Footnotes

• 'The Peugeot is the French car that still maintains its excellence and is the only firm of long- standing repute still manufacturing two-cylinder engined cars and with a range of models from 8 hp to 50 hp ... it is made apparent that the Peugeot cars are fully worthy of the high place they have taken in the motor world.' - Max Pemberton. 'The Amateur Motorist', 1907.
  Formerly producers of tools, coffee mills, umbrella spikes and corsetry, Peugeot commenced its long-standing connection with transport in 1885 when it added cycle manufacture to its portfolio. Amongst the world's oldest surviving motor manufacturers, the company commenced car production in 1889 with a steam-powered tri-car but soon abandoned steam in favour of the internal combustion engine, building a succession of ever larger automobiles before introducing the first of its famous Bébé light cars in 1900. Step by step Peugeot modernised its designs, adopting the steering wheel in 1901 on the Type 36 and front-mounted engines on all its new models in 1902. From that time forward Peugeot unashamedly copied the Mercedes style in miniature, adopting square-cut honeycomb radiators and reinforced timber chassis; even the twin-cylinder 9hp had mechanically-operated inlet valves in a pair-cast 'T-head' engine. Other advanced features of this particular model were shaft drive (new in mid-1904) and an unusual overhung crankshaft to give maximum spacing between the cylinders, while the Le Rhone carburettor incorporated an ingenious precursor of the automatic choke, in which a spring-loaded slotted choke tube richened the mixture at low speeds. Peugeot produced singles, twins and four-cylinder cars at this time, some with chain and others with shaft drive, the latter becoming universal after 1909.
  The 9hp Peugeot is said to be a particularly pleasant car to drive, with a three-speed quadrant-change gearbox and brisk performance on the flat; four-up, it should climb any hill on the Brighton Road with ease. The steering, with around 1.5 turns lock-to-lock, is described as firm and positive and the turning circle is good. Fortunately for the owner of any veteran Peugeot, the company maintains a strong interest in its heritage and the fullest possible information on its historic models is available from the company's archive service, L'Aventure Peugeot in Paris.
  Dated as 1904 by the Veteran Car Club (certificate number 485), this nicely preserved twin-cylinder Peugeot is known to have been kept in dry barn storage until the early 1990s and is a fine example of one of the highest-quality small cars of its day. One of at least four of this type surviving, this example even retains its original low-tension magneto ignition with its distinctive carbon-tipped plugs. The rear-entrance tonneau coachwork has leather upholstery that appears to have been newly installed shortly before the car went into storage. Sadly, the seat cushion is now missing. 'A 221' last participated in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 1996, the Centenary year, and has been stored since then. The car is offered with old-style logbook. At the time of cataloguing the V5 registration document had not been located; however, we have confirmed that the vehicle is registered on the DVLA computer and Bonhams has applied for a Swansea V5C registration document.
  

Auction Notices

• This vehicle does not have an old-style logbook but we are pleased to report the V5 has been located and accordingly Bonhams have not applied for a V5C.

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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