Have you ever wondered how long it would theoretically take to drive to the moon? Or perhaps, questioned how cruise control - as a feature we now expect most modern cars to have - came into existence?
Neither did we - at least not for a long time. If your work week has been progressing a bit too slowly and you need some automotive trivia to spice it up, however, here are 12 fun car facts, both local and global, that may surprise you!
1. The first fully functioning car, and when it was createdÂ
The 1885 Benz Patent Motor Car, powered by a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine capable of 0.75hp The first fully functioning car was the 1885 Benz Patent Motor Car, which was developed by Karl Benz.Â
It was a two-seater, three-wheeled vehicle that housed a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine putting out a... whopping 0.75bhp.
Despite being completed in 1885, it wasn't until January 1886, though, that Benz applied for the patent. To impress your friends with your knowledge even further, you'll want to know that the patent was numbered '37435'.
2. About that urban legend surrounding (or propelling) BMW's logo...
The colours of BMW's logo are meant to reflect those on the Bavarian flag Here's what might be a kicker for some: The BMW logo does not actually represent an aircraft propeller.Â
Instead, the now-unmistakable marker of the German luxury marque was meant to show the colours of the Bavarian flag.
It had to be distorted due to a prohibition to display 'national coats of arms or other symbols of national sovereignty' in a trademark.Â
3. James Bond star, Daniel Craig, can drive any Aston Martin he wants
Among the many Aston Martins Daniel Craig has driven on screen is the stunning DB5 Surprisingly, there is no official partnership betwen Aston Martin and the English action icon, who officially retired from the franchise in 2021 with the film "No Time to Die" as his swansong.
Nonetheless, Aston Martin says that the company 'is always happy to help Mr. Craig and allow him to test drive various models if requested'. On screen, the actor has already driven quite a fair number of models to make any petrolhead green with envy, though. Besides the DB5, DBS V12, he's even starred alongside the extremely-limited DB10, which was built specially for 'Spectre'.Â
4. About that that 'new car smell' that we all love...
More sustainable production practices have reduced the use of harmful chemicals in car interiors Unfortunately, your favourite 'new car smell' could actually be toxic.Â
A study by the Ecology Center in the U.S.A found more than 275 different chemicals in new car interiors. Some of these have been associated with birth defects, liver problems and cancer.
With the car industry recently set on a different path towards sustainability, however, this is all likely to change for the better.
The leather seats on the BMW iX, for instance, do not undergo chrome tanning, but get their colour via olive extracts instead. Cars like the Kia Niro and Polestar 2 also heavily incorporate vegan materials into their interiors.
5. Red flags used to accompany cars - but not the kind that you're thinking ofÂ
Cars had to be led by a person carrying a red flag back in 1865 It's hard to imagine it now, but having large blocks of metal move about on wheels was once a rather novel thing to see in the past.
Which is why in 1865, cars had to be led by a person carrying a red flag. Under the Locomotive Act of 1865, a person carrying a red flag had to walk at least 60 yards (55m) ahead of any car.
6. Bob Marley drove BMWs for only one reason
It may amuse fans of the reggae-legend to know that the Rastafari didn't have any particular fondness for Bimmers. The carmaker's initials just happened to also stand for his band name - Bob Marley and the Wailers.
7. Driving to the moon at 60mph (97km/h) would take about six months
The moon is approximately 400,000km away from earth. It would take just under six months to drive there non-stop at a constant speed of 97km/h.
8. The inventor of cruise control was blind
Ralph Teetor also did not take too kindly to being chaffeured by drivers with erratic right foots Speaking of going at constant speed, here's something you may not have known about the 'cruise control' function found on most modern cars. For those still unfamiliar, cruise control, when activated, helps a vehicle maintains a fixed speed on the highway without additional driver inputs. (Adaptive cruise control even adjusts the speed according to traffic in front using radars.)Â
As to how this came into being, its inventor, Ralph Teetor was annoyed with the way his lawyer/driver sped up and slowed down while talking - so he took things into his own hands, and created cruise control. He was also blind.
9. Roundabouts are safer and more efficient than traffic junctions
Roundabouts are not the most common sight here, but they actually help to reduce collisions Fresh Singaporean drivers used to stress out whenever they were routed to the infamous Newton Circus - but roundabouts actually have their own merits. In the U.S.A, Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Federal Highway Administration show that roundabouts reduce collisions by 75 percent, compared to traffic junctions.
10. Ladies really aren't bad drivers
Ladies, this is a fun fact you'll want to wield in the faces of your male friends if you're ever on the receiving end of some trite insults. According to Aviva Singapore's car insurance claim stats a while back, male drivers are 1.4 times more likely to get into an accident than females.Â
11. Left-hand drive cars on our road?Â
Left-hand drive cars in Singapore are mostly made up of diplomatic vehicles Not all cars in Singapore are right-hand drive.Â
Left-hand drive cars in Singapore are mostly made up of diplomatic vehicles and foreign cars passing through Singapore. They are marked with a 'Left Hand Drive' (LHD) decal.
