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PORSCHE

A myth that materializes in every motor snoring (which the competition tries to copy, but can not), in every bold line in the drawing, every detail of performance and safety. This is PORSCHE, the most successful brand in the global automotive industry today. All the energy that exists in the brand is revealed in the form of fascination and passion. Only a true PORSCHE can be so attractive as to display this symbol.

The story

PORSCHE's trajectory does not begin with the first sports car built in 1948. Its roots date back to 1898 when young Austrian engineer and test pilot Ferdinand Porsche presented his first design projects, among them a hybrid car (driven by gasoline and electricity) , christened the Egger-Lohner Electric Vehicle C.2 Phaeton Model and exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900. The wheel axle invented by the young engineer then began to make the surname PORSCHE famous worldwide. In 1928 Ferdinand was already part of the team of engineers responsible for the development of the legendary Mercedes-Benz SS and SSK. Finally, on April 25, 1931, he founded the engineering office PORSCHE (Porsche Engineering) in the German city of Stuttgart. He developed important projects for the Volkswagen percusser in the 1930s. In 1938, under his direction, the first assembly line for Volkswagen, which was responsible for the Type 32 project, was built in Wolfsburg, Germany, to become known as the popular Fusca or Käfer in German. In addition, two war machines were born from his drawing boards: the tanks Tiger and Elefant.

With the advent of World War II the projects were suspended and the car only began to be produced in series in the year of 1946 by Volkswagen. By his connection with the Nazis, Ferdinand Porsche was arrested in France at the end of the war. In 1948, Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche (son of Ferdinand), and affectionately known as Ferry, built from the Volkswagen a sports car in Gmünd in Austria, which was christened the name of Cisitalia. This was the birth of the world's first sports car, the 356, an extremely lightweight aluminum-produced roadster. The number alluded to the fact that this was the 356th project of PORSCHE design office. Finally, on June 8, the first car bearing the surname PORSCHE, called model 356/1 and developed by Ferry Porsche and his team, received official approval.

In 1949 the PORSCHE CISITALIA 360 race car was presented at the Turin Motor Show, with 1,493cc, four-wheel drive and impressive top speed of 300km / h. PORSCHE moved its offices to the German city of Zuffenhausen, near the city of Stuttgart, only in 1950, when it officially became an independent automobile factory. Thus began a new chapter in the history of the German mark. In the leased sheds of Reutter, a car body manufacturer, production has been improved. The year 1951 was marked by sorrows and joys: first, with the death of Ferdinand Porsche at age 75 due to complications of a stroke on January 30 and second with the victory of PORSCHE 356 in the traditional 24 Hours of Le Mans, the brand's first international victory in auto racing.

This decade would confirm the evolution of the PORSCHE brand with the launch in 1953 of the Fuhrmann engine, which equipped the model 550 Spyder, with 1.5 liters, 4 cylinders and 110hp; with the debut of the first German car with rolled and curved windshield, the 356 Speedster; the first appearance of the automaker on the F-1, at the German GP of 1957, using the 550 RS model, with Italian Umberto Maglioli and German Edgard Barth in the direction; as well as the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the brand, when the PORSCHE 356 number 10,000 was produced and presented in the factory lobby. PORSCHE had already won 400 international races, gained international fame, and one of its most celebrated fans, American actor James Dean, was piloting a PORSCHE 550 Spyder when he died in an accident in 1955 in California. A decade after the launch of the 356 model, more than 25,000 units were produced. By the end of the series, in 1965, it is estimated that 77,361 units of this model were manufactured, which has become a trademark icon. The history of the automaker began to change in 1963 when it was presenting the PORSCHE 911, which would become a myth of the automotive sector and icon maximum of the design of the brand. Conceived by the grandson of the founder of the company, this model would make PORSCHE known all over the world.

In 1969 there was the presentation at the Frankfurt Motor Show of the models 914-4 and 914-6, two competition cars with central engine. At this time, PORSCHE won for the second time the world championship of factory cars and, for the second consecutive year, PORSCHE 911 won the Monte Carlo rally. In 1971 the Development and Production Center was inaugurated in Weissach, which was to become the nervous heart of the German company. In this decade the German brand presented several innovations: magnesium rims as standard items in model 914 (1970); magnesium friezes and adjustable anti-cap bar in competition model 917 (1971); three-point seat belts placed as standard (1973); in addition to becoming the first car factory in the world to use standard galvanized steel bodies (1975).

In the middle of the next decade, in the year 1986, the PORSCHE 944 became the first European car with series airbags for driver and passenger to be sold in the United States. Soon after, in 1989, PORSCHE introduced a revolutionary technology in the automotive sector: the Tiptronic four-speed manual-operated or automatic transmission system launched on the CARRERA 2 911 model. And it was not long before another innovative concept emerged: concept car BOXSTER, presented at the Detroit Motor Show. In 1992 when everyone thought that the automaker would be bought by a large group of the sector, Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking became president of PORSCHE. The picture was worrying: the production had become unprofitable and the products weak and not very appealing to the consumer. The biggest example of ineffectiveness of the automaker: in January 1991 only three cars were sold in the United States, reaching the lowest point of the brand's sales in the country.

It was then that he brought to the headquarters of Zuffenhausen Japanese advisors from Kaizen who reorganized the production; whole phases of work were eliminated, the six hierarchical levels were reduced to four; the number of executives fell by 38%; and flexible working days were adopted. A part of the sanitation plans was the introduction of flexible structures and the reduction of costs. On the other hand, the unscrupulous models 928 and 968 were no longer produced, starting the development of a new car. In just four years came the new Boxster. The prototype was enthusiastically received at the Detroit Motor Show in January 1997. Dr. Wiedeking, a "workaholic", gave new impetus to the German automaker.

One had the impression that the goal was always the same: to increase production, revenue, profits and share prices on the Stock Exchange. The result was that PORSCHE has never built and sold as many vehicles as it has in recent years. Recently, PORSCHE became the main shareholder (30% of the shares) of the Volkswagen Group, and analysts predicted that it would not be too long before the German automaker bought the German giant. And they got it right, on March 3, 2008, the nanica, but profitable, PORSCHE took control of 51% of the Volkswagen Group. However, it did not resist the effects of the international financial crisis that began at the end of that year, which worsened the financial problems of the automaker, when its largest market, the United States, reduced the import volume of German sports cars by 50%. It should also be remembered that the German economy, the fourth in the world, has formally entered a recession. Breathless to pay the debt assumed with the purchase of the shares, it returned the majority control to Volkswagen. The two companies, whose presidents are cousins, then devised a plan that made PORSCHE a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. The carmaker benefited greatly from the agreement to join Volkswagen.

After Matthias Müller, the former head of Audi products, took over PORSCHE, the German brand announced its new projects, the 918 SPYDER, a super hybrid sportscar and the MACAN, a small sports utility officially launched in 2014 and has further expanded PORSCHE's most successful global segment. In addition to the new Cayenne (with even sharper styling, precise lines and eaves that reflect the strategically positioned light), which has already clearly consolidated its position in the market as the most successful sport utility in the luxury category. The automaker also invested heavily in hybrid cars. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid, Panamera S E-Hybrid and 918 Spyder make PORSCHE the only car manufacturer in the world to offer three hybrid models.

It was in this way that the brand PORSCHE became synonymous with daring, sportiness and luxury, positioning its main product as a car full of exclusivity. Innovations in the manufacture of sports cars and remarkable developments achieved by PORSCHE have always had a marked effect in the automotive industry, even in competing automakers. An example of this is the obsession with quality: the roof of a convertible PORSCHE has to be opened and closed a total of six thousand times inside an air-conditioning chamber at extreme heats, oscillating with temperatures of minus 10 degrees. Or that the side windows should be opened and closed about 40 thousand times. The doors are closed 100 thousand times. This testing methodology is the result of years of experience and guarantees the highest quality for a vehicle that carries the traditional PORSCHE brand coat.

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TOYOTA

There is no way to speak of TOYOTA without mentioning the deeds of the Toyoda family. At the end of the 19th century when Japan began its modernization process, Mr. Sakichi Toyoda, son of a humble carpenter, sought ways to improve manual loom. He lived in a small village where the women worked with this object and sought to use his great skill in carpentry to facilitate his mother's work. In 1907, he founded Toyoda Loom Works with a capital of 1 million yen. It was after much work and to have created the electric loom that in 1924 he created the first automatic loom with the help of his son Kiichiro, revolutionizing the country's textile industry with his innovative vision. Toyoda looms gained market by presenting lower prices and thus began to be exported.

Sakichi and his companies have suffered from the economic crises experienced by Japan because of the wars the country has gone through. But the entrepreneurial and creative spirit that Kiichiro inherited from his father did not allow the success of the family to stop. In the 1920s he traveled to the United States and Europe for novelties. During these trips he was able to get in touch with the automotive industry. Because it is still something new on the market, this industry has attracted Kiichiro's innovative sense. After a year of his father's death in 1930, he began working on the development of gasoline-powered combustion engines. In 1933, he founded the Automobile Division of Toyota Automatic Loom Works to take care of the production of vehicles. At this time, the original name of the Toyoda family was changed for ease of pronunciation, being called TOYOTA.

Finally, in 1935, he was able to produce the first prototype of a truck and passenger car (model A1) with the income obtained from the sale of the automatic loom patent that his father had invented for a British company and founded, on the day August 28, 1937, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, considered the first Japanese automaker. Already the following year, the automaker began to implement the "just-in-time" system in its production. It was argued that only what was strictly necessary should be produced and that it was necessary to observe the right moment and the right quantities. This philosophy of seeking to do more with less generated the well-known Toyota Production System, which is studied and admired nowadays for its constant concern to improve itself and the valorization of the commitment of its employees. In its first full year of operation, the new automaker sold an exact 4,013 cars.

With a decade of life, in 1947, TOYOTA already counted 100,000 vehicles produced, a number quite relevant to a time when the automotive industry still had a very weak technology compared to the current one. In addition, the value of this figure is even more evident when one thinks of the economic losses that the Second World War brought to the company. It was, without doubt, an important mark. The company's business began to expand to other countries, and auto exports gained increasing importance.

In 1950, the company owned 40% of Japan's auto sales market, being the largest vehicle manufacturer in the country. Shortly thereafter, in 1957, he exported the first Japanese car (the Jeep Land Cruiser) to the United States. But still this was nothing in relation to what was to come. TOYOTA enjoyed even greater success when it decided to enter the international market. It was in 1958 when he founded his first factory far from Japanese lands, increasing its recognition and growth. The destination: Brazil.

In 1964, in addition to a strong publicity campaign on North American soil, TOYOTA introduced the first pickup truck with the launch of the Stout 4x2. In that year 2,029 vehicles were exported to the American market, but with the strong campaign, the number moved to 38,073 units in 1967, doubling the following year with the introduction of the Corolla model. In the years that followed, the Japanese automaker introduced models that would become a leader in sales such as the Hilux pickup truck, the luxury Camry sedan, the RAV4 sports utility vehicle and the compact Prius hybrid. In addition, in 2002 the automaker created Scion, a brand focused on the American market with the goal of developing models specifically aimed at young audiences, where TOYOTA could innovate, test new things and create new car designs.

Efficiency and its obsession to become the world's largest automaker can be seen in 2005 when, according to a Newsweek International story, TOYOTA posted record profits of $ 11 billion, surpassing the gains of GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, together. Finally, in 2007, TOYOTA became the largest automobile company in the world, which was only foreseen for the following year, ousting the American giant General Motors. But severe financial crisis that plagued the world in 2008, put in jeopardy the efficiency of TOYOTA: a net loss of US $ 4.4 billion. This was the first time TOYOTA has closed a fiscal year with a red operating result since it began publishing its financial results in 1941. In early 2009, Akio Toyoda, the company's founder's grandson, and an executive with extensive international experience , was chosen for the position of president with the mission to lead the automaker amid the economic crisis and the global drop in sales. But the black period did not stop there: recently a recall of more than 10 million vehicles put in check the unshakable quality of the Japanese automaker, and costing billions of dollars for the company's coffers. Even so, its image seems not to have been so shaken and recent positive financial results prove that TOYOTA is a differentiated company in the automotive sector.

