Automobile History - Top 10 Interesting Facts

1. Adolf Hitler ordered Ferdinand Porsche to manufacture a Volkswagen, which literally means 'People's Car' in German. This car went on to become the Volkswagen Beetle.

2. In 1971, the cabinet of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi proposed the production of a 'People's Car' for India - the contract of which was given to Sanjay Gandhi. Before contacting Suzuki, Sanjay Gandhi held talks with Volkswagen AG for a possible joint venture, encompassing transfer of technology and joint production of the Indian version of the 'People's car', that would also mirror Volkswagen's global success with the Beetle.

However, it was Suzuki that won the final contract since it was quicker in providing a feasible design. The resulting car was based on Suzuki's Model 796 and went on to rewrite automotive history in India as the Maruti 800.

3. Rolls-Royce Ltd. was essentially a car and airplane engine making company, established in 1906 by Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce.

The same year, Rolls-Royce rolled out its first car, the Silver Ghost. In 1907, the car set a record for traversing 24,000 kilometers during the Scottish reliability trials.

4. The most expensive car ever sold at a public auction was a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 race car, which went for a staggering $30 million at Bonhams in July 2013. The record was previously held by a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa Prototype, sold in California at an auction for $16.4 million.

5. As a young man, Henry Ford used to repair watches for his friends and family using tools he made himself. He used a corset stay as tweezers and a filed shingle nail as a screwdriver.

6.British luxury car marque Aston Martin's name came from one of the founders Lionel Martin who used to race at Aston Hill near Aston Clinton.