Hey everyone,

I have a car history question that I've been wondering about. I know Karl Benz is credited with creating the first gasoline-powered vehicle, but what about the first production car?

Was it the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, or did another company take the lead in the mass production of cars?

I'm also curious about how automotive production evolved in the early 20th century—did Ford’s assembly line revolutionize things, or were there other significant milestones before that?

Any insights or resources would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!

 

From what I’ve read, while Karl Benz’s Patent-Motorwagen from 1885 is often credited as the first gasoline-powered vehicle, it wasn’t exactly a “production car” in the modern sense. It was hand-built in extremely limited numbers, more of a groundbreaking prototype than a mass-market product. When it comes to the first production car, many historians point to the 1901 Curved Dash Oldsmobile. Ransom E. Olds developed a semi-assembly process that allowed for larger-scale production compared to anything before it, making the Curved Dash the first car to be produced in significant numbers and sold to the public. Ford’s contribution in 1913 with the moving assembly line was a major turning point. It drastically reduced the time and cost of production, making cars like the Model T affordable to the middle class. That shift really marked the beginning of the modern auto industry as we know it. If you're looking to dive deeper, books like "Engines of Change" by Paul Ingrassia or "The Machine That Changed the World” offer great historical context on the evolution of car manufacturing.

 

Been there, felt that. I had a '13 S5 and around the 140k mark, it started doing the exact same thing—clunking over bumps, especially when turning at low speeds or going over uneven pavement. Drove me nuts for weeks.

Turned out it was a mix of worn control arm bushings and one completely shot upper ball joint. The struts were tired too, but the noise was mostly from the arms. Audis love to eat through bushings once they hit higher mileage—it’s like a rite of passage.

If you're wrench-handy, you can tackle it yourself. But fair warning: those bolts can be a nightmare if they’ve seized up with age and road grime. I snapped one trying to be brave with a breaker bar. 😅 If you don’t have a proper press or torch, a shop might save you hours of agony (and a few broken tools).

I'd say start with the upper and lower control arms—especially if the boots are cracked or the bushings look dry-rotted. Then look at the struts if the ride feels floaty or you’re bouncing more than usual.

Hope you get her back riding smooth again. These cars are too good to let a little suspension drama ruin the fun.