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DODGE

It all began in 1897, when brothers John and Horace Dodge received the first patent to manufacture bicycle components. As early as the beginning of 1900, the brothers decided to sell their bicycle company and with the money they inaugurated a small workshop for the production of stovepieces. But it was not long before the brothers decided to start producing parts for the auto industry. The production of parts began in 1901, in response to a request for 2,000 transmissions, made by Ransom E. Olds, who would equip Oldsmobile models. The following year, an even greater request, 3,000 transmissions, definitely transformed the brothers as suppliers of the automobile industry. One fact would change the fate of the brothers and their company: On February 28, 1903, Henry Ford hired the brothers to provide chassis and other parts for FORD's first model car, Model A. For almost 11 years, brothers were suppliers to the company of Henry Ford, with John reaching the position of vice president. However, unhappy with some decisions made by Henry Ford, the brothers decided in 1914 to implant a bigger dream: to develop and build their own car. It was the beginning of a success story. The first DODGE car left the assembly line on November 14, and was informally called "Old Betsy." On the same day the brothers took a small test drive through the streets of Detroit and the vehicle was dispatched to a Tennessee buyer. At this time, the company logo consisted of two triangles in blue and white, reminiscent of the Star of David. By the end of this year, 249 cars had been built by the Dodge Brothers Motor Company. As early as 1916, new models were introduced to its product line and DODGE was the fourth best-selling car brand in the United States with 70,700 units. The following year the automaker introduced its first truck, called by her of "Commercial Car". The success of their automobiles in the following decade led to the company, turning the two brothers into extremely wealthy men. During World War I DODGE returned to production for military vehicles, especially ambulances. After the brothers' death in 1920, DODGE BROTHERS was led by widows Matilda Rauch and Anna Thompson for a short time, and after being bought by a group of investors, joined the Chrysler Corporation in 1928, when Walter P. Chrysler paid $ 175 million to the automaker. In the 1930s, the company formed a partnership with Graham Brothers to manufacture commercial trucks and pickup trucks. The Graham Truck was made under the chassis DODGE. In the middle of the decade the company bought Graham Trucks and started the production of its own trucks, being born DODGE TRUCKS. In 1942, as a result of World War II, the company paralyzed the production of civilian automobiles and produced only military vehicles, components and aeronautical engines to supply American troops. After the conflict ended DODGE resumed production of civilian automobiles. Over the next decade, a new line of vehicles was introduced with a more modern image, characterized by a fish tail, bulging windscreens and door locks built into all cars. In 1953, DODGE introduced its famous Hemi V-8 engine. In 1956, she was the first automaker to pay attention to the female car market. The next year, the C Series, the third generation of DODGE Pickup trucks, used marketing to change its name to "Power Giant", entering into the cannibalistic competitiveness of the American market of this segment along with Ford and GM. No significant change was made until 1965, when the pickup line was fully re-stylized and modernized. The 1960s were of the utmost importance to DODGE. It began in 1960 with the launch of DODGE DART, the brand's entry point in the compact car segment. He underwent several aesthetic changes until becoming the DART known in Brazil.

In the following years DODGE launched two other very successful models: in 1966 it introduced the CHARGER, a muscle car, which became even better known when it became the star of the series " The Dukes of Hazzard "; and in 1967 it launched the DODGE CORONET RT, a sports car with a V8 engine, which was to become one of the hallmarks of the brand, being the gateway of DODGE to the segment of the average car in the United States. At the beginning of the next decade, in 1971, DODGE introduced the "Lifestyle" pickup, developed for the whole family and especially to be used in vacations. Almost at the end of this decade, in 1978, with the fuel crisis that plagued the United States, DODGE introduced the diesel pickup. It was also in this decade that the automaker entered the compact car market with the launch of DODGE OMNI models (a hatchback with front-wheel drive) and Colt, the latter in partnership with Mitsubishi. In 1981, the pickup line was re-stylized, gained new models such as the compact pickup DAKOTA, and under the command of the executive Lee Iacoca, who had taken over the automaker in 1978, the symbol of the mountain goat that was used between the decades of 30 and 50, returned to be part of the visual image of the mark, followed by the phrase "Ram Tough". Another launch of great impact was the van CARAVAN, launched in 1984 and that revolutionized the market in its category. The 1990s began with the launch of the DODGE VIPER, an ultra-sports car equipped with a V10 engine, and the DODGE INTREPID. Shortly thereafter, two of his biggest selling successes, DODGE NEON (a compact car launched in 1994, which became a major sales champion, especially for its reduced price) and the DODGE STRATUS (a large mid-size sedan that lavished comfort , released in 1995). In the following years DODGE completely renewed its line of vehicles with the addition of sport utility models and recreations of great successes such as CHARGER and CHALLENGER. Starting in 2000, as Chrysler's financial situation worsened, the DODGE brand saw a sharp decline in sales and a sharp drop in revenue. With the sale of Chrysler to Fiat in 2009, the DODGE brand became the property of the Italian automaker.

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SEAT

It all began in Spain in the post-war period in 1950, when it was to encourage the consumption of cars and develop the country's automobile industry (at that time there were 3.1 cars per 1,000 inhabitants), the state-owned National Institute of Industry (INI) , with the close collaboration of Fiat, founded the Spanish Society of Automobiles for Tourism on 9 May. The establishment of a Spanish carmaker was of extreme importance for the country, since it stimulated the growth and development of the industry: small producers of parts and components no longer needed to export their products.

Three years later, the new company opened a factory in the Barcelona free zone, producing its first car, called the SEAT 1400, an elegant and spacious model destined for the luxury market, being ideal to be used as a taxi and offered in a wide range of versions . With a daily production of five vehicles, the great demand demanded that there was a large stock. On June 27, 1957 began production of the SEAT 600, a response to the growing demand for a car more economical and accessible to the emerging Spanish middle class. With this model also begins the era of massive motorization, with the SEAT 600 becoming the Spanish symbol of mobility and freedom, often called "pellet" (small ball). Soon after came the SEAT 800, being considered the most significant model of the brand for having achieved great acceptance in the Spanish middle class.

The first exports happened in 1965, when a few units of their cars were shipped to Colombia. The following year, the 850 model, which shared the same mechanical base as the SEAT 600, came on the market, but offered more space and comfort, as well as better performance. This model was the first vehicle to offer a wide variety of versions - including a sporty, four-door and adaptable. Shortly thereafter, in 1968, the production of automobiles reached the impressive mark of 1 million units. In 1973 the construction of the technical center began in Martorell, metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona, ​​which became operational two years later.

Despite this, the euphoria of SEAT's rapid growth was interrupted for a time by the unexpected shock of the 1973 and 1977 energy crisis and General Franco's death in 1975, which caused profound changes in the Spanish political structure. At the end of this decade, in 1979, the presentation of the SEAT RITMO, an innovative and versatile vehicle, determined the way SEAT's design should be during the 1980s. The 1980s began with the signing of industrial and operating with Volkswagen in 1982. With this, the technology and design of the cars of the Spanish automaker have evolved in a frightening way. From this moment, SEAT cars began to be recognized in the European market due to its Mediterranean design combined with the efficient German technology.

Shortly after, in 1984, the company introduced the IBIZA model, one of its greatest commercial successes. In the year 1986 Volkswagen acquired approximately 75% of the shares of the Spanish automaker. It was in that same year that exports began to Europe, with the Netherlands receiving the first models of the Spanish brand. Also this year was created the sport division of the company, known as SEAT SPORT. In 1990 Volkswagen increased its shareholding in the company to 99.99% and officially changed its name to SEAT S.A. (an abbreviation of Spanish Society of Tourism Automobiles). The following year TOLEDO was launched, the first model developed within the Volkswagen group. On November 22, 1993 the factory of Martorell was inaugurated by King Juan Carlos I of Spain. Thus, in 1995, the SEAT number of 10 million was produced.

The following year, in addition to winning the world rally title with an IBIZA model, which earned him great international acceptance, he presented his first mini-van, a model called ALHAMBRA, to the market. With the arrival of the new millennium, the company decided to reposition SEAT as a sports brand, being integrated into the group of sports brands of the Volkswagen Group, which also includes Audi and Lamborghini. As a result, in 2002 SEAT and Audi began to promote joint design, research and development management, using shared assembly lines, thus providing greater coverage of the market segments. In addition, the slogan "SEAT. Auto emoción ", reflected the values ​​of the brand including the design and the sporting character.

The year 2012 was marked by great news and many changes. They started with the brand's new visual identity and a new slogan. In addition, its range of models has been expanded and renewed with the launch of the tiny SEAT Mii, which with its 3.56 meters in length, numerous possibilities of customization and jovial design is an ideal model for large cities. SEAT also adopted a new positioning. When you sit behind the wheel of a car of the Spanish brand, you do not just start a journey. Start an experiment. An experience that captures the imagination and touches the emotions. This is the essence of ENJOYNEERING, which the consumer will find in all new models that use the SEAT logo, including the Ecomotive and E-Ecomotive line of environmentally friendly cars. It is the philosophy behind everything the brand does, guiding it in the development of new and innovative concepts in the future.

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ACURA

Just as US automakers offered decades of more luxurious versions of the same car design, the Japanese automotive industry saw this diversification as a good strategy for the huge, ravenous American market in the 1980s. With that, Honda, founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, created ACURA (pronounced É-kiu-ra), as a response to the creation of Lexus (by Toyota in 1983) and Infiniti (by Nissan in 1985), for the development of automobiles originally targeted to the American market. In less than a year, after lengthy market research, Honda's dedicated Japanese engineers defined what the first ACURA cars would look like. Even though it was the last of the three Japanese brands to be created, ACURA was the first to introduce cars to the American and Canadian markets on March 27, 1986, through the inauguration of 60 dealers in 18 states. The new brand has made available to the public two models: the LEGEND luxury sedan and the compact INTEGRA. The Legend was originally offered in the sedan version (4.8m in length), providing the coupe model (4.7m) the following year. Based on the Honda Civic, in terms of mechanics and platform, the Integra was offered with 1.5L and 1.6L engines, in the sedan (five-door) and hatchback (three-door) versions.

One year after launch, ACURA already had the best-selling imported luxury model in the United States. 109,000 Legend units and 55,000 Integra units were commercialized. With only four years of market, in 1990, ACURA presented the public with a true icon in the segment of super sports cars: the NSX, the world's first automobile to be produced in aluminum monobloc, which provided a 40% weight of a similar steel. Made for two people, and inspired by the F-16 fighter, it favored visibility and had aggressive lines, retractable headlights, and large side air intakes. Already the engine was a three-liter natural aspiration, without turbo or compressor and produced 273 hp. With this engine, the NSX reached 270 km / h and had an acceleration from zero to 100 km / h in 5.6 seconds, and - was the answer to the Italian and German supersports of the time. The numbers were equivalent to those of the Porsche 911 and the Ferrari 348. The NSX would only receive major aesthetic upgrades in 2002: it would lose its retractable headlights and gain 17-inch wheels on both axles. The mechanical and performance characteristics would remain the same except for the NSX-R version, which relinquished certain convenience items, such as air conditioning, to reduce weight.

The second generation of Integra was also launched in 1990 and introduced significant advancements for the category, such as ABS and dual air-bag brakes, as well as the variable VTEC intake control, providing better performance without increasing fuel consumption. In 1991 the brand launched its vehicles in Hong Kong, initiating a timid international expansion. And the following year expanded its offer to the American market with the VIGOR model, based on the Honda Accord, but with more standard equipment. Shortly thereafter, in 1995, ACURA entered a new segment by launching its first utility vehicle, the mid-size SLX, based on the Suzuki Tropper, which offered diesel and gasoline engines. The first generation of the ACURA RL, launched in 1996, was a renamed version of Legend's third generation.

