Darracq 8-hp Two-seater

An average car at the start of the last century looked like this Darracq. Engine in the front, a slightly slanted steering wheel with gear lever, and a tubular radiator.

An average car at the beginning of the last century looks like this Darracq. Engine in the front, a slightly slanted steering wheel with gear lever, and a tubular radiator. The rear axle is fitted with a large driveshaft that transfers the power to the rear wheels, which are slightly larger than the front wheels. Also note the beautiful, button tufted leather bench. The car is the 8 HP type, one of the first production models of the then highly successful car brand Darracq. In 1904 Darracq is the largest car manufacturer in the world, with an annual production of 1,600 cars. That is ten percent of the total annual production in France at the time. All this while founder Alexandre Darracq himself never learned to drive. He does not even like being driven. In 1912 he turns his back on the car industry and invests his money in a casino in Deauville.