The Best & The Worst in the World of Cars in 2011

If you are a car fanatic, you have probably already heard about the most important facts of 2011 in the automotive industry. In case you haven't, let me invite you to read these small reviews about some of them:

Happy birthday to the CAR

2011 was a year of celebration for the automotive industry. This invention that completely revolutionized the lifestyle turned 125 years old. The BenzPatent-Motorwagen, presented at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889 as the first vehicle to work independently with a gasoline engine, was shown a century later in different events that celebrated the car.




Centenary of a big one

Another of the great facts that marked the year was the centenary of Chevrolet, a manufacturer that at this time has built some of the most iconic vehicles in the industry as the Camaro, the Corvette, the Suburban and their useful pickups getting to sell more than 209 million units in over 140 countries in which it operates today.




100 years of the 'Spirit of Ecstasy'

The logo, which sits in front of every Rolls-Royce, is one of the most recognized in the automotive world and was also celebrated in 2011 as it turned nothing less than 100 years old. Also known as 'Flying Lady' represents the luxury, beauty, and speed of these English cars and, as part of the celebrations, inspired a beautiful collection of images made by the photographer Rankin.




Birthday of the most popular off-road

The Jeep is probably the best-known all-terrain vehicle in the industry, and this 2011 turned 70. This car, initially built for military purposes, was expanding its market to become one of the models preferred by the more adventurous. Despite the passing of time, the manufacturer has remained almost intact in the DNA of the vehicle, and to mark its 70th anniversary, it decided to launch a special edition of some of their models.




Third generation of the VW Beetle

Talking about cars that have been icons, can not miss the VW Beetle, which in 2011 introduced the third generation, which came with a redesign that makes it look much more aggressive, modern, and masculine, but without losing the essence that made it so popular.




Welcome to the Fiat 500

After 28 years of absence, the cute 'Cinquecento' returned to the U.S. as part of an alliance between Fiat and Chrysler. This attractive subcompact quickly gained popularity for its vintage design and modern features at the same time, as well as its handling, a lot of technology, and low price. Note that this charismatic Italian car has been in charge of falling in love with J-Lo, who is the image for the campaign.




Compact cars in fashion

Along with the Fiat 500 also arrived the Mazda2, the Nissan Versa hatchback, the Ford Fusion and a good amount of compact models, efficient, full of attractive designs and technology, which with their low prices have become the coolest of the moment, so almost all manufacturers have their prototypes for this segment.




Green car of the year

Every year Los Angeles Auto Show awards the Greenest Car of the Year, and for 2011, the winner was the Honda Civic, which works with natural gas and whose performance is 38 miles per gallon, plus it can travel up to 240 miles with a full tank. According to the people in charge of giving the award, the Civic was the best because it has a good performance, a wide and attractive design, and emission levels that can hardly be surpassed by other combustion cars.




The dream of many

Over the years, many awards have been given, but one that has become more important is the Ideal Car given by AutoPacific. Once again, and since 2008 Porsche was the big winner for manufacturers whose vehicles are closer to the wishes of consumers.




Japanese collapse

2011 also left many disappointments, such as the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in early 2011 and left thousands of victims and property losses that affected millions in the strong auto industry. Thousands of cars that were almost ready to embark and were being exported were destroyed by the natural phenomenon. Also worth mentioning is that some facilities suffered heavy damage, and together with the lack of energy, some manufacturers were forced to suspend production, which undoubtedly had an impact on their sales.




Luxury cars destroyed

A few months ago, the German government began investigating after finding about 50 cars burned. What raised the suspicion of the authorities is that the affected cars were luxurious, and the acts were committed in the wealthy areas of Charlottenburg, Tiergarten, and Lichtenberg. By the nature of the facts, it was said that it was caused by some anarchists.




Tough laws on behalf of cyclists

One of the more controversial characters in 2011 caused, was the mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania, Arturas Zoukas, for his radical way of defending the rights of cyclists. The politician got into a tank and crushed a Mercedes-Benz for parking in a confined lane for bicycles. The act was recorded, and you could see Zoukas warning drivers about what could happen to the cars parked in a prohibited area.




Less work for thieves

In 2011, car theft decreased by 7.2%, according to the FBI's annual report, and the South of the country is where it was most reduced. This good news, according to the report, is due to the improvements in anti-theft devices. However, the authorities insist on remaining vigilant and following to the letter simple safety tips such as not leaving valuables in sight, not leaving doors open or stuck keys, as well as imprinting the identification number of the car in different parts of the vehicle.




The automotive industry is recovering

Finally, it seems that the auto industry recovered from the serious crisis it faced a couple of years ago. Sales have gradually been improving as it was ending the year ended, with Chrysler being one of the most benefited.


Buying and selling cars in Cuba

One of the best news in 2011 was when the government of Cuba announced the approval of buying and selling cars on the island, a prohibited activity for 50 years. Even before the decree, the only valid transactions were the purchase of previous models until the triumph of the revolution (1959), but now you can purchase other models, which will apply to both Cubans living on the island and to temporary or permanent resident aliens.




Millionaire relic

Every year, there are many car auctions, but in 2011, there was one very special one held. It was sold as the 'De Dion-Bouton et Trépardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout', better known as 'La Marquise', considered by many as the oldest car in the world. This steam vehicle that still runs was sold for $4.6 million.

Excellent contribution to the forum ChevyMAN, too many facts that I bet not many people know about.

I'm surprised by the Cuba news, I haven't gone there and I didn't know that in that country can only cars from 1959 or before are allowed. Being in Cuba should be like being in a 50's movie, I guess I bet that many car collectors would pay a lot of money for their cars.You already know where to go to sell or find the most economy and affordable cheap used cars in USA: .:: Autopten.com ::.

Thank you for this information. A must-read for all car enthusiasts around the globe. Now I am in love with the VW Beetle

Yes, welcome to the Fiat 500, but too bad that here in America we do not like little cars, those who buy small cars are more by necessity, economy, and to save money than because they like them. Let's face it.Just be baby.

All the cars deserve recognition, from the first entry to the last. These will serve as stepping stones for the development and design of future cars. Sadly, a lot of cars were destroyed when the tsunami struck Japan, but in general, the auto industry is still rocking. More importantly, the Japanese have a penchant for resiliency, and I'm pretty sure they will come back even better in the future. :)