10 first models of car brands we love

Every great story has a beginning, here's where these famous brands took their first steps to automotive stardom:

1. Ferrari: 125 S (1947)

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The first car to bear the Ferrari name, the 125 S debuted in 1947 on the Piacenza Circuit.

2. Maserati: Tipo 26 (1926)

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The first car built by Maserati made its debut in the 1926 Targa Florio, finishing first in the Grand Prix class.

More after the jump...

3. Aston Martin Coal Scuttle (1915)

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So called for its apparent resemblance to, you guessed it, a coal scuttle, this was the only Aston Martin in existence until after WW1 when the war stopped production plans. Designers Martin and Bamford started out by modifying Singer cars before deciding to set out and make their own model.

4. Porsche 64 (1938)

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The Porsche 64 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche after his work on the Volkswagen Beetle. In fact this model used quite a few components from the Beetle in manufacture. A bit of a checkered history to this one: three original models were made to enter in the 1939 Berlin-Race which was subsequently canceled when WW2 broke out. The first was crashed by the Managing Director of the KdF; the second was discovered by American troops who ripped off the top and drove it until it wore out; and the fate of the third is currently unknown.

5. Bentley EXP 1 (1919)

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The EXP 1 was cobbled together just off Baker St in Central London by W. O. Bentley and Frank Burgess who met during the War. The engine was intrusively loud due to the advanced engine specs, so much so that complaints were raised against them during testing.

6. Bugatti Type 2 (1901)

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A prototype model produced by Enzo Bugatti in 1901, the Type 2 went on to win an award at the Milan Trade Fair where it caught the eye of Bugatti's patron Baron De Dietrich, who went on to fund Bugatti's work.

7. SS Jaguar 100 (1936)

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So named for it's theoretical 100mph maximum speed, the SS Jaguar 100 was the first model to sport the leaping Jaguar hood ornament.

8. Lamborghini 350 GT (1963)

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Debuting at the Turin Auto Show in 1963, the 350 GT was Lamborghini's answer to Ferrari. They took it into full production in 1964 selling each of the 120 vehicles manufactured at a loss in order to compete with them.

9. Audi Type A (1910)

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140 Audi Type A models were produced in 1910 when it became the first car to sport the Audi name. After a legal battle over the company name with some previous business partners, August Horch, the father of the Audi brand, was in a bit of a pickle. He wished to name the car after his family name but being unable to, his son suggested to name the company Audi instead of Horch (Audi meaning 'to listen', rather than Horch or 'to hear') to avoid legal issues over the name.

10. Rolls Royce Silver Ghost (1907)

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Once deemed 'the best car in the world' by Autocar magazine in 1907. the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was the first car to be manufactured under the joint Rolls-Royce Ltd name.