The automobile industry

1. The birth of the automobile industry occurred in 1885, the year Daimler and Benz built their successful gasoline engines. Until 1900, Europe led the world in automobile development and production. Many present-day European car companies began in the late 1800's. For example, Peugeot, a French firm, started making automobiles in 1890. Another French company, Renault, began producing cars in 1898. Fiat of Italy dates from 1899. France and Germany became the first large production centres. But Detroit of the US soon became the Automobile Capital of the world and the main reason for it was that this area had a large number of successful pioneer auto-makers. Ransom E. Olds - in 1901 his firm began to mass-produce Oldsmobile, a low-cost gasoline car. Henry Ford - he founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The key to his success was his moving assembly line, which tripled production. William Crapo Durant - he founded General Motors Company to make cars in a broad range of sizes and prices. The Dodge brothers made their own cars with all-steel body.

2. Technological advances came quickly after the birth of the auto industry and helped make cars safer, more comfortable and easier to operate.

3. Economic impact. Economic importance of the auto is great. The manufacture of motor vehicles provides millions of jobs worldwide. But supplier industries provide even more jobs than does manufacturing. And still more millions work at service stations, repair shops, and car agencies.

4. The auto industry also aids many countries' economy by its huge consumption of the output of other industries. For example, the typical car requires more than 680 kilograms of steel, 230 kilograms of iron, 90 kilograms of plastics and 45 kilograms each of rubber and aluminium.

5. Major producing countries and companies. Most developed nations produce motor vehicles. Many developing nations also manufacture cars and trucks or assemble them for automakers of other countries. In addition, more than 100 countries make parts and components.

6. Japan and the United States are the largest car producers. Other major producers are France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain. In general, the largest auto-making countries have the largest markets for cars. The largest US auto-makers are General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation. Japan's major producers are Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Company, Honda Motor Company, Mitsubishi Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation.

7. European producers include Jaguar of Great Britain; Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, and Porsche of Germany; Saab and Volvo of Sweden; Peugeot and Renault of France; Fiat of Italy.

3) Дайте письмові відповіді на запитання до тексту:

1. When was the automobile industry born?

2. Which European car companies are the oldest?

3. Why is the automobile industry very important?

4. What materials does the typical automobile require?

5. Is Audi produced by an Italian company?