History of the Automobile in Lansing

History of the Automobile in Lansing. . , 1897 , Olds Motor Vehicle Company forms, Michigan's first operating motor vehicle company., 1899 , Investors move Olds Motor Vehicle Company to a new factory in Detroit, which they name Olds Motor Works, although engine production remains in Lansing., 1901 , A fire destroys the Olds Motor Works Detroit factory., 1903 , The Oldsmobile Curved Dash becomes the first gasoline-powered vehicle in the world to be mass produced on an assembly line., 1904 , Ransom Eli Olds leaves Olds Motor Works and starts REO Motor Car Company., 1905 , Olds Motor Works continues to build vehicles in both Detroit and Lansing until 1905 when the company consolidated back in Lansing., 1908 , Oldsmobile merges with General Motors., 1915 , REO Motor Car Company introduces the REO Speedwagon, the forerunner of today's pickup truck., 1918-1975 , Duplex Truck produces vehicles in Lansing., 1920-1931 , Durant Motors produces Durant and Star autos in Lansing., 1941-1945 , Oldsmobile's assembly lines in Lansing change production to provide ammunition's, aircraft machine guns, tank cannons, various forgings, and aircraft engine parts to the military during World War II. The REO auto plant manufactures military trucks of all kinds, from simple troop transportation and parts to tank transporters. REO also manufactures projectile bomb fuses., 1949 , The first Rocket V8 engine comes off the assembly line., 1962 , Oldsmobile introduces the iconic Cutlass., 1985 , Oldsmobile introduces its first front-wheel drive car, the Calais., 2001 , General Motors begins production at its new Grand River Assembly plant in Lansing., 2004 , General Motors ends the Oldsmobile brand, bringing to an end the longest-surviving American automobile line., 2005 , General Motors closes Lansing Car Assembly, the longest-operating automobile factory in the United States., 2006 , General Motors begins production at its new Lansing Delta Assembly plant., Today , Through innovation, and the hard working spirt of its people, Lansing continues to be a leader the automotive industry.