History of the Family Car

[2o6]

I have a project, where I have to specify 100 years history of a designed object. I chose to do the "family car". It's changed a lot with the advent of things like FWD, monocoque unibody chassis, random tax laws, countries entering the first world, etc

I need 100 different "family cars" that are significant. I think I can be OK, from 1980 onward, but some of the earlier cars I'm hazy on. Any suggestions


2014 - Tesla Model S
2013 - Chevrolet Traverse
2012 - Ford B-max
2011 - Hyundai Sonata
2010 - Nissan Qashqai
2009 - VW Santana
2008 - Tata Nano
2007 - Toyota Vios
2006 - Toyota Prius
2005 - Citroen Xsara Picasso
2005 - Honda Pilot
2004 - Renault Espace
2004 - Scion xB
2003 - Toyota Highlander
2003 - Honda CR-V
2002 - GM Hy-Wire Concept
2001 - Maruti Alto
2000 - Ford Focus
1999 - Vauxhall Zafira
1998 - Fiat Multipla
1997 - Renault Megane Scenic
1996 - Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
1995 - Ford Mondeo
1994 - Ford Explorer
1993 - Toyota Previa
1992 - Toyota Camry
1991 - Opel Astra
1990 - Chevrolet Lumina APV
1989 - Vauxhall Cavalier
1988 - Ford Escort (UK)
1987 - Ford Escort (US)
1986 - Ford Taurus
1985 - Ford Sierra
1984 - Renault Scenic
1984 - Jeep Cherokee
1983 - Plymouth Voyager
1982 - Ford Cortina
1981 - Dodge Aries
1980 - Chevrolet Citation
1979 - Ford Crown Victoria
1978 - Volvo 240
1977 - Chevrolet Caprice
1976 - Honda Accord
1975 -
1974 - VW Golf MK1
1974 - Fiat 131
1973 - Morris Marina
1972 - Honda Civic
1971 -
1970 - Citroen GS
1969 - Austin Maxi
1968 - Toyota Corolla
1967 - NSU Ro80
1966 - Peugeot 204
1965 - Mazda Carol
1965 - Renault 16
1964 - Ford Cortina
1963 - Ford Falcon
1962 - Pontiac Tempest
1961 - Toyota Publica
1960 - Chevrolet Corvair Sedan
1959 - Chevrolet Bel Air
1959 - Morris Mini
1959 - Chevrolet Impala
1958 - Oldsmobile Super 88
1957 - Trabant 500
1956 - Morris Oxford
1955 - Chevrolet Nomad
1955 - Citroen DS
1954 -
1953 - Standard Eight
1952 - Morris Minor
1951
1950 - Ford Consul
1949 - VW Type 2 (Bus)
1949 - Ford
1948
1947 - Renault 4CV
1946
1945
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
1939 - Citroen 2CV
1938 - VW Beetle
1937 - Chrysler Airflow
1936 - Fiat 500 Topolino
1935
1934 - Citroen Traction Avant
1934 - Ford Model Y
1933 - Chevrolet Suburban
1932 - Ford Model 18
1931
1930
1929 - Chevrolet Six
1928 - Morris Minor
1927
1926
1925
1924
1923
1922 - Austin Seven
1921
1920
1919
1918
1917
1916
1915
1914 - Dodge Brothers
1913
1912 - Cadillac Model 30
1911
1910 - Pope Hartford
1909
1908 - Ford Model T
1907
1906
1905
1904 - Olds Curved Dash

[Soup DeVille]

I'll suggest the Oldsmobile Super 88 for 1958.

Why? Its perhaps the best representation on the huge American chromemobile. 1958 was by most accoutns the year that American cars peaked in size, and it was the only year that particular generation was built, as 1958 also saw the first of the post war recessions and things started to get a little more sedate after that.

[Soup DeVille]

Oh, and you're not going to find any family cars made between 1941 and 1945.

[2o6]

Oh, and you're not going to find any family cars made between 1941 and 1945.

I'm allowed to double up on some of the years. I figured I won't find much between war years

[veeman]

1938 - vw beetle

[Soup DeVille]

1938 - vw beetle

KdF Wagen

[Soup DeVille]

1908 would have to be the Model T.

[Soup DeVille]

1912 would be the Cadillac Model 30: first car with an electric starter motor.

[Soup DeVille]

1932 Was the introduction of the Ford flathead V8, that probably deserves some recognition, but I couldn't tell you the exact model numer for the family car (18 maybe?)

