1901 De Dion Bouton Vis-a-Vis 4.5HP
Registration No. VSL718
Engine No. 6060
VCC Dating Certificate No. 2331
£66500
Following the success of its tricycles and quadricycles, the De Dion-Bouton company introduced a new generation of four-wheeled vehicles in 1899 with a rear-mounted engine driving the rear wheels via a train of gears. With the new car came the renowned De Dion rear axle, which would find favour with many manufacturers over the years. Originally powered by a 3½hp engine, it was upgraded with a 4½hp in 1900 which this example possesses. This extra power meant the car was able to perform to a better standard over hilly terrain.
This Vis-A-Vis De Dion has a long history living in East Anglia. It resided in the Suffolk area from very early on and is known to have been registered there as 'BJ 1721'. The cars early history is widely unknown but it first came to public attention when the car was struck in the bombings of WW2. After the war the car was given to long-term owner, Mr Hugh Smith of Holt in Norfolk by Ralph Barker of Ralph Barker Engineering, Northumberland Street, Norwich. Mr Smith was a brilliant self-taught engineer, who set about restoring the car to its original specification and, after years of painstaking work and effort ensuring that every detail was correct, he completed the task at the end of the 1970s.
Hugh Smith died in 1988 and his De Dion was auctioned together with his many other cars and spares on 22nd March 1989. It found its way into a museum collection in Japan before returning to the UK in 1999 where it was again auctioned, on this occasion by Brooks. The De Dion was purchased two years later from the buyer at that sale. It participated in every London to Brighton Veteran Car Run from 2000 to 2011 in addition to those when owned by Hugh Smith in the 1980s, as well as many other rallies both in the UK and Europe, such as the Teuf Teuf Club 'Rallye des Ancetres'.
We are told by the vendor that the car was mechanically overhauled, both engine and gearbox by a specialist in 2019. The car has completed 4 London to Brighton runs since 2019 all making the 60 mile trip in good time and there was a write up of the car’s performance in the Daily Telegraph in November 2019.
Upon starting and driving the car, we can report that the engine is responsive, revving out well and the gearbox performs well, easily changing between its two forward speeds. The car is ready to be used by a new custodian and we have no doubt as to its capability in completing The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 2025.