Although sales declined from the mid-1990s, the brand experienced a resurgence in the early 2000s, mainly due to drastic changes in design and new model presentations. First, in 2000, ACURA entered a new market category with the launch of MDX, the brand's first major sports utility. The expansion of the line of models still included the TSX (2004), a medium sedan. After entering the American and Canadian market, ACURA set out for new horizons and established itself in Mexico in 2004, in China in 2006 and in Japan in 2008. During this period, ACURA expanded its range of vehicles with the launch of RDX ( 2006), a compact sports utility. As of 2009, ACURA began the launch of new models such as ZDX (2009), a medium-sized crossover; the TSX Sport Wagon (2010), the first Japanese brand wagon; the ILX (2012), a compact sedan; the RLX (2013), a large sedan and the most luxurious on the line; and the TLX (2014), a mid-sized sedan. In recent years ACURA has entered new markets such as Russia in 2014 (left two years later due to weak sales) and Kuwait (2015).

After a hiatus of more than 10 years without being produced, in 2016 ACURA presented the new generation of the NSX, one of the most legendary sports in the Land of the Rising Sun. The new generation has a 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbo engine mounted by hand in a process that takes more than six hours in addition to full-wheel drive. The aerodynamic part makes the new NSX is totally different from its predecessor: it is more subtle, appears to be more compact, but still shows personality. The design of the car was designed to complement the performance and also contribute to the thermal dynamics of the vehicle - all without losing the style. The model is manufactured in the state of Ohio, being the most expensive car ever manufactured in the United States, overtaking the Dodge Viper. In the US market, the entry version costs $ 156,000, while the top line reaches $ 220,000.

In 2016, ACURA celebrated the 10 years of its arrival in China and to celebrate the occasion, decided to bet even stronger on the Asian giant. One of the main bets is the CDX, the first vehicle of the brand locally manufactured and developed mainly thinking of the tastes of Chinese consumers. The vehicle is very similar in size to the Honda HR-V (compact utility) although it is a bit longer and wider and its focus is clearly premium, like the entire ACURA line. In relation to the design draws attention to a pentagonal grid and a large logo, as well as the design of the headlights and taillights with LED technology.

The innovation ACURA has always been innovative in the segment of luxury vehicles, being pioneer in several innovations. It pioneered the incorporation of multi-valve engines in the year 1986. It was also the first in the world to offer panel navigation. Then also displaying real-time traffic on the dashboard. After debuting on the 1997 RL model, the center-panel navigator on the dashboard has become standard on all brand models. The MDX was the first seven-passenger vehicle with three rows of seats. The automobile industry had to familiarize itself with the term "torque vector" to describe what the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) did, which first appeared in the RL model in 2004, and became a signature of ACURA for its entire line. The SH-AWD is an all-wheel drive system that operates with uneven torque distribution between wheels on the same axle to improve cornering behavior.

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LAND ROVER

It all began in 1947 when engineering director Rover Maurice Wilks and his brother Spencer Wilks, then chief executive officer, were impressed by the good performance and versatility of the Jeep Willys in tackling bad dirt roads and a lot of mud. The legendary vehicle had been one of the main protagonists of World War II, participating in all the theaters of war activity of the conflict, and that they used in their cottage, located in Anglesey. At that time there was a growing market demand for these military vehicles. As a good market observer and visionary, Maurice was sure that a small 4 × 4-wheel-drive farm, capable of transporting people and still able to perform some tasks on a farm, such as carrying loads or providing traction for implements (including plows), would undoubtedly be a success. The new model was devised on the Red Wharf Welsh beach when engineers ingenuously drew on the sand the shape of a car that would be perpetuated throughout history. It was easy to retrofit a Rover 1.6 engine, develop a better freewheel transfer case, adapt various power take-offs, and then begin testing. All of this was developed on the family estate located in Newborough, Anglesey. Land-Rover (with hyphen, which lasted until 1978) should be simple in terms of design, materials, manufacturing processes and repairs. But structurally strong. The prototype, mounted on the chassis of a Jeep, was curious to have the steering wheel and the only seat in the center position.

Finally on April 30, 1948, the automaker launched the first LAND ROVER SERIE I, at the Amsterdam Motor Show, at a cost of £ 450 and whose first sales were made at agricultural fairs. Initial production was only 3,048 units. The chassis number 861010 (a prototype) was delivered at Buckingham Palace this fall. He was transported to Balmoral, where the king used it in place of his horse. The final version of the LAND ROVER had three seats and bodywork made of Birmabright, an aluminum-magnesium based alloy that had a high corrosion resistance, which made the vehicles known for their durability even in the worst weather conditions. With extremely robust construction and features such as reduced front and rear projections, it has left the production line ready to tackle some of the world's most demanding floors and obstacles. One of the characteristics that marked LAND ROVER in its beginning was the fact that all the produced models come in different shades of light green. The choice of this color was dictated by the excess paint left over from World War II, used in the camouflage of military vehicles.

Designed with brilliant simplicity to provide extraordinary capabilities with unmatched strength and durability, this vehicle has become widely used on farms for plowing, pulling agricultural implements, loading products and even animals, or used for military purposes and even for safaris . It is estimated that about two-thirds of the vehicles produced at that time are still in circulation in the world, probably in the most inhospitable places and in the hands of those who like to break it.

In 1949, the brand's first vehicles were exported to the United States and Canada. By the mid-1950s, the LAND ROVER brand had become synonymous with durability and excellence in the off-road vehicle segment. After all, by creating a vehicle that brought the user full confidence, whatever the terrain, the brand encouraged a new generation of adventurers and trailblazers. After the 1.6-liter Rover engine was replaced by a 2.0-liter (1951), to widen the cargo area, the wheelbase was extended to 86 inches in 1953. The following year the "Station Wagon" versions 7 and 10 passengers. Three years later were released the versions with diesel engine, known as 107 (distance in inches between the axles). In 1958 the LAND ROVER SERIE II was presented, according to the model of the brand, with a change of body, which was wider, hydraulic clutch and 6 cylinder engine as an optional item, which won a slightly more refined design, reminding one more car ride than an agricultural implement. As early as 1959 LAND ROVER reached the mark of 250,000 vehicles produced. Shortly thereafter, in 1961, the LAND ROVER SERIES IIA appeared, which had more power and capacity for 12 seats. The English utility gained more modern features in 1969, when it went through a restyling in which the headlights left the grid and went to the mudguards, a requirement to meet the new lighting regulations.

In the following years the automaker introduced revolutionary models that tried to reach a younger audience, such as the RANGE ROVER, the luxury vehicle of the brand that incorporated all the capabilities of a LAND ROVER with the high level of comfort of vehicles of conventional passengers (for the first time in history), equipped with V8 engine produced by the American Buick, disc brake and permanent four-wheel drive, helical springs and semi-monoblock body, launched exactly on June 17, 1970; and the SERIE III model with an 88- and 109-inch wheelbase, a fully synchronized gearbox and more powerful brakes in 1971. Shortly thereafter, in 1976, LAND ROVER reached the mark of 1 million vehicles manufactured.

The success of the brand models in the segment "out of debut" culminated, in 1983, with the dispute of the traditional Camel Trophy rally exclusively with vehicles LAND ROVER. By 1985 the brand's vehicles were already sold in 120 countries around the world. Almost a decade later, in 1994, BMW bought the Rover Group from Britisth Aerospace and introduced the second version of the classic Range Rover model. In 2003, the German company sold the LAND ROVER division to the American company Ford Motor Company for £ 1.8 billion. The following year saw the first edition of the Land Rover G4 Challenge, a new automotive category aimed at rejuvenating the brand and replacing the traditional Camel Trophy rally. Exactly on May 8, 2007 LAND ROVER reached a historic mark: the number 4 million vehicle, an LR3 model, left the production lines and was donated to the Born Free Foundation, a British conservation and rescue institution of animals. On March 26, 2008, LAND ROVER was purchased for $ 2.3 billion, along with the traditional Jaguar, by the Indian automaker Tata Motors, led by the daring businessman Ratan Tata. In the following years the traditional British brand presented true sales successes, such as the RANGE ROVER EVOQUE in 2011 and more recently the DISCOVERY SPORT, whose global presentation took place in 2013 through a test drive in Iceland, entitled to covered road by ice, snowstorm, side winds of up to 80 km / h and a river formed by thaw. In addition, the brand announced that its historic DEFENDER model will no longer be manufactured by the end of 2015.

Nowadays, the innovation culture of the brand is responsible for the development of new models, greater refinement, more innovative technologies, greater efficiency and smaller emissions. And it remains active with initiatives such as e_Terrain technology (developed in 2006 that increases the environmental performance of vehicles by reducing CO2 emissions), Sustainable Production and CO2 Compensation. With a robust and reliable mobility platform, numerous organizations around the world have adopted LAND ROVER vehicles to transport people and equipment in the most extreme situations in absolute safety. In more than 65 years, the history of the brand, combines courage and adventure with learning about excellence in engineering, always with ears attentive to its loyal followers for whom, LAND ROVER is a legend.

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VOLVO

The central idea for the brand's emergence began to flourish in Stockholm in Sweden in 1924, when economist Assar Gabrielsson and engineer Gustaf Larson, his childhood colleagues, met in a restaurant. The idea of ​​building the safest automobile in the world came after Assar Gabrielsson's wife died in an accident. After hours of chat, they both had the idea of ​​designing a genuinely Swedish car that would be extremely safe and suited to the harsh climatic conditions of that country. And for this they received the support of the company SKF, traditional manufacturer of bearings where Assar was sales manager and from which the new assembler became subsidiary. The first car, equipped with a 28-hp 4-cylinder engine, capable of reaching 90 kilometers per hour, and named VOLVO ÖV4, popularly known as Jakob, left the assembly line of the city of Gothenburg only on April 14, 1927. This four-person vehicle with retractable roof (OV is the initials of "open vehicle") was designed for the Scandinavian climate, using in addition to the excellent Swedish steel components of high quality. The cars are already leaving the assembly line with the traditional diagonal stripes on the radiator grille, symbol of the brand to this day. During its first year of production, the company sold only 300 cars.

The new company then produced vehicles with a closed roof, designed to withstand the country's rigid climate. In the year of 1928 and company began the production of small trucks of 1.5 tons. It was in that same year that VOLVO began exporting its automobiles to frigid Finland. The ÖV4 was replaced by the model PV651 in 1929. Its success in the market helped the young company to buy its engine manufacturer and thus become a serious producer of automobiles. In the year 1932, the company already produced about 900 cars per year, entering the bus manufacturing segment two years later with the B1 model. Shortly after, in 1935, when VOLVO AB opened its capital on the Swedish stock exchange, SKF sold most of its stock in the company. Shortly after, he presented the PV36, known as Carioca (name of a dance that was in fashion at that time). It was considered an advanced car for that time, thanks to the aerodynamic body, more rounded than the other models of the brand. Among the novelties, the bold headlights built into the body. In those early years VOLVO, despite having achieved great success with the commercialization of trucks and buses, while at the same time committing itself to building safer cars, was not without a high mortality rate in accidents. To combat this reputation, VOLVO made a huge commitment to marketing and especially to research that would result in safety innovations that would make the Swedish automaker an icon of the auto industry.

Sweden's position of neutrality in World War II allowed car production not to be disrupted during the period, although much of it was directed at military vehicles. VOLVO's first post-war car was the compact PV-444 sedan, launched in 1944, which featured a monobloc body, independent front suspension, low fuel consumption and was fitted as standard with a rolled windshield for accidents. The vehicle was responsible for popularizing the brand in Sweden and was successful during the 22 years it was marketed. With this model also, the automaker placed practically "one foot" inside the American market. In 1956 was launched the VOLVO AMAZON, the first car to incorporate the current three point system of the seat belt. Once again it was VOLVO coming out ahead of its competitors.