Before you get too excited about bringing in a rare classic car, or something produced exclusively in LHD, however, we'll have to stop you with some bad news: You can't import one for personal use.Â
12. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is four times brighter than a stadium
Helping illuminate Singapore's night race annually are a whopping 1,600 lighting projectors The innumerable shots of the Marina Bay Street Circuit against Singapore's picturesque skyline do not lie.Â
1,600 lighting projectors are used to light up the circuit for what still marks the first-ever night race known to Formula One.
Of course, with safety still the key priority here, each project uses internal reflectors to project the light beams at different angles, to prevent them from blinding the drivers.
*This article was first published on Sgcarmart on 19 December 2017.Â
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Nine timeless cars you can still find in Singapore
These old Japanese cars from the 80s and 90s feature fancy tech you see in modern cars these days!
Secrets about obtaining a driver's license and its history
These innovative car keys are out of this world!
Neither did we - at least not for a long time. If your work week has been progressing a bit too slowly and you need some automotive trivia to spice it up, however, here are 12 fun car facts, both local and global, that may surprise you!
1. The first fully functioning car, and when it was createdÂ
It was a two-seater, three-wheeled vehicle that housed a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine putting out a... whopping 0.75bhp.
Despite being completed in 1885, it wasn't until January 1886, though, that Benz applied for the patent. To impress your friends with your knowledge even further, you'll want to know that the patent was numbered '37435'.
2. About that urban legend surrounding (or propelling) BMW's logo...
Instead, the now-unmistakable marker of the German luxury marque was meant to show the colours of the Bavarian flag.
It had to be distorted due to a prohibition to display 'national coats of arms or other symbols of national sovereignty' in a trademark.Â
3. James Bond star, Daniel Craig, can drive any Aston Martin he wants
Nonetheless, Aston Martin says that the company 'is always happy to help Mr. Craig and allow him to test drive various models if requested'. On screen, the actor has already driven quite a fair number of models to make any petrolhead green with envy, though. Besides the DB5, DBS V12, he's even starred alongside the extremely-limited DB10, which was built specially for 'Spectre'.Â
4. About that that 'new car smell' that we all love...
A study by the Ecology Center in the U.S.A found more than 275 different chemicals in new car interiors. Some of these have been associated with birth defects, liver problems and cancer.
With the car industry recently set on a different path towards sustainability, however, this is all likely to change for the better.
The leather seats on the BMW iX, for instance, do not undergo chrome tanning, but get their colour via olive extracts instead. Cars like the Kia Niro and Polestar 2 also heavily incorporate vegan materials into their interiors.
5. Red flags used to accompany cars - but not the kind that you're thinking ofÂ
Which is why in 1865, cars had to be led by a person carrying a red flag. Under the Locomotive Act of 1865, a person carrying a red flag had to walk at least 60 yards (55m) ahead of any car.
6. Bob Marley drove BMWs for only one reason
It may amuse fans of the reggae-legend to know that the Rastafari didn't have any particular fondness for Bimmers. The carmaker's initials just happened to also stand for his band name - Bob Marley and the Wailers.
7. Driving to the moon at 60mph (97km/h) would take about six months
The moon is approximately 400,000km away from earth. It would take just under six months to drive there non-stop at a constant speed of 97km/h.
8. The inventor of cruise control was blind
As to how this came into being, its inventor, Ralph Teetor was annoyed with the way his lawyer/driver sped up and slowed down while talking - so he took things into his own hands, and created cruise control. He was also blind.
9. Roundabouts are safer and more efficient than traffic junctions
10. Ladies really aren't bad drivers
Ladies, this is a fun fact you'll want to wield in the faces of your male friends if you're ever on the receiving end of some trite insults. According to Aviva Singapore's car insurance claim stats a while back, male drivers are 1.4 times more likely to get into an accident than females.Â
11. Left-hand drive cars on our road?Â
Left-hand drive cars in Singapore are mostly made up of diplomatic vehicles and foreign cars passing through Singapore. They are marked with a 'Left Hand Drive' (LHD) decal.
Before you get too excited about bringing in a rare classic car, or something produced exclusively in LHD, however, we'll have to stop you with some bad news: You can't import one for personal use.Â
12. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is four times brighter than a stadium
1,600 lighting projectors are used to light up the circuit for what still marks the first-ever night race known to Formula One.
Of course, with safety still the key priority here, each project uses internal reflectors to project the light beams at different angles, to prevent them from blinding the drivers.
*This article was first published on Sgcarmart on 19 December 2017.Â
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Nine timeless cars you can still find in Singapore
These old Japanese cars from the 80s and 90s feature fancy tech you see in modern cars these days!
Secrets about obtaining a driver's license and its history
These innovative car keys are out of this world!
