In 1947, the second annual festival of britain was staged to help boost morale and generate some jobs post-wwii.
in order to promote british exports, american manufacturers were invited over for a “showcase”, resulting in 20 automakers displaying cars at london's crystal palace national exhibition centre.
and guess what sort of car stole the show? a sleek black kaiser designed by alexis de sakhnoffsky, who also designed detroit's famed general motors building (he received his lotus-inspired nickname because he was born near paris on july 28th, 1904 – seven years to the day after grand prix driver alberto ascari).
upon viewing the exhibit at crystal palace national exhibition centre for an exposition marking british economic recovery after wwii (
what helped the automobile industry grow after ww2?
during world war ii, manufacturers like american motors corporation (amc) were focused on production for military use. production shifted to the demand of post-war consumers in 1945. the same was true elsewhere in the world; jacques duclos, deputy prime minister of france's resistance government urged car dealers to focus on civilian consumption after the war was won.
the allies imposed draconian restrictions on german production capabilities through the end of 1947 which cut steel and coal consumption by 80% and oil consumption by 35%. germany responded with concerted efforts to rebuild its shattered industry; they were using 6 million volkswagen beetles alone to reconstruct their transportation network until 1956 when imports became cheaper than domestic products due to america's increased involvement in middle eastern oil fields
who helped the automobile industry grow?
the automobile industry in america was helped to grow by the following groups below.
henry ford-ford motor company, coca cola automobiles automotive company, general motors corporate headquarters in detroit, michigan in 1908.
why was the automobile so important after ww2?
after the war, engineers had invented an affordable technology for manufacturing cars. they are now able to meet demand by building them cheaply with unskilled labor. this created a huge accessibility gap that was perfectly poised for mass consumption.
globally, traffic fatalities have declined dramatically since 1950 despite tremendous growth in population and motorization. the reason is simple- cars are vastly safer than they used to be. automobiles have evolved from unsafe contraptions with exposed moving parts into robust machines protected by metal armor and seat belts. regulations designed to make driving safer which began in the late 1960s mandated seat belts, vehicle bumpers, fuel tank “dumplings” (side barriers), head rests, stronger windshields and steel reinforcement of front f
what did the growth of the automobile industry in the early 1900s lead to?
from 1900 through 1940, the automobile industry had an enormous effect on economic change in america.
the automobile allowed americans to live further from the commercial and public life of town, eliminating many of the social constraints that towns imposed on their residents. people could easily get away to enjoy private spaces like farms or mountains that weren't accessible before automobiles were widely available. the suburbs became an option for wealthier people who wished to escape some aspects of city life while still retaining some easy access to metropolitan society.