In 1961 the VOLVO P1800 was launched, a sport that remained for many years in design and that allowed an even greater expansion of the automaker for the lucrative American market. This model gained notoriety in the TV for being the car of the British actor Roger Moore in the series "The Santo". Shortly thereafter, in 1964, the automaker opened a new factory near the city of Torslanda. During this same period VOLVO was ready to start producing its cars in Belgium with the inauguration of another factory. The number one million car was an Amazonas model, manufactured in 1966. Later that year the company introduced two great innovations: the rear glass defroster and the disc brake on all wheels. Shortly thereafter, the new series of cars using the three-digit designation, the 140 series was introduced. Initially, the first digit referred to the series, the second to the number of engine cylinders and the third to the number of doors. This line was the first to debut the most rectilinear or square design, which for decades was characteristic of the car maker. 

In the following years, VOLVO launched numerous models such as the popular 240, the 740, 760, 940 and 960 sedans. These cars featured rectangular design and most were luxury models. During this period a fact marked the history of the automaker: in 1983 the company celebrated the mark of five million cars sold since its inception. In the 1990s VOLVO launched an all-new model, the 850, a passenger car that won numerous awards for handling and safety features. In 1999, the car division, known as VOLVO CARS, was sold to the American automaker Ford Motor Company, so the company wanted to focus all efforts on the production of commercial vehicles. This division remained in Swedish hands acting in the manufacture of trucks, buses, heavy construction, shipyards and aeronautical industry (engines). From this moment on, the brand VOLVO has been used by two different companies. At this time, the deal for Ford was a great opportunity to realize the advantages of acquiring a medium-sized, profitable, respected and respected European automaker for its safety aspects.

In more than a decade under American management, VOLVO increased its range of vehicles, became more luxurious, introduced in 2005 its first models with FLEX engines, but never managed to generate the expected profits. And that situation culminated in March 2010, due to the huge financial crisis experienced by Ford at the time, with the sale of the traditional Swedish automaker for approximately $ 1.8 billion to China's largest privately owned automaker, Geely.

More recently, VOLVO has begun selling Cross Country versions of some of its models (such as V60, S60 and V40) to reach a younger audience. These versions look adventurous and sporty with high suspension, special wheels, plastic parts, redesigned bumper and side skirts. In early 2015, the automaker announced plans to build its first factory in the United States, six decades after it began its sales in the country. The new plant will join existing ones in Sweden, Belgium, China and Malaysia. VOLVO has been struggling to regain its profits. In 2014, the company sold 465,866 cars worldwide, breaking the 2007 record.

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FERRARI

It is impossible to speak in the creature without mentioning its great creator: Comendattori Enzo Anselmo Ferrari Born on February 18, 1898, in the Italian city of Modena, Enzo Ferrari wanted to be an opera singer or competition pilot. He quickly gave up being a singer for lack of voice and hearing. Only the second option remained. After being a mechanic, in 1919 decided to be a pilot and participated in a race (for the first time) in Parma Bercetto, where he was placed fourth (the race was won by Antonio Ascari, father of Alberto Ascari, who was to die behind the wheel of a FERRARI). In the following years worked for Alfa Romeo like competition pilot, being later responsible for the division of car competition. On November 16, 1929, he did what history consecrated as his great master stroke: he created the Scuderia Ferrari, the first independent motoring team of the factories, but linked to Alfa Romeo. Initially the company did not produce automobiles, it only sponsored riders and race cars already manufactured. Enzo Ferrari left Alfa Romeo, founded on 13 September 1939, in the city of Modena, the Auto Avio Costruzion and spent the Second World War manufacturing agricultural equipment and even cars. The first car built entirely by him, made during the conflict, was named Model 815, because he could not put his surname on any car, because of the contract he had signed with Alfa Romeo.

Only in 1946, after the end of the world-wide conflict and the fall of the regime of Mussolini, it constructed the first car of race that took its last name: the Ferrari 125S. And it amazed the world by developing in a precarious facility, but with a competent and enthusiastic team, an engine as powerful as the V12 that equipped it, something very advanced for the time. The model debuted with victory in the Grand Prix of Rome, disputed around the Baths of Caracalla, 25 of May of 1947, piloted by Franco Cortese. Since then, FERRARI has won more than 5,000 victories in auto racing. At this point, Commander Enzo started building some cars to sell to customers, just enough to finance his racing team. In 1951 he got his first Formula 1 victory at the Silverstone circuit with driver José Froilán González. And in 1956 the brand story would change radically. The Argentine pilot Juan Manuel Fangio would conquer the world title piloting a FERRARI.

Despite the successful partnership between the renowned Pininfarina design studio with FERRARI having started in 1952 with FERRARI 212, it was not until 1959 that the first model resulting from this union was effectively seen by the world. This year the first FERRARI with the signature Pininfarina, 250 GT SWB, was presented at the Paris Salon and produced two years later in a series limited to 200 units. Despite this, in 1961 times began to become difficult for FERRARI, after internal conflicts that led to the departure of several members of the top management. The automaker, however, has managed to achieve a large number of victories in major competitions and raise its name in the automotive scene. In parallel to the competitions, FERRARI developed and marketed super sports cars that increasingly became dreams for the richest men in the world. All technology developed on the tracks was transferred or adapted to their sports, whose design, in addition to visually enchanting, had a sensational performance. And this is due to the collaboration between the designer Sergio Pininfarina (1926-2012) and FERRARI. The partnership gained even more momentum in this decade when Pininfarina himself convinced Enzo Ferrari to change the design and positioning of sports car engines.

In 1969, with the company facing several economic problems, FIAT bought 50% of its shares, thus guaranteeing that FERRARI did not become a popular brand. In the 1970s, as the costs of the escuderia began to rise rapidly, it increased the number of FERRARI cars for sale. With this operation, the company in Maranello began to grow exponentially, the plant was expanded, the test track was built in Fiorano and dozens of operations, such as a wind tunnel, autoclaves, computerized design and crash test simulator.

August 14, 1988 was a black day for the brand, when at age 90, Commander Enzo left the world and FERRARI, which manufactured and sold sports cars just to cover the costs of the Formula 1 team. With the death of the Commander and the appointment of a former employee, Mr. Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, to take on the responsibility of making FERRARI a modern and profitable company. This was a real revolution in the 1990s. One of his first actions was to hire the Frenchman Jean Todt to restructure the Formula 1 team, makes endo-a return to the glorious times. The result: the team resurfaced from the ashes in 1997, when German driver Michael Schumacher won the runner-up by driving the red car; and car sales grew like never before seen in the following years. In addition, in 1997 FERRARI acquired 50% of Maserati, gaining full control of the brand in 1999. FERRARI continued to achieve great achievements in the automotive competition, winning the Formula 1 in the constructors category from 1999 to 2004 with the riders Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.

At the end of 2015, FERRARI opened its capital in the Stock Exchange, becoming an independent company of the group Fiat Chrysler. The Italian company raised $ 893 million in its IPO, whose event featured eight coveted brand machines parked on Wall Street and a legion of onlookers around. According to executives FERRARI is a strong brand, with its own brilliance and, alone, has a chance to become a brand even more valued. Peiro Ferrari, son of Comendador Enzo, has a 10% stake in the automaker. The power of a FERRARI is so much that in 2016, a legendary car of the 1957 brand sold for $ 35 million, an absolute record for a car sold at auction. It was the 335 S Spider, driven in the 24 hours of Le Mans by British rider Mike Hawthorn.

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RENAULT

The story of the automaker derives from a real adventure, when the first orders were made to French industrialist Louis Renault, who at age 21 built his first car in the backyard of his mother's house. On December 24, 1898, his friends challenged him to climb Lepic, the steepest street in Paris, driving the "Voiturette A", a car built by him on the basis of a tricycle. Louis Renault was able to carry out the feat thanks to the innovative direct transmission of the vehicle (that is, the gearbox that is nowadays implanted in all vehicles) and received its first 12 orders there. On February 25, 1899 the brothers Renault, Louis, Marcel and Fernand, opened their factory on Boulevard Du Cours Boulogne-Billancourt with the name of Renault Fréres. That same year, at the Paris Motor Show the new company presented its first two car models: Type A and B. Both had 450 cc engines and only in that year were 76 units produced.

In 1901, the automaker introduced the D and E models, and inaugurated a new factory in Belgium. The following year, the first RENAULT engine was built, allowing the brothers to win the Paris-Vienna race between France and Austria. With 16 horsepower this engine had an average speed of 63 miles per hour, a very impressive number for the time. In addition, this year the first patent for a turbocharged engine was achieved. The siblings quickly realized the publicity and spotlight that could attract the participation of their vehicles in auto competitions and reached fast success and recognition in the first races of city to the city in France. Both competed with models from their factory, but Marcel died at the age of 31 in a car accident during a race between Paris and Madrid in 1903. Although Louis Renault no longer competed after this tragic event, his company remained involved in including the victory of a RENAULT model AK 90CV winner of the first Grand Prix in 1906, with over thirty minutes of lead over second place. Shortly before, in 1905, the brothers ventured into a new area: engines for aeronautics. And they succeeded, beating records of speed in the air.

Still in 1906, the first bus produced by the automaker, called the Omnibus, was launched in the market. With the death of Fernand in the year 1909, the company was renamed LES AUTOMOBILES RENAULT. Just before the outbreak of World War I in 1913, RENAULT already produced 10,000 cars a year, had 5,000 employees and faced its first strike. During the conflict, the automaker directed its efforts to manufacture ammunition, military aircraft and vehicles such as the famous Renault FT-17 tank. In the midst of a ruined economy and strong American competition, Louis Renault built a new factory and diversified production, manufacturing buses, tractors and commercial vehicles. RENAULT has grown and extended its operations to 49 countries around the world.

The automaker was also a pioneer in the production of its vehicles, integrating already in 1919 the manufacture of all the components, from the steel to the tires. RENAULT and Citröen competed in competition at this time, forcing both to innovate and to dare, producing ever better and more attractive vehicles for consumers. It was only in 1920 that a new model of the car was introduced, the Renault 10 CV, followed by the 6CV in 1922. In 1925 the popular 40CV emerged, the first car to use the famous diamond-shaped symbol that is now part of the French brand. Two years later, Monasix was introduced, which, after being improved in 1928, became a major success of the brand with consumers. It was during this period that the French automaker began exporting its vehicles to the United Kingdom. The first compact produced by the brand was the Juvaquatre, in 1937, already with independent front suspension and hydraulic brake control. It was a two-door car, 1,003 ccm engine and 24 hp power.

During World War II, the factories of Louis Renault worked for the Nazi Germany, producing trucks. By virtue of this, he was arrested during the liberation of France in 1944 and died in prison before preparing his defense. Its industrial assets were confiscated by the government of General Charles De Gaulle and the factories became a public company (known in French by Régie Nationale des Usines Renault). It was from this time, as a state, that the automaker took on the challenge of proving that it could be as competitive as a private company. During the war, the automaker's factories produced military materials, and it was not until 1946 that the production of passenger cars was resumed. The following year, it was finally launched its first truly popular model, the Renault 4CV, which would become one of the most important cars in the history of the automotive industry and "grandfather" of Gordini, given the enormous success it achieved, selling half a million units until the closure of its production in 1961. The success of this compact model proved the economic viability of the brand, giving it new impetus in a period of difficulties and uncertainties.

From 1955, the company intensified one of its vocations, the export, becoming the largest industrial exporter in France. The success of the sales had like highlights the compact models, as for example, the Renault 4 in 1961, that would come to sell more than 8 million units; the top of the line Renault 16 launched in 1965, which revolutionized traditional values ​​with its rear door and modularity, and would become the first RENAULT to win the title of Car of the Year; and the Renault 5, a small and popular car launched in 1972, which would become one of the company's biggest successes, much because of its economy in the period of the oil crisis that the world experienced. In 1982, RENAULT became the second European automaker, behind only Volkswagen, to produce automobiles in the United States. The Alliance, American version of the RENAULT 9, was the first car produced on American soil. Other successes were launched in the 1980s, such as the extraordinary R9 in 1981, the Renault 25 (high-end car) in 1984 and the Super5.

