The Amazing World of Automobiles

The Amazing World of Automobiles charts the evolution of cars throughout the ages, from the first Model T Fordto roll off the conveyor belt to the most recent innovations in design, including cars that reduce your carbonfootprint.

We look at the advent of the machine that has kept us on the road over the last century. Since the earliest days, motoring has not exactly been cheap. In the beginning it was only the rich who could afford wheels, but then Henry Ford changed the way the world moved.

In the earliest days, roads were where horses pulled carts, but as cars came along, gravel gave way to cobblestones, which in turn disappeared as the modern roads were paved with tar. Roads became more durable, but that didnʼt stop the intrepid traveller who wanted to explore more inhospitable terrain.

Ever since the automobile was invented men have raced them, pitting themselves and their cars against those of other countries in all kinds of races, in all kinds of conditions. The first races were feats of endurance, the most famous being Le Mons. After WWII, motor sport became a team affair, and drivers went professional.

Join us as we chart the lives of some of the most important names in the automobileʼs short history - men who have raced them, designed or built them, and as a result have become icons in their chosen field. Probably the most influential man - particularly in the early days of motor cars - was Henry Ford.

BMW has long been associated with motor-sport, its BM1 division devoted to creating cars that can outperform and outlast their competitors while sticking to the designs that have made BMW one of the most sought after cars in the middle class, prestige market.