[Eye of the Tiger]

Nomad?

[Soup DeVille]

Nomad?

Why Not? 1955?

[Madman]

Oh, and you're not going to find any family cars made between 1941 and 1945.

The 1941 model year won't be a problem and 1942 models were produced for a few months before war production was fully underway.  1943-45 will be a blank, however.  I guess the Willys MB, Ford GPW and even the Volkswagen Kübelwagen could represent those years, even if they weren't "family" cars.

[2o6]

Hmm, thanks guys. This is getting easier

[Soup DeVille]

Design wise, would the '48 Coupe Deville be noteworthy as the first car with tailfins? Or is it not enough of a family car?

[2o6]

Design wise, would the '48 Coupe Deville be noteworthy as the first car with tailfins? Or is it not enough of a family car?

Seems too expensive

[2o6]

Filling in the gaps....

[93JC]

1984 - Renault Scenic
1983 - Plymouth Voyager

You're thinking of the Renault Espace, not the Scenic. And either way the Caravan/Voyager was first, so I don't see why you'd waste a spot on the Espace. It was essentially the same concept.

For '84 you should include the Jeep Cherokee, being that it was the first SUV that was exceptionally popular with families.

[2o6]

You're thinking of the Renault Espace, not the Scenic. And either way the Caravan/Voyager was first, so I don't see why you'd waste a spot on the Espace. It was essentially the same concept.

For '84 you should include the Jeep Cherokee, being that it was the first SUV that was exceptionally popular with families.

I was trying to break it up, so I don't have to find two different cars for different model years.


And yeah, was a bit of an oops with the Scenic vs Espace.


The Cherokee will go on there, as will probably the Explorer.

[Soup DeVille]

I feel like the AMC Pacer should be on this list, but it was introduced in '75.

[2o6]

I feel like the AMC Pacer should be on this list, but it was introduced in '75.

I might as well double up, since the teens and early 20's will likely be redundant

[93JC]

1934 - Citroen "Traction-Avant"

A monocoque car with front-wheel-drive in 1934. It was well ahead of its time. Even the fact that it didn't have running boards was audacious at the time.

[2o6]

1934 - Citroen "Traction-Avant

A monocoque car with front-wheel-drive in 1934. It was well ahead of its time. Even the fact that it didn't have running boards was audacious at the time.

Wouldn't that be too expensive, though?


Might as well add it to the list

[93JC]

For '77 I would probably include the downsized GM "B-body" cars: Chevy Caprice/Impala, Pontiac... whatever it was in the US at the time (Bonneville?), Buick Electra, etc.  It was the first time that a full-size US car was designed to be hundreds of pounds lighter and significantly smaller than its predecessor. At the same time they were more spacious on the inside, more fuel efficient and quicker. Ford followed suit with the Panther-based LTD and Mercury Marquis two years later, while Chrysler's big cars were so outmoded by comparison that they stopped selling them altogether shortly afterward.

[2o6]

Pontiac Parisienne

[93JC]

Wouldn't that be too expensive, though?

How much did a 1934 Citroen cost?

[93JC]

Pontiac Parisienne

They sold the Laurentian and Parisienne in Canada at the time, but the US model was called something else. It wasn't until 1983 that the Parisienne was sold in Canada, some time after the full-size Pontiac was cancelled in the US.

Still basically the same car underneath, it just wasn't called Parisienne in the US until '83.

[cawimmer430]

Don't forget the innovative Renault 4 which literally changed the small family car segment in Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_4

[Colin]

Sounds like an interesting assignment, Kevin.

Some of your dates are awry.
4th Gen Renault Espace launched in 2001
Mondeo launch was 1993
Ford Focus launch (outside US) was in 1998
Renault Scenic launch was 1996
there was no new Ford Escort in Europe in 1988
Ford launched the Sierra to replace the Cortina in 1982 
VW Golf launch was 1974
Morris Marina launched in 1971.
Morris Minor launched in 1948.
Ford Cortina launched in 1962

How about?
1922 Austin Seven
1936 Fiat 500 Topolino
1928 orig Morris Minor
1934 Ford Model Y (the first car under £100)
1937 Chrysler Airflow

Some of the other years are a lot harder to line up.

1950 - Mark 1 Ford Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac
1953 - Standard Eight
1928 - Morris Minor

[Colin]

Nothing new was launched in 1942 - 1945 thanks to the War, and there was precious little in 1940 or 1941 (perhaps a few US models?).

[MX793]

I think you should first establish a clear definition of what a family car is.