In 1991, the automaker decided to end with the designation of car models by numbers, a tradition since its foundation. In this decade, RENAULT entered a new stage of its history, passing again to the private initiative in the year 1996. Its capacity for innovation was highlighted mainly by successful launches such as the compact Clio, the versatile Twingo, the luxurious Laguna, the popular Mégane, the functional Scénic and the daring Kangoo. On January 2, 2001 REANULT sold its subdivision of industrial vehicles (known as "Renault Véhicules Industriels"), created in 1978, to the Swedish Volvo, which renamed it RENAULT TRUCKS in 2002. In 2005, the Brazilian Carlos Ghosn, who was until then executive of Nissan, assumed the position of CEO of RENAULT in replacement of Louis Schweitzer, who commanded the French automaker of 1992 until this period.

On February 9, 2006, Carlos Ghosn announced the Renault Contrat 2009 plan with which the brand would seek to continue its innovative spirit with plans as ambitious as becoming one of the automakers that least pollute the environment. On December 8, 2007, RENAULT announced a partnership with Russian state-owned companies to revitalize AvtoVAZ and the traditional Lada brand. The launch of Koleos (the first 4X4 crossover utility of the automaker) was the 11th model of the 26 announced to boost the growth of RENAULT in the world. With the launch of a 4X4 Crossover, the automaker continued its product offensive and completed its car offering, proposing an unprecedented model in the history of the brand.

In 2008, RENAULT made nine world launches. Despite the severe financial crisis that the world went through in 2010, the automaker broke a record sales record with 2.6 million units sold. In Europe alone, more than 1.6 million vehicles were sold. In recent years RENAULT has modernized and refurbished its line of vehicles with the launch of models such as the compact SUV DUSTER (which became the world's best-selling car in the world), the ZOE electric car, the compact crossover with bold CAPTUR , most recently the luxurious TALISMAN. In addition, the French automaker signed a partnership with Dongfeng in 2013, creating its first joint venture to produce its vehicles in China.

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JAGUAR

The story The embryo of the JAGUAR brand was created on 11 September 1922 in the English town of Blackpool when William Lyons and his friend William Walmsley, two young motorcycle enthusiasts, founded a company called Swallow Sidecar Company in a small garage. The new company initially produced only Sidecars (a sort of side stand to be coupled on motorcycles). In 1926, the company diversified its business, starting to produce car bodies for the Austin Seven factory, an English model that was tremendously popular at the time. The first order, 500 units, was made by a man named Henly, owner of a London dealership. It was a good start for the company and an opportunity to diversify its business. The factory was moved to the city of Coventry in 1928, and a few years later, due to the great success of its bodies, it decided to produce its first cars: the SSI models (with extremely low body and the outrageously long bonnet) and SSII which made a good impression at the London Motor Show in 1931.

Thus, in 1934, SS CARS was officially born. Lyons began to focus on the mechanical improvement of vehicles. First, he hired Harry Weslake, a well-known engineer who specializes in engine design and design. He then created the Engineering Department and appointed as its chief engineer the young William Heynes, who would have great importance for the company in the next three decades. In 1935, the company began producing more powerful, high-performance automobiles. These were the first cars with the brand JAGUAR (model SS 100) to be produced. The name JAGUAR was suggested by the advertising agency of the company at the time, because the word passed the concept of grace, elegance, strength, agility and speed (characteristics of the animal of the same name). Typical of a communications adviser, Lyons hosted a luncheon at the Mayfair Hotel in London to present the new model to the press a few days before its debut at the Motor Show. The SS Jaguar's 2½-liter four-door was presented with pomps, receiving many favorable reviews. The first JAGUAR car to win a race was the SS 100 in 1936, led by journalist Tom Wisdom and his wife, who won the International Alpine Trial. It was a good start for the exhibition of the new car and the JAGUAR brand.

Then came World War II, and the SS became associated with SchutzStaffel, the Nazi party's paramilitary organization. To avoid problems, the company was renamed JAGUAR, named after one of its models produced in the 1930s. During the war, the production of sidecars was increased for military use, with almost 10,000 units being produced. In addition, airplanes and the production of war components have had an additional beneficial effect with the implementation of aeronautical design and technology. Shortly after the end of the conflict the sidecar division was sold and the four-door, 1½, 2½ and 3½ liter convertible vehicles were reintroduced to kick off major export initiatives. The 3½ liter version consumed too much fuel for the English market, but was ideal for the United States, where most of the units were exported.

It was like JAGUAR that the brand achieved the big milestones in its history, starting with the luxurious Mark V sedans. But the best of the post-war years was yet to come, and it came about quite by accident. The company was thinking only of building a two-seater convertible for the launch of the XK engine (which would equip the brand's big sedans). There were six in-line cylinders and double valve control on the aluminum head. The sportsman would have restricted manufacturing. The premiere at the London Salon of 1948 changed the direction of the company, which did not expect such success. Orders flooded, and by the end of the event, there were enough orders for a year of production of the car, named XK120, which would become one of the best sporting models in the history of the auto industry. The following year the model began to be delivered and gained fame in the United States. Beyond beautiful, it was the fastest series car of the season, accelerating from 0 to 100 km / h in nine seconds. In the most powerful versions, it surpassed 200 km / h.

And it was with the XK engine that JAGUAR gained prominence in auto competitions, still in the decade of 50, with the C-Type racing car, winner of the traditional test 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 and 1953. Not enough, it was also the first with disc brakes. His successor, also produced only for the race of automotive tests, was the D-Type model, of a single place. There were three consecutive victories at Le Mans from 1955 to 1957. JAGUAR produced on a small scale a street version of the two-seat model, called XKSS. In 1960 the company acquired Daimler, a pioneer company in the world auto industry. The automaker needed more space and Daimler had a large factory in Coventry, where the engine production would subsequently be transferred. The following year, JAGUAR revolutionized the sports car market with the bold design of the E-Type model. The car was extremely fast, with great acceleration, flexibility and comfort, in addition to the imposing aspect.

In a new attempt to win at Le Mans, the brand built between 1964 and 1966 a racing car with a central V12 engine. It was the beautiful XJ13, which took a long time to get ready and was never put to run officially. Sir Williams retired from the company in 1972, being one of the most exceptional and influential men in the automotive segment, in addition to being a talented designer. The following year was released the new version of XJ and in 1975 the XJ Coupe. The convertible version hit the market in 1983. After several mergers and separations with other manufacturers, in 1989 the JAGUAR was bought by the American Ford.

he 1990 world recession, which has resulted in more difficult marketing conditions, particularly in the luxury vehicle segment, has resulted in reduced sales of brand cars in many markets. However, despite the recession, JAGUAR was able to set sales records in Germany, Italy and Japan that year. The company was then restructured. The objectives centered on three key points: continuous improvement of product quality, increased production efficiency and development and deployment of a new and exciting range of models. With sales showing no signs of recovery, JAGUAR faced a critical situation. A drastic reduction in the number of workers would be necessary to make the company more efficient and to ensure its viability.

In 1991, early retirement programs were launched, which at the end of the year resulted in a reduction of one-third of the workforce, with the total number reduced to 8,000. It was a period of great change, but it also had some moments of glory. JAGUAR again won the Sports Car World Championship with the revolutionary XJR-14, dominating the competition, which included the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite losing a narrow margin, he got one of his best results in the race, when three XJR-12s, with V12 engine, finished in second, third and fourth places. A new XJ Series was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 1994 and its launch monopolized the brand's actions during that year. The launch was all the more remarkable because the automaker had, for the first time, developed a new vehicle, produced under world quality standards, simultaneously in all its markets. Having used the X300 code name during its development, the new XJ series represented an investment over £ 200 million and was the first JAGUAR product developed after the acquisition by Ford. The engineers of the automaker have created a new XJ quieter, refined, comfortable, fast and at the same time more economical, safe and reliable.

In 2001 was produced the number 1,500,000 JAGUAR, an XJ8 Saloon, that left the production line of Brown's Lane's oldest factory in Coventry. Due to the huge losses, Ford, which was in a delicate financial situation, eventually sold it in March 2008 for $ 2.3 billion, including the Land Rover brand, to Indian automaker Tata Motors. From this moment the automaker decided to redesign and revitalize its entire range of models, which began with the acclaimed XF, a luxurious four-door sedan and five seats; followed by the XK (coupe and convertible), thus being born one of the best GT in the world; and most recently the new XJ, which has incorporated all the virtues that characterize a JAGUAR.

Throughout its history, JAGUAR had the privilege of being the pioneer of a range of innovations, for example, the diesel engine 2.7 liters, which of such great power and necessity of cooling, required that a double radiator system to feed it in a satisfactory way; the automatic defogging of front and rear windows; and intelligent satellite navigation. Recently the British brand announced that it will take advantage of the experience of Land Rover, also belonging to the Indian group Tata, and launch a compact sport utility, still no date to debut in the world market.

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JEEP

Its saga began in the late 1930s, when hostilities began to heat up in Western Europe. In the summer of 1940, the US Army had a need for a general purpose vehicle to replace the traditional sidecar bikes, which should be lightweight, manoeuvrable, robust, reliable and extremely agile with the ability to overcome difficult terrain and obstacles, and space to transport men and armaments. The order made for 135 manufacturers stipulated a delivery time of a prototype of this vehicle in only 49 days and a total of 75 days for the delivery of 70 vehicles. The original specifications of the government were the following: vehicle with traction 4x4 in stamped steel of easy manufacture; capacity for three passengers and machine gun (model .30); maximum weight of 600 kilos (then changed to 625 kilos); payload of at least 300 kg; engine power of at least 40 hp; maximum speed of at least 80 km / h; among other features. Only three companies accepted the challenge. Ford, Bantam and Willys-Overland worked hard until each one had produced 1,500 models for field testing. Ultimately, it was the Willys-Overland model, called QUAD (named for its 4x4 system), which gained first-place approval (especially at a low price of just $ 738.74), with a few improvements adapted from the models presented by Ford and Bantam.

Thus, after much controversy, the JEEP began its journey officially on July 23, 1941, when Willys-Overland, located in the city of Toledo, Ohio, was founded in the early 1900s. American army through an initial request of 16,000 vehicles to produce the Willys MB during World War II. The first model had a front grille made of welded steel bars, which looked more like a grille. Therefore, these models became known as "Slatt Grill" and were manufactured 25,808 vehicles, leaving approximately 200 units today. It was not long before the vehicle conquered the troops on the battlefield. Famous correspondent Ernie Pyle said: "I do not think we could continue in the war without JEEP. He does it all. It is like a faithful dog, as strong as a mule, and agile as a kid. It charges twice as much load as it was designed and goes away. "

The vehicle was used by all American military personnel and large numbers were also sent to the Allied Forces of Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand. The JEEP was so versatile that new uses for the vehicle and its various parts were always being found. The vehicle served in all World War II theaters, acting as a machine gun carrier, reconnaissance vehicle, rescue car, battlefront vehicle, ammunition carrier, barbed wire distributor and even taxi. The vehicles carried the wounded safely and carried 37 mm anti-tank guns to the shooting areas. The testimony of this success can be attested by the fact that during the war period, more than 600,000 vehicles were produced. Or by the statement of General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff during the conflict, who called JEEP "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare." The sturdy and simple JEEP 4x4 became the soldier's best friend - second only to his rifle. One MB was even awarded a medal and sent home.

With the end of the conflict, the company began to develop a version for civil application, that could be used by families and mainly in the aerial of the agriculture, in the arduous works in farms. It was then that in August of 1945 the first civilian version, baptized of CJ2A (abbreviation of Civilian Jeep) was launched in the American market at the price of US $ 1,090. The launch announcements proclaimed: "A power plant on wheels." The civilian version had a rear door, a side-mounted steppe, larger headlights, automatic windshield wiper, external fuel tank cap, more comfortable seats, better dampers and other details not available in its military predecessors. The CJ-2A was marketed by Willys-Overland as "The Versatile Farm Workhorse". He could do the work of two heavy draft horses, operating at a speed of four miles an hour, ten hours a day, without engine overheating.

