25 Interesting random car facts...how many do you know?

If you want to bulk up on your car knowledge, I’ve got some fun and interesting auto facts for you that will get you closer to being more of an expert than you were before and help you win a game of trivia. How many of these fun facts do you know?

1. Every Honda CR-V used to come with a picnic table in back

From 1997 to 2006, every single Honda CR-V included a folding picnic table tucked away under the cargo area. Yes, I am completely serious. If you were out driving around in your CR-V and you wanted to pull over and have a picnic, all you had to do was pull out the picnic table and you were all set. Viola, roadside dining (minus the chairs). You know the old mullet saying.. business in the front and party in the back? lol

2. The man who invented cruise control was blind.

While millions of people use cruise control every day, many wouldn't know that it was invented by a blind engineer. His name was Ralph Teetor. When he was five years old, he was blinded in an accident involving a knife. He would tinker with parts in his father's workshop, from ten-years-old. He developed a talent for feeling mechanical objects and designing parts despite his disability. His hands had become his eyes. He believed he could have a future in engineering. During World War 2, war rationing forced motorists to drive 35 miles-per-hour so that they could save on gas. Ralph began work on a mechanism that could assist motorists in sticking to one speed during a commute, without having to regulate it themselves. In 1948, the ‘Speedostat' was born. A decade later, they finally finished engineering a prototype that could confidently be used in vehicles.

Who could see that coming as a way of the future?

3. A Flamethrower option for your BMW was once a real thing!

Yes, a South African inventor did sell a flamethrower kit for your car, which would potentially roast an unsuspecting hijacker. The system eventually was made illegal but it was apparently fitted to nearly 30 cars. The device sold only a few hundred of them before being discontinued. It's thought that a number of these are still installed on cars in South Africa, though the carjacking problem, while still one of the worst in the world, isn't nearly as bad as it once was. I guess that's one way to eliminate the car jacking problem!

4. In Churchill, Canada, residents leave their cars unlocked in case someone is being attacked by a polar bear

They leave their cars unlocked in case a pedestrian is under attack from a polar bear and needs to hide! Talk about bear size kindness.

5. In Switzerland, it is illegal to slam a car door after 10 p.m.

In Switzerland they must take their quiet time seriously! Apparently, it is unlawful to slam a car door after 10 PM. Maybe you will get off with a warning or maybe it will be a hefty fine. If you find yourself in Switzerland and are daring enough to find out what happens, be sure to let me know!

6. The longest car on the planet is a limousine, built by Jay Ohberg, stretching up to 100m long. It even has its own helipad

When new, its 100-foot length landed it the Guinness Book of World Records spot for the longest car in the world. The Cadillac was more like a land going yacht than a car. Its tail housed a helipad, whose surface could be used as a putting green whenever the chopper wasn't around. It also had two engines, dozens of windows, TVs, telephones, a lounge, a water bed, a jacuzzi, and a swimming pool with a diving board. Ohrberg built the car in two sections, which are joined in the middle by a hinge (that required an operator separate from the driver) for navigating tighter corners; the hinge could also be set to a fixed position, so that the limo was rigid over its entire length. By our count, it rolled on 24 wheels and tires.

7. Electric vehicles first appeared in the mid-19th century. In 1900 38% of all cars were electric

Electric automobiles are nothing new. In 1899 and 1900, electric vehicles outsold all other types of cars. In fact, 28 percent of all 4,192 cars produced in the US in 1900 were electric, according to the American Census. Early electric cars were basically horseless carriages powered by batteries. They didn’t have the smell, noise, or vibration that steam, or gasoline cars had. They were also a lot easier to operate. Gasoline cars had to be manually cranked to start, and the vehicles required the driver to change gears while driving, which was exceedingly difficult. Steam-powered cars didn’t require manual gear shifting, but they could take a while to start and had less range than electric cars.

8. The Ferrari 458 Spider is the most car accident-prone car in the world

This car tops the list with a susceptibility score of nearly six times the average for all cars.

I don't think I will be taking one out for a test drive anytime soon!

9. It takes more than 100 million lines of code to program the computer system in the Bentley Bentayga

If it doesn’t have the most-elaborate wiring in the vehicular world, it’s close. The Bentayga offers four long-range radar systems, up to 12 short-range ultrasonic parking sensors, six camera systems, dozens of lighting ­elements, a 48-volt roll-control suspension system, a champagne fridge, an 18-speaker stereo, a watch winder, and seats that can warm, cool, and massage occupants. All of it is designed to withstand heat, cold, dust, moisture, and electromagnetic interference.

