One Hundred Years of Automotive History: A Gallery of Rough and Ready Early Cars
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the automobile revolution was just beginning. Here are some fascinating glimpses into that era, showcasing pioneering figures and their groundbreaking vehicles.
In 1895-1897, George P. Dorris was seen in the first automobile he built, as reported by the Missouri Historical Society. Around the same time, Karl Benz, the German inventor, was pictured at the wheel of his first car, as reported by Saforrest.
Fast forward to 1898, and we find Andreas Flocken, pictured in the Coburg Hofgarten with an electric car, according to the Postkarte Report. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Japan, Panhard and Levassor were pictured, as reported by the Morio Report. Racing Driver Prevost (Prevot) was also pictured in his car (presumably) in Nijmegen, Netherlands, 1898, as per the Rijksmuseum Report.
The first Strasbourg Motor Show took place at the Buerehiesel, Strasbourg, France, 1900, as reported by the Automobile Club Association. The event showcased numerous innovative vehicles, including the Jeantaud 2-Seater Droijsky, an electric car from 1898, and the Gobron-Brillie 9 Cv, another car from 1900.
In 1900, I.V. Romanov designed the first electric cab in Gatchina, Russia, and Alexander Yakovlevich Gakkel developed the first electric car in the same city. The German Federal Archives have a record of one of the first automobiles from 1900 at the Demonstration at the Sports Press Summer Festival in Berlin-Ruhleben, Germany.
The following year, 1901, saw Ettore Bugatti and his Bugatti Type 2 in action. In the same year, the electric automobile was showcased in both Chicago and New York, as reported by Clinton Edgar Woods.
In 1908, the Russell Motor Car Company automobile was seen outside Toronto City Hall, as reported by the Toronto Reference Library. Meanwhile, Vincenzo Lancia was pictured with a Fiat Racing Automobile, 2nd in the Targa Florio, Sicily, Italy, according to the Bibliotheque nationale de France Report.
Notable figures like Armand Peugeot, Leonce Girardot, Jules-Albert De Dion, Car Driver Felice Nazzaro, and Henry Bauchet were also part of this exciting period, each making significant contributions to the burgeoning automotive world.
As we delve deeper into this fascinating era, it's clear that the automobile's journey was marked by pioneering spirits and groundbreaking vehicles. From the first cars built by Dorris and Benz to the electric vehicles of Romanov and Gakkel, the early days of automotive history were a time of innovation and exploration.