In 1949, the CJ3A model, similar to the CJ2A, was officially launched, but with a more robust transmission and transfer box, as well as an integral lower-case windshield and double bottom-mounted wiper blades. The owners of Willys-Overland already said at that time "that the JEEP of the future will be constantly evolving and will continue to evolve as new uses are found for it ". This has been proven over the years to this day. In April 1953, Willys-Overland was sold to Kaiser Motors for $ 60 million. Two years later, the new owner introduced the CJ-5 model, which has the JEEP design best known to all and would be produced until the 1980s. Constant improvements in engine, axles, transmissions and seat comfort have made of the CJ5 an ideal vehicle for the general public.

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SUZUKI

In October 1909, when the Suzuki Loom Works Company was founded by Michio Suzuki in the small village of Hamamatsu, Japan, they were looms coming out of their production line. After thirty years dedicating himself exclusively to the development and production of these complex machines, Michio realized that he should diversify his business. Not because the textile market was bad. Their looms were from the beginning a sales success. But, in the entrepreneur's view, it needed to expand. Analyzing the consumer demands of the time, he decided to produce compact cars. Thus, in 1937, the first car designs of the future automaker begin to be made and, in only two years, SUZUKI already exhibits numerous built prototypes. - - The first cars were equipped with the then innovative 4 stroke four-cylinder 13 horsepower engine. With the imminence of World War II, however, the success story of the automaker had to be postponed. For the Japanese government, civilian cars were considered expendable items, and so the planning of new vehicles was shelved for a while. When the war ended, SUZUKI needed to recover quickly and produced the already renowned looms. But in 1951, with the cotton market collapsing, the factory could no longer keep up with the sale of its looms alone, and once again attention was turned to automobiles. In this postwar period, the Japanese felt a need for personal transportation, available and safe. Several companies began offering gas powered machines that could be attached to a regular bike. - - SUZUKI's first effort in the world of two wheels appeared in 1952 in the form of a motorized bicycle called Power Free. Designed to be inexpensive and simple to build, the new model featured a two-stroke 36cc engine. And so the SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION was born. In 1954, when the monthly production of motorcycles reached 6,000 units, the company created Suzulight, a small car that started the compact era in Japan and became the first mass-produced car in the country. Equipped with a two-stroke 360-cc engine and independent suspension, the car, introduced in the Japanese market the following year, was one of the pioneers in front-wheel drive projects in the country. In 1958 the brand officially adopted the stylized "S" as its signature. - - While expanding its factories and resales to other countries, such as the United States in 1963, SUZUKI significantly increased its line of vehicles. In 1968, the first four-wheel drive mini-car, the LJ, began to be developed, which two years later would be marketed under the name of Jimny. Diversification also came in the areas of operation. With the name already recognized for its motorcycles, cars and outboard motors (introduced in its product line in 1965), the company entered in 1974 in the field of medical equipment (with the commercialization of the motorized wheelchair Suzuki Motor Chair Z600 ) and real estate (with the production of prefabricated houses). - - It was in this decade, the biggest period of development of the brand with the launch of the different versions of the Fronte models and mainly of the small jeep Jimny, that began to be exported to the whole world, of the line of motorcycles GS (400cc, 500cc, 750cc), in addition to the first overseas factory, opened in 1975 in Pakistan. In 1982, the company innovates once again and kicks off the thriving market for all-terrain vehicles, launching the quad-bike QuadRunner LT125, later copied by other companies. - - In 1985, the Jeep Samurai was the first car model launched on the American market under the SUZUKI brand. With this model SUZUKI has become a mark of success in the North American market, after all the reputation that already had in Japan in the construction of small cars. However, a few years later, at the end of this decade, the automaker was forced to introduce a new model in the market. The birth of the Suzuki Vitara was occasioned by a curious situation related to the Suzuki Samurai. The small jeep, commercialized in the United States with great success, happened to have high incidence of rollovers. NHTSA, the country's trucking regulator, has determined that the vehicle was unsafe and that it should be wider, longer and heavier to trade. This forced SUZUKI to create a new vehicle, the Vitara. Also in this decade SUZUKI also conquered Europe through models such as the Vitara and Jimny jeeps, as well as the compact Ignis, Liana and Wagon models. - - The success of its compact cars led to a large increase in production and consequently in sales, which reached, in 1995, more than 975,000 cars. In the following years the Japanese automaker launched enormously successful automobiles like the Gran Vitara, Jimmy and SX4. SUZUKI currently offers a versatile line of includes the spirited four-door SX4 Sport, the bold five-door SX4 Crossover, the thrilling mid-size XL7 SUV, the rugged compact Grand Vitara SUV, the popular SX4 in the sedan version, and the European-style Splash compact. In Brazil, SUZUKI cars were re-marketed again from December 2008 with the Gran Vitara model, after an absence of five years.-

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MINI

It all started when the Turkish engineer, Alec Arnold Constantine Issigonis, of the British automaker Morris, was summoned in the wake of the severe oil crisis that hit the world in the late 1950s to develop a small car with a maximum of three meters in length, carrying four adults with relative comfort, cheap and consuming very little gas. He knew that the fourth reason for making the car really mattered. The engineer designed what would be the new car in a simple paper napkin from a London restaurant. The car, codenamed ADO 15 (ADO being the acronym for Austin Drawing Office, or the company's study department, and 15 the project number) was developed in record time. Two prototypes were built and in July 1958, Alec invited the managing director of the automaker, Sir Leonard Lord, to test it. The small two-door car enthused Sir Lord, who determined his production immediately. Finally, on May 8, 1959, the English market knew a compact car (only 3.05 meters in length), lightweight (weighed only 620 kg), full of innovations like monobloc body, transverse engine, front wheel drive, suspension without shock absorbers and wheels which would become an icon of British industry. Its design was so innovative that it allowed that 80% of the area of ​​the floor of the automobile was used for passengers and luggage. On August 26, 1959 the small car, curiously presented to the public with two names, Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor, was already on sale for only £ 496.

The car impressed by the use of space and stability. But perhaps the most admirable change of concept, and that made it a legend of the auto industry, has been the use of external welding of the fairing. Divided into small pieces, it could all be wedged into the corners. And manually. The result was a drastic reduction in costs. The MINI, as the vehicle was officially christened, could reach the stores with an unbeatable price, a little higher than the production. It was a great car, but success did not come right away. A misguided bill made the first lots of the car offered at a price below cost, and BMC (British Motor Company) losses were quite reasonable. Public success, and criticism, only made matters worse. And the company's management thought about ending the project. The next decade would be redemption for the British Motor Company. The audience was divided. But his power of seduction was so great that those who bought it spread the good news of the qualities of that nice cart. His growing popularity coincided with the "mad" years of the 1960s, becoming an object of the desire of film artists and enshrining a celebrated chase sequence in "The Italian Job" (1969) with Michael Caine and Margaret Blye. Agility was always the strength of the small car. He was able to beat down the narrowest European lanes, could be maneuvered in half-street space and fit almost anywhere. It must be admitted: Sir Alec's car owes much of its success to an unconventional adjective, called in the age of "classlessness."

Decidedly created for the masses, the little MINI was so charismatic that in the early 1960s it was already among its fans with two British institutions. Accustomed to imposing and luxurious Rolls-Royce and Bentley, Queen Elizabeth II had a silvery MINI. The Beatles also circulated with the cart through the streets. It was also an excellent car for racing tests. It's a matter of time until someone is willing to make some modifications and put it to the test. The boy was named John Cooper, son of Charles Cooper, owner of the Cooper Car Company, which specializes in race cars. As soon as the first batch of the car was ready, the entrepreneur acquired some units for testing. First it turboiled the engine, raising the power to 997 displacements. It also changed the brake system and lowered the chassis to gain more stability. Dubbed the MINI COOPER 997, he would become a true demon in rally events. And his first major incarnation took place in 1964 when he was the big winner of the Monte Carlo Rally. The European press had stamped hallucinatory headlines: "A miracle on the wheel." The success of the model was so great that the factory decided to put this sport version for sale.

In 1964, more than a thousand units were sold. When the MINI COOPER assembly line closed in 1967, the car had more than 12,000 units sold. In the meantime, John Cooper took the opportunity to create yet another sporty model with 1,071 cubic meters. It became known as MINI COOPER S (from Sport), selling more than 4,000 units in less than a year. At this time new versions of the car were introduced, including a pickup truck and even a station wagon. In 1970, the emblems of Austin and Morris disappear from the model. From now on cars are called simply Mini (written in lowercase letters). The globalization of the model would see its apex in 1972 when the Mini Cooper was manufactured by the Innocenti factory in Italy. Thus came Innocenti Cooper, a myth from Milan to Sicily. At that time, the small car already occupied the garage of more than 3 million consumers, being produced under license in Australia, Portugal and Italy, as well as in South Africa, Chile, Uruguay, Spain, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. Another interesting fact of the time is that, according to factory estimates, women were responsible for 50% of car sales. The 25 year anniversary in 1984 was celebrated with a special version, equipped with 12-inch wheels. From then on, time would pass quickly, with increases in safety and comfort.

It was only in the year 2000 that the small car finally left the scene to make room for the new MINI, reinterpreted and manufactured with the seal of the German BMW. The brand and model are the only legacy of Britain's Rover after its sale to the German group in 1994. The car was so enthralling to the extent that the German automaker sold Rover but retained the rights under the MINI brand. A jury team of 100 auto industry experts elected the MINI the most important car of the 20th century, after of course the iconic Ford Model T. Although the old MINI was rarely seen in the United States, in Europe it helped to define projects both for cars as for city streets. The car that symbolized the English auto industry for 40 years reached the end of the line, after presenting no less than seven generations. It was time to reinvent it. The new model was a direct successor to the 1959 classic.

This new generation, presented at the Paris Motor Show 2000, was 60 centimeters longer and 30 centimeters wider than the original model. The new MINI featured several new features and several optional items. It is a state-of-the-art technology, modern and efficient safety and quality standards, as well as the tradition of MINI brand values ​​such as optimization of the interior space combined with a compact exterior. The new model was fully developed in Europe, with design and engineering developed in Germany and the United Kingdom, being produced according to BMW Group quality standards. The biggest difference to the classic model was the price. The car was worth the weight of its mythical story now. In order to distinguish the new model from the old, it was renamed MINI (in capital letters). 

Also in 2001, the official year of its launch, to further increase its valuable product, the automaker presented a more powerful and sporty model, the MINI COOPER S, a car with more aggressive air and a more "nervous" engine than the original version . Three years later came the convertible version, called MINI COOPER CABRIO, which became a success in sales. In less than a decade the new MINI has turned into a real success. The secret of the brand was to reissue the spirit of the original Mini Cooper in a modern outfit. It was this combination of past and present funky that caught the attention of millions of consumers worldwide. In the following years the brand expanded its line of vehicles by offering a coupe, a crossover and even mini SUVs. Despite losing part of the original proposal (a compact, economical and popular car), the new versions retained the design that is now considered retro. In addition, the brand began the design of a fully electric car, named MINI E, which is expected to run on the streets in the near future. Another factor of success of the brand is the MINI to explore the emotional appeal that exists in each one of its models, that can be customized according to the wills of the owners. From 2011, the brand returned to the rally races, which, along with the Prodrive team (one of the greatest specialist in preparing off-road cars), participated in some stages of the WRC. The model chosen to represent the brand in the WRC was MINI COUNTRYMAN.

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MERCEDES- BENZ

To tell the glorious story of the MERCEDES-BENZ brand, it is first necessary to understand who the men were responsible for its emergence. KARL (CARL) FRIEDRICH MICHAEL BENZ - Born on November 25, 1844, he is considered the creator of the first internal combustion vehicle in the city of Mannheim in Germany, where he held a small workshop. This is because, on January 29, 1886, this German engineer submitted the patent application in Berlin for his single-cylinder rear-wheel-drive tricycle (Patent-Motorwagen) with 984cc of power and which developed a maximum speed of 16 km / h. In addition, the vehicle incorporated at the time many solutions still used in modern vehicles, such as water cooling, electric ignition and differential. Since then, this day is considered the official anniversary of the automobile. Benz's first four-wheeled car, the Victoria of 1892, was also the basis for the creation of the first bus and van built in 1895. The first production car was Benz Velo. In 1898 rubber tires were used in Benz Comfortable and, in 1899, in the first race car. Benz & Co., not only became the first assembly line but also the largest in the world in the early twentieth century. In 1903 came the Benz Parsifal inspired by the design concepts of Daimler's Mercedes cars.