10. NASCAR was created because of prohibition

During the Prohibition era, “bootleggers” drove stock cars to transport whiskey moonshine quickly and easily. Navigating the twists and turns of the Appalachian region and avoid, or out speed law enforcement. They became the pioneers of racing for sport and what we know today as The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

11. The first speeding ticket was issued in 1896 for a speed of 8 MPH

The first known speeding ticket issued to an automobile driver in the world actually came on January 28, 1896 and was issued to a motorist by the name of Walter Arnold. He was caught going 8 miles per hour in a 2 mile per hour zone and earned a fine of 1 shilling! Walter Arnold was no ordinary motorist. He was also one of the earliest car dealers in the country and the local supplier for Benz vehicles. He was well ahead of the times and set up his own car company producing “Arnold” motor carriages at the same time. It has to be said that the subsequent publicity surrounding his speeding offence probably wasn’t entirely unwelcome, and it was certainly a game changer for the automobile. The first count, which reads using a “locomotive without a horse,” the next for having fewer than three persons “in charge of the same”, indicating the enduring influence of horse-drawn and steam locomotion when it came to legislating the new vehicles. Next came the actual speeding charge, for driving at more than two miles per hour, and finally, a charge for not having his name and address on the vehicle.

12. The top speed at the first automobile race in the world was 15 MPH

Top speed at the world's first car race held in France from Paris-Bordeaux-Paris in 1895 was just 15 mph. Emile Levassor, the racer, completed the 732 mile distance in 49 hours at a speed of 15 mph.

13. The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car in the world

Let this sink in... one is being sold every 40 seconds!

14. The Ford GT broke the crushing machine used in the “roof crush” safety test because it's so strong

When the engineers at Ford tested the GT, they were surprised about the strength of the car. During the roof crush test, Ford engineers discovered that the material they used was so strong that the machine failed to crush the roof. The impenetrable roof was so strong that it broke the crushing machine.

15. 1886 is considered to be the birth of the modern car

The year 1886 is considered to be the birth of the modern car. In that year, German inventor Carl Benz built a modern automobile called the Benz Patent-Motorwagen.

16. US President Lyndon B. Johnson owned an amphibious car

The car was a German-produced Amphicar, which was produced for public sale in 1961. One of the president’s former aides would later recall: “We reached a steep incline at the edge of the lake and the car started rolling rapidly toward the water. 

“The president shouted, ‘The brakes don’t work! The brakes won’t hold! We’re going in! We’re going under!’”

17. The 350 in the Shelby GT350’s name came from the number of feet it was from the company’s office to the production workshop

As it turns out, Carroll Shelby was pretty lazy when it came to naming his cars. The GT500? Well, the 500 from that was chosen simply because Shelby wanted a number bigger than anybody else’s. Likewise, the Ford GT40, which Shelby played a key role in designing, was so named because it was 40 inches tall.

18. Confused about which side of the car to pull up to the pump on? Check out the arrow on your fuel gauge, it will point you in the right direction

"To confirm, it's the arrow that signifies where the gas cap is," AAA says.

19. The dash board got its start as a piece of wood attached to the front of a horse-drawn buggy to prevent mud from hitting the carriage driver

It's basically the part of the carriage that's right in front of the driver. The first automobiles were modeled after horse-drawn carriages, with the mechanical parts underneath and at the back of the vehicle. So the dashboard remained.

20. The highest speeding ticket ever issued was to a man in Switzerland who was clocked at 180 miles per hour. His fine was calculated based on the speed he was traveling, and his income. He was given a citation just over one million dollars

Don't get caught speeding in Switzerland!

21. Enzo Ferrari Spawned Lamborghini Cars

To become one of the biggest automakers in history, Enzo Ferrari stepped on a few toes. Henry Ford agreed with Enzo to purchase Ferrari, but the Italian automaker backed out at the last minute, angering Ford, who instructed his engineers to produce the GT40, which would beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Henry Ford wasn't the only man who Enzo angered, as Ferruccio Lamborghini owned a Ferrari. When Ferruccio complained to Enzo about his Ferrari 250 GT, Enzo told Ferruccio to worry about making tractors and leave him to make cars. The statement angered Ferruccio, who established Automobili Lamborghini.

22. The World Record For Removing And Replacing An Engine Is 42 Seconds

Five Royal British Marines from Portsmouth practiced every day for two weeks to ensure that they were the best at removing and replacing an engine. They removed and replaced an engine on a Ford Escort in 42 seconds.

23. Charles Goodyear Was Not The Founder Of Goodyear Tires

The Goodyear tire company was actually named in his honor as he was the man who developed vulcanization, which is the process used to strengthen rubber. Goodyear chased a solution to the lack of durability in rubber for much of his life, but didn't find it until he mixed sulfur and gum and accidentally dropped it directly onto a hot stove.

24. The Car Radio Was Nearly Banned

When the car radio was first invented some states wanted to ban them on the basis it could distract drivers and cause accidents. Now, nearly 100 years later, the problem isn't the radio built into the car. It's the telephones people carry around with them.

25. The most popular car of the 20th century was the VW Beetle

This iconic slug bug car was estimated to have sold more than 20 million times across the globe.

There you have it folks!