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Vermorel Type 2 from 1897: The first car in Sardinia - Innovative technology

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Created on June 10, 2025

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

9

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

9

Vermorel type 2 (1897) - taken in 1901

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - At first glance a horse-drawn carriage with a roof, in reality a technically innovative automobile

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - Horizontal water cooler under the car floor

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - 1901 on the front page, forgotten today

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - From left to right: 2-cylinder crankshaft, three-speed gearbox, differential, half shafts with gear pair for final drive, axle tube

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - The transverse two-cylinder engine: R water cooler, A intake valve, S exhaust valve, C carburetor, B valve rod, AC cam wheel

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - A mechanical parking brake projecting to the rear, which claws into the non-asphalted roadway when stopping and securing the wagon on inclines

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - The starter crank of the engine is on the right side in front of the rear wheel

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Vermorel Type 2 (1897) - De Dion axle from 1899: connected axle tube cranked to the rear, drive shafts in the center of the wheel, clearly visible differential on the chassis

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Summary

Although you wouldn't know it at first glance, the Vermorel Type 2 of 1897 was technically avant-garde. It featured a design that we knew from 1899 as the De Dion axle. It was also the first car in Sardinia...

This article contains the following chapters

Innovative technology: drive layout
The engine
Brakes and wheels
The chassis
Epilogue

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Transverse and flat underfloor 2-cylinder in front of the rear axle (central engine), blocked with transverse 3-speed gearbox and differential, De Dion axle two years before Count De Dion's invention, cooling under the floor, three braking systems - you wouldn't know it at first glance, but this car was technically avant-garde. And it was the first car in Sardinia. But first things first. Vermorel was one of more than 25 car brands that emerged and disappeared in Lyon and the surrounding area in the early days of the automobile. The company was founded in 1843 and mainly manufactured agricultural machinery for winegrowing. In 1897, the company ventured into the automobile. The responsible designer was François Pilain, who came from Serpollet, the leading manufacturer of steam-powered automobiles.

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