GOTTLIEB WILHELM DAIMLER - Born on March 17, 1834, he graduated as an engineer at the age of 25 at the Stuttgart Polytechnic. He was associated with Mr. Wilhelm Maybach (great designer, creator of classic and legendary Maybach automobiles) and produced in 1885 the world's first motorcycle. In 1886, a few months after the emergence of the Benz tricycle, they built the first carriage driven by an air-cooled engine. In November 1890 he founded the Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft (known as DMG). In 1893 for reasons of rivalries between the partners Daimler and Maybach detach of the company. Back in 1895, they produced the Phoenix in 1897, the first car with a front engine. Two years later came the first 28hp 4-cylinder engine.

Before the Benz and Daimler projects came to fruition, other experiments with motor vehicles had already been made in Europe, especially in England and France. However, the novelty presented by the Germans was the use of a model driven by a combustion engine (gasoline) invented by Nikolaus August Otto. Until then, previous experiments were restricted to steam engines. The pioneerism of these two men made them collect other achievements such as the construction of the first bus, the first gasoline-powered truck and the world's first diesel truck.

On June 23, 1902 the name MERCEDES was registered as a trademark and, shortly after, on September 26, it was legally protected. It came from a reference to Mercedes Jellinek, daughter of the Austrian consul Emil Jellinek, a car-loving merchant and loyal customer of Gottlieb Daimler, from which he resold automobiles for the riches of the French Riviera. The name Mercedes identified the cars commissioned by Jellinek, a motoring enthusiast and who was consecrated from the victories obtained in the tracks. This project was a huge success, both in sales and racing. Daimler had to increase production, hire more employees (six times more) and decided to use the name MERCEDES in their cars. With the merger of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cia., On 28 June 1926 the two brands were also merged: the three-pointed star, which identified the MERCEDES cars manufactured by Daimler, and the blondes, which characterized those of Benz. MERCEDES-BENZ was officially launched. The first two Daimler-Benz creations were the Stuttgart 8 / 38PS and the 12 / 55PS Mannheim. In 1927 the first MERCEDES-BENZ model S, from Sportlich (sports car in German), an acronym used to date in the S-Class, followed by the SS (Super Sport) and SSK (Super Sport Kurz, developed by the legendary Ferdinand Porsche) was introduced. 1928. It was these models that established the luxury reputation of MERCEDES-BENZ cars. Certainly the most admired and desired automobiles of this era were the models 380, 500K and 540K that emerged respectively in 1933, 1934 and 1936.

In 1943 the production of automobiles and utilities for the war was privileged to the detriment of the production of the cars of walking. Forced workers were also used in several Daimler-Benz AG plants. The Sindelfingen factory was bombed on July 18, 1944. Almost 80% of the buildings and facilities were destroyed, as well as 50% of the existing machines. The factory was hit by approximately 20,000 explosives and incendiary bombs. In 1945 the factory was completely rebuilt in view of new trends in the design and modernization of automobiles for the coming years. Shortly after the end of World War II, in 1946, Daimler-Benz resumed manufacturing of its automobiles. The inaugural model of the post-war was the 170, a car identical to that of the year 1936 with some minor revisions. At that time the German economy was rebuilding itself and needed cheap and popular automobiles. The model had adequate performance with a 4-cylinder in-line engine. By 1950 MERCEDES-BENZ was producing about 800 cars per week. With the recovery of the German economy, new, more powerful models were desired by consumers. Thus appear in 1951 the models, 220, 300 and 300S.

In 1953 was released the model 180, known in the world as Mercedes Ponton. Its successors were the 190s and 220s, which emerged in 1956, and the 220SE model (which already had mechanical fuel injection Bosch) in 1958. The most coveted models of the 1950s were the 300SL coupe, which appeared in 1954, roadster (1957) and the 190SL roadster (1955). With the 300SL model coupe MERCEDES-BENZ returned to the race tracks with continued and important wins. Being the first car in production to be equipped with mechanical fuel injection, newly developed by Bosch, the car was very fast and sturdy. In 1960 came a new line of sedans known as fish tail, developed to meet the taste of American consumers. To replace the sedans of the 1960s appeared, in 1973 and were until 1980, the new W116 sedans or 280S, 280SE, 350SE, 450SE and 450SEL. They were built to be the best vehicles in the world in their category and really were.

By the 1980s the automaker's luxury sedan line, the S models (the concept of the MERCEDES-BENZ line had not yet been created) were completely remodeled and went majestic until the 1990s. But the decade was actually the W201 chassis with the models 190E, 190D, 190E 2.3, 190E 2.6. This chassis was the first to be aimed at young European entrepreneurs who did not yet have the financial conditions to buy the most luxurious models, but did not give up having a MERCEDES-BENZ. From 1994, MERCEDES-BENZ simplified the positioning of the models by creating the famous classes. Class C (replacing 190E), Class E and Class S were created. MERCEDES-BENZ was the first luxury brand to launch an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) in the late 1990s, inaugurating a new off-road generation with the M-Class. In 1998 the company bought the traditional American automaker Chrysler, thus forming a giant called DaimlerChrysler. However, the union proved to be extremely damaging to the MERCEDES-BENZ brand over the years, which began to suffer huge financial losses due to the bureaucratic and aging American automaker. The union between the two automakers would end on May 14, 2007 separating the two companies.

In recent years the German brand has been investing in new technologies and connectivity. An example of this is MERCEDES ME, a powerful system of connectivity and interactivity that connects the car and the user with the world. Another novelty is the DYNAMIC SELECT technology that allows the driver to change the vehicle's characteristics, including engine, transmission, suspension and steering, in seconds - at the touch of a button the driving modes are changed from the more comfortable, through the more sporty, to the most efficient. In addition, MERCEDES-BENZ promises to launch its first series-produced stand-alone car in 2020. Another bet of the German automaker are fully electric cars. MERCEDES-BENZ intends to launch six to eight fully electric luxury models in the coming years and thus enter a segment dominated by the American Tesla.

Throughout its history MERCEDES-BENZ has always played a fundamental role in the development of technologies that aim to give more safety to automobiles. Many of the innovative visions have become realities in a pioneering way in automobiles of the German automaker. Among these innovations are the anti-lock braking system ABS (1978), the air-bag (1980) and the electronic stability program known as ESP® (1995). Nowadays, the new accident safety system, called Pre-Safe®System, which prepares the car and its occupants for the collision agind

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NISSAN

The story of NISSAN began in 1911 when the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Company was born in a neighborhood of Tokyo called Azabu-Hiroo by the hands of Masujiro Hashimoto and with the financial support of three business partners, Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyma and Meitaro Takeuchi. Three years later, the company was already producing the Model 41, named DAT ("hare" in Japanese), taken from the first letters of the names of the project's financiers: Den, Aoyma and Takeuchi. The DAT 41 was a simple and conventional car, but luxurious for the time. It had a 15-horsepower cylinder engine and comfortably carried five people. In 1917 the company was bought by its own network of dealers, becoming the Dat Motor Vehicle Co. The new company produced the second generation of DAT cars, dubbed Model 51.

The following year it would change its name to Kwaishinsha Motorcar Co., launching in the market the first DAT trucks for military purposes. In 1925 it would change its name again for DAT Motorcar Co. and a year later due to the weak sales of its trucks, began a long series of fusions. In August 1931, the DAT introduced a new model of automobile equipped with a four-cylinder engine. Its design was based on economy, reliability and ease of use and the new DAT was in the class of mini-cars. Therefore, the new car was called DATSON, of the English Son, "the son of DAT". The following year, the suffix "Son" is changed to "Sun", thus giving rise to the DATSUN brand.

On December 23, 1933, as a result of the numerous mergers, the last one between Tobata Imono Co. and the Jidosha Seizo Kabushiki-Kaisha Co. (Automobile Manufacturer, in Japanese) appeared the Nihon Sangyo Co., a company whose purpose was to produce and distribute the vehicles and parts DATSUN of Tobata Imono Co. Only on June 1 of the following year was officially born the NISSAN (word meaning "Japanese industry"). Thus the company adopted the name of Nissan Motor Company. It is believed that NISSAN was the abbreviation on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for the company NIppon SANgyo, automotive parts division Tobata Casting. This year, the first units of the DATSUN model were exported to Australia, in a total of 44 cars. In 1935 the operation was started at the Yokohama plant, the first in Japan to build large-scale automobiles.

In 1941, after reaching a peak of 20,000 vehicles marketed, the automaker stopped the commercial production due to World War II, period in which it manufactured engines, trucks and airplanes for the Japanese army. Only with the end of the conflict, in 1947, the production of DATSUN passenger vehicles was resumed. It was this same year that the automaker developed and built its first electric vehicle named Tama, the result of the government's program of development of alternative energy sources. Some years later, in 1951, NISSAN used its experience in the manufacture of military vehicles - acquired during World War II - to create a legend, the PATROL, as a result of the Japanese army's need for an all-terrain vehicle , powerful and agile, with four-wheel drive. The 85-hp, 6-cylinder 4X4 vehicle outperformed the American Jeep Willys in terms of payload and horsepower. The following year a strike of workers of the factories of NISSAN that would have duration of two years begins. This long period of inactivity almost drove the company into bankruptcy.

In 1958, DATSUN vehicles attracted the attention of visitors to the "Los Angeles Imported Car Show". Concession contracts are then entered into in the cities of Los Angeles and New York, thus initiating exports to the United States. The first factory to be set up outside the country of the rising sun was in Taiwan in 1959. Shortly thereafter, in 1960, NISSAN MOTOR CORPORATION was founded in the United States, with headquarters in the city of Los Angeles, expanding the following year to Mexico and then to Europe. Shortly after, in 1963, the luxury model, known as President, was released in the market. In 1966 NISSAN engineered a merger with the Prince Motor Company. This added to the group, a brilliant ensemble of engineers as well as the renowned models "Skyline" (introduced in 1957) and "Gloria". Also in that year the first car was exported to Europe, to Norway. In 1969 the legendary 240Z was introduced. The 2.4-liter 6-cylinder in-line engine with 150 hp offered the Porsche the performance of a Porsche for half price. In this decade, the Bluebird, Cedric (1960) and Sunny (1966) models helped boost their sales in Japan and abroad, and the company enjoyed phenomenal growth.

The 1970s began with the development of marine engines, entering a large market segment in Japan. With the oil crisis of 1973, NISSAN increased its sales in the United States, largely because of the small utility cars with NISSAN SUNNY (already in its third generation), which achieved high levels of fuel consumption tests, led by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In 1976 the international success of NISSAN led it to reach the world's first place in exports. In January 1980, the company acquired a stake in Motor Ibérica, in Barcelona, ​​thus establishing its first factory on European soil. Only in 1983, after being sold under the DATSUN brand for many decades abroad, vehicles marketed worldwide are unified under the NISSAN brand. In the early 1990s, the British subsidiary started producing the Primera model on European soil, which would win numerous awards, namely the "Car of the Year" in several countries, including Portugal. Another novelty of this decade was the beginning, in 1997, for the first time, of the commercialization of an electric vehicle, Prairie Joy EV, exclusively destined to the Japanese market.

In March 1999, the company's history was a turning point with the signing of a strategic alliance with Renault, representing the first industrial and commercial partnership involving a French and Japanese company. The synergy of technological expertise, production operating structures and combined vehicle sales have positioned the Renault-Nissan Alliance as the fourth largest car manufacturer in the world today and opened up new growth prospects for both NISSAN and its French partner. Brazilian Carlos Ghosn, seen as a pragmatic detailer, took over as CEO and rescued NISSAN from the brink of bankruptcy. That same year the millionth Primera was sold in Europe.

