In the early 20th century, as the automobile industry shifted into high gear, French ingenuity and style left an indelible mark on car design worldwide. From 1902 to 1919, a period spanning the Belle Époque through World War I, French-inspired vehicles married form and function in ways that would influence automotive aesthetics for decades to come. These cars, with their distinctive features and innovative engineering, not only showcased France’s technological prowess but also captured the essence of an era marked by rapid change and boundless optimism.
Many of the cars in this article were on display at the Mullin Museum in Oxnard, California. Sadly, owner Peter Mullin passed away in September 2023 and the museum later closed. The cars were either sold at auction or placed in other museums.
1902 Darracq Roadster
It is estimated to sell for $50,000-$70,000.
Gladiator bicycle entrepreneur Alexandre Darracq designed this beauty. Darracq wanted to create a more efficient engine. The 1902 Roadster features a single vertical cylinder configuration mounted within a tubular frame with a central drive shaft. The model being auctioned features a twin-cylinder engine for better power. This car was previously part of the Frederick C. Crawford Auto Aviation Museum in Ohio. It became part of the Mullin family in the early 90s.
1902 Prunel Model F Cabriolet
Estimated sale price is $30,000 – $50,000
Acquired by Mullin in 1990, this spectacular car came to the US in 1962, where it underwent a complete restoration. It won awards and was exhibited at the Briggs Cunningham Museum in California.
1907 Peugeot Type 99A Double Phaeton
Estimated sale price is $30,000 – $40,000
Armand Peugeot founded Automobiles Peugeot in 1891 after a successful run in bicycle and tricycle manufacturing. The Type 99 featured a single-cylinder unit that displaced 1,039 cc and produced 9 hp. There was approximately 325 of the Type 99 cars produced. This model spent years in a privately owned Swiss collection before being purchased by the Mullin Collection in 2006.
1908 Sizaire-