ORIGINS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Highlights:Latvian made Krastin car
Stutz Bearcat
Ford Model T
Years:1903 - 1919

Euphoria

A new chapter is opened – the early production of automobiles in Europe as well as America is met with huge excitement.

A major step in the growth of the civilization was taken at the turn of the century; the early stages of automobile building in Europe and America were characterized by colossal euphoria. In a short period of time, hundreds of car manufacturers emerged. Discoveries and developments in the industry spread incredibly fast, but the introduction of the assembly-line and automobile serial-production created the first industry giants.

The Latvian name of Augusts Krastiņš (who relocated to the USA), was also recorded in the global automotive history alongside Henry Ford and other pioneers of the sector. His company’s manufactured automobile of 1903 is one of the museum’s main exhibition treasures, and is the only surviving model after over a century.