In 2006 NISSAN announced that its accumulated world production reached the historical mark of 100,140,000 vehicles at the end of June, becoming the second Japanese company of the automobile market to surpass the figure, after rival Toyota. Of this total, 76,640,000 vehicles were produced in Japan - with the remaining 23,500,000 units in the automaker's plants scattered around the world. On May 13, 2008 the automaker announced its strategic plan for the period from 2008 to 2012, christened Nissan GT 2012. "G" stands for growth and "T" for trust. Its three main goals were leadership in quality, leadership in zero emission models and average growth of 5% in revenues each year. Today, nearly a century later, the company is one of the world's most comprehensive car manufacturers, with factories and business operations on five continents, offering a complete line of products, starting with entry-level vehicles through the 4X4 and high-performance vehicles such as the GT-R.

In 2010, NISSAN presented its two pillars of the strategy to reduce CO2 emissions: ZERO EMISSIONS (vehicles using zero CO2 emission systems and technologies) and PURE DRIVE (a set of technologies used in its vehicles aimed at preserving the environment environment, with low emission of pollutants, higher efficiency and lower fuel consumption). Emerging markets such as India, Russia, Indonesia and South Africa play a key role in NISSAN's growth strategy around the world and the Japanese company has decided to re-launch the DATSUN brand in 2012, targeting entry consumers who find in this global division options of economic models, comfortable and with excellent cost x benefit.

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MAZDA

The story The name MAZDA originated from Ahura Mazda, the most important Zoroastrian God of reason, who bestowed wisdom and united man, nature, and other gods. Similarly, it is very similar to the phonetic name of the company's founder, Jujiro Matsuda, who founded the company on January 30, 1920 under the name Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. Ltd, initially to produce cork and cork stoppers. In 1927 he shortened his name to Toyo Kogyo Co.; in 1929 he began the manufacture of machines and tools; and soon after, in 1931, the production of a three-wheeled cargo vehicle named MAZDA-GO, a motorcycle and truck mix, was finally started and exported to countries like China and India as early as 1932.

Only in 1934 was born the first logo of the brand with the name MAZDA. During World War II the company started to produce armaments for the Japanese army, as for example, the Type 99 rifle, that became extremely known. After the conflict ended, the company that had its facilities seriously destroyed, but one of the few that remained standing, began its reconstruction by beginning again exports in 1949 to India. In the late 1950s, the automaker introduced the MAZDA ROMPER, a small, durable truck that would be a considerable success, being the first four-wheeled automobile to be produced in series by the automaker. The MAZDA R360's first passenger car, a small two-seater coupe with rear V2 engine, which could reach a maximum speed of 90 km / h, only appeared in 1960; followed the following year by the compact pickup truck B-SERIES 1500; and the MAZDA CAROL 600, the automaker's first four-door automobile, introduced in 1962.

The following year, in addition to the accumulated production of automobiles reaching one million units, MAZDA introduced its first van for family use, and in 1966 the commercial van called BONGO. In 1967, MAZDA began to export on a large scale to the European continent, in addition to establishing sales offices in Australia. This year also saw the launch of the MAZDA COSMO 110S, the first automobile of the automaker to receive a Wankel rotary engine, which, as an internal combustion engine, used a rotor instead of pistons. This engine had a much smaller weight and the same power as a normal engine, but with lower displacement. It was with this model that MAZDA debuted in sports competitions on October 20, 1968, in the 84-hour endurance marathon at the Nürburgring in Germany.

Also in that same year, it was the turn of the B2500 pickup, which sold more than 3 million units to the present day, to debut in the market. This year was also marked by the beginning of the production of cars in a factory in Malaysia to meet the growing world demand for its vehicles. In 1969, MAZDA entered into a partnership with Ford and Nissan, starting a joint venture to produce automatic transmission boxes. The incorporation of the Wankel engine into several models led MAZDA in the 1970s to be recognized as a high performance brand. And it was precisely at the beginning of this decade that the numbers of the Japanese automaker began to grow: in 1970 began exporting its automobiles to the huge American market, and in 1972, reached the production of 5 million cars in its history.

Several models helped build the company's reputation in this decade, including the FAMILIA compact coupe and the great CAPELLA introduced in 1977; in addition to the MAZDA RX-7, a sports car equipped with a 260 horsepower engine, which had a fundamental importance in establishing the automaker in the sports car segment, becoming extremely well known in Brazil when it appeared in the Jaspion series. At the end of this decade, after a low sales volume, the automaker began to face its first major financial crisis. To try to escape the crisis MAZDA signed an agreement with Ford, where the American automaker acquired 25% of its shares, increasing its participation to 33.4% in 1996.

In the following years, both Ford and MAZDA launched models together, changing their name depending on the market. In the 1980s the automaker, which officially adopted the name MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION in 1984, saw its sales volume move to a much higher level thanks to Ford's support, and especially with the launch of MAZDA MX-5 in 1989 , which would become a world-class sales champion in the two-seat sports segment, providing the market with a roadster at more affordable prices. The following decade began in 1991 with a MAZDA 787B winning the traditional 24 Hours Le Mans race, being the first victory in a Japanese manufacturer's competition and the only victory achieved by a rotary engine. Despite the good start in this decade, MAZDA again started to have financial losses. Good sales in the European market did not cover financial losses in the Japanese and American market, especially due to the Asian crisis of 1997. Under the command of Henry Wallace, MAZDA was completely restructured, initiating the development of new and advanced automobiles. The new century coincided with the output of the No. 35 million car from the production line. It was also at this time that MAZDA launched its famous corporate campaign, called "Zoom-Zoom", highlighting in a creative way the agility of its vehicles and visual guideline that would serve as inspiration for the development of its new generation of vehicles. In 2012 MAZDA presented the first vehicle of a new generation, the CX-5. This was the first model to adopt SKYACTIV'S NEW GENERATION TECHNOLOGY (a concept applied to innovation, optimizing engineering with regard to reducing vehicle weight and internal combustion engines, making them much more efficient and sustainable) and the "KODO - the Soul of Motion" design (which expresses power, stability and strength), which will embody all vehicles of the brand, causing a pure sense of driving pleasure. In addition, MAZDA announced that in 2013 it will return to the Brazilian market with two hatches models, one compact and one medium.

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SMART

Of course you should not expect the comfort and power of a true Mercedes-Benz. In addition to the driver and a passenger, there is room for only 150 liters of luggage. The top speed is 140 kilometers per hour. However, they are still seen in abundance, whether in the small alleys of Rome, the sophisticated boulevards of Paris, the chic, traditional streets of London or the modern motorways of Germany. They are identified by unique, compact look and youthful style. The small, modern, colorful and friendly smart, a car with a face of Playmobil, is practical mainly when it comes to parking and stylish with its colorful look. Go to the center, park quietly and return home without stress - with smart, you will know a new way to drive around the city with great comfort, agility, safety and respect for the environment.

The story The iconic automobile was created and developed by Nicolas George Hayek (businessman and visionary who invented the famous Swatch wrist watches) with the help of his team of designers. He wanted to develop a small car that was economical, environmentally responsible and easy to park in smaller spaces. The design was initially christened Swatchmobile, with the same assumptions of the watches he had created: to make a low-cost, colorful and customizable proposal (some parts could be replaced as with some watch dials and bracelets) very specific target audience. It was then that the Swatch Company signed a partnership with Daimler-Benz (after a failed venture with Volkswagen) to create the first urban coupe. The development began on March 4, 1994 with the founding of MCC AG (Micro Compact Car AG) in Switzerland; of the factory located in the French town of Hambach in 1995; and the first car officially presented to the public in September 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The project was named "Swatch Mercedes Art Car". The smart name, written in lowercase letters precisely to "question the status quo", is the junction of the letters S (from Swatch), M (from Mercedes) and the word ART.

Its special concept of space offered advantages in the intense traffic of big cities, and it was precisely this one of the biggest argument of the new car. Though small the smart was not fragile thanks to a kind of metal cell, which created a safety cabin and insulated the driver of the engine compartment, with great protection against stroke. The small 2.65-meter-long car, weighing 720 kilograms, capacity for two people and colorful and interchangeable panels, began to be sold the following year by the reservation system through smart centers, as the brand's dealerships are called. On October 3, 1998, the smart City Coupe was officially launched in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands). However, Hayek was disappointed with the use of a conventional engine (he wanted a hybrid car or a pure electric motor) and the price of the car, about $ 10,000, which was higher than expected. When initial sales slowed, Swatch withdrew from the company, leaving Daimler-Benz as sole owner of the smart division.

On December 20, 1999, just over a year after its official launch, the 100,000 smart was produced. The year 2000 presented a novelty that showed the reason why the brand was pointed out as one of the most modern and influential of its segment: it was a pioneer in providing access to the internet in its cars. In June of that same year, the pop idol Michael Jackson surrenders to the smart. The singer buys 4 units of the small car, generating huge publicity for the brand worldwide. In January 2001, the smart became available in 13 versions instead of the 6 so far marketed. New colors, new interiors, leather upholstery, new wheels and the introduction of new engines were some of the many new features. In 2002, the small car was completely re-stylized with the launch of new colors, a larger fuel tank and a shift in the steering wheel. In the following years, smart launched the compact version of four places, called smart Forfour. Following the decision to stop production of this model in early 2006, smart concentrated its efforts exclusively on the two-person version. After operating losses of € 4 billion, the company was moved to the city of Stuttgart, Mercedes-Benz headquarters.

In April 2007, the new generation of the small car, renamed Smart Fortwo (named for two people), was introduced in the coupe and convertible versions, with some standard features such as ABS brakes and EPS stability control . The new version, 19 centimeters longer than the original, had the cargo capacity in the trunk enlarged to 220 liters. The consumption of the compact impressed. You could drive more than 18 kilometers with only 1 liter of gasoline, and in the diesel version it was possible to make 28 kilometers with only 1 liter of fuel. The new model has followed in the footsteps of its predecessor and once again set new standards when it comes to safety aspects for small vehicles. The Tridion safety cell acts like the hard shell of a walnut to protect the occupants of the vehicle.

In 2008, with fuel prices reaching historic levels and low-consumption cars in vogue, the timing seemed perfect for the company to launch smart in the American market in partnership with the traditional Penske. The big challenge would be to convince Americans, accustomed to sports cars and SUVs, to buy the smart, with only two seats, to parade through the country's meandering motorways. The small cars were sold in the American market through 74 smart centers scattered throughout the country. But the small cart achieved a feat and so much in the American market: 24,600 vehicles were delivered to customers already in the first year of sales. This made the United States the third largest (today is the fourth) market for the brand after Germany and Italy.

And the following year was the turn of Brazil where the smart Fortwo, in the versions Coupe and Cabriolet (convertible), began to be sold on April 14 through a smart center located on Avenida Europa, a noble region of the capital of São Paulo various show rooms for luxury vehicles. Result? In the year of debut in the Brazilian market were sold 1,053 units. Also this year the car was officially launched in the Chinese market, which quickly became one of the most important for the brand. In 2014 the brand presented great news. First it launched the new generation of the Fortwo model, with a new design (headlamps and grille gained new shape, and were positioned higher, contoured by the new hood, which became more horizontal, resulting in a more pronounced front) and 10 cm wider . Second announced the re-launch of the Forfour model (for four passengers), an elongated version of the 3.49-meter-long Fortwo. The two models are equipped with rear engine, always three-cylinder, which can yield 60 horsepower, 71 hp or 90 hp. The transmission can be either five-speed manual or automated dual-clutch six-speed.

Nowadays, in the markets where it is marketed, smart is not only an innovative vehicle, focused on the urban lifestyle. Many of its consumers are attracted by the environmentally friendly nature of the model, which offers reduced fuel consumption and low pollutant emissions. With traffic and parking becoming increasingly challenging in large urban centers, the brand bets on a huge demand for its models in the coming years.