? Maybe. Did you enjoy reading them again? We certainly did! Sometimes we forget how complex and amazing cars really are, and reminders like these are important so we continue appreciating them!