A Faster Way from London to Brighton?
Many of the early cars around the turn of the century (1900) were equipped with relatively underpowered single- or perhaps two-cylinder engines. The Panhard & Levassor brand, however, focused early on multi-cylinder engines and “La Système Panhard,” in which the engine was located at the front, the transmission behind it, and the rear wheels were driven. With this approach, the brand was among the most successful race car manufacturers of the time, and Panhard & Levassor claimed many victories during that era.
In 1901, the car pictured here was built with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (8 CV) and a carriage-like design featuring the driver's seat at the very front. While the passengers sat sheltered from the elements, the chauffeur endured sun and rain as he worked with the steering—which was certainly not very smooth—and the four-speed transmission with an electrically operated clutch.
The car spent several years in England and, according to Bonhams, also participated in the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run in 1996 and around 2006–2007. It finished in second place at the time, which was no small feat for such an old car. But apparently, the car is easy to drive and is still relatively fast to boot.
Now, however, the car is looking for a new owner. It will go under the hammer on October 30 at Bonhams' “The Golden Age of Motoring Sale.” The pleasure of driving one of the fastest cars in the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run won't come cheap, though. The estimated value has been set at £300,000 to 350,000.
A wealth of information and photos of the car is available online at Bonhams.
