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Early automobiles - Peugeot automobile - 1915Indianapolis500StartNewYorkTimes
Summary
Published in The New York Times, June 13, 1915
The front row at the start of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. No. 1 was Howard Wilcox in a Stutz, No. 2 was the winner, Ralph DePalma in a Mercedes, and No. 3 was Dario Resta, who finished second in his Peugeot. This "photo" has been heavily enhanced by an artist. The car numbers are exaggerated, the Peugeot is out of proportion for its position on the track, the dust clouds are probably fake.
The automobile was first invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1890s. Americans quickly came to dominate the automotive industry after WWI. Throughout this initial era, the development of automotive technology was rapid. Hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention. Key developments included the electric ignition system, independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted and safety glass also made its debut. Henry Ford perfected mass-production techniques, and Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” auto companies by the 1920s. Car manufacturers received enormous orders from the military during World War II, and afterward automobile production in the United States, Europe, and Japan soared.
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