DE DION BOUTON – year 1903

Manufacturer: by Dion-Bouton, Paris, France.

The extravagant Marquis Albert de Dion, born in 1 856 r. w Carqeufou, friends called comte sportif”, because he was not only a good swordsman, but also one of the first motorists and founders of the French Automobile Club.

It was established in 1882. firma of Dion-Bouton & Trepardoux built steam vehicles. W 1894 r. de Dion won the first Paris-Rouen car race on a steam tractor of his own design. After failures in further races, he came to a conclusion, that he would do better with a gasoline engine of a Daimler from Stuttgart. Meanwhile partner of the marquis, Trepardoux, fearing bankruptcy, withdrew from the company. De Dion didn't stop at Daimler engines, having 700 do 900 RPM, on his own 3000 RPM.

W 1895 r. de Dion-Bouton has built a small gasoline powered three-wheeler 0,55 kW (0,75 KM). A novelty was an improved high-voltage electric spark plug ignition, circuit breaker and battery. The vehicle gained popularity, and his engines were used for their own cars over 100 firm, such as: Renault, Delage, Phoebus, Adler, and even the Pierce Arrow in America.

At the Paris Motor Show in 1899. de Dion-Bouton exhibited his first Power Voituretta 2,6 kW (3,6 KM).

The model z 1903 r. already has a single-cylinder engine with displacement 942 cm3 i mocy 5,9 kW (8 KM).

It was the most popular type of French car over the years. The two-speed gearbox was controlled by a lever under the steering wheel. At empty weight 51 5 kg two-person car developed speed 45 km/h. A de Dion drive axle with a fixed track and low unsprung mass was used in it. It was mainly used in racing and sports cars: Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Ferrari and in luxury cars of the 1930s, such as Horch, Opel or Daimler-Benz.

Firma de Dion-Bouton, whose products are represented in large numbers in European car museums, ceased to exist in 1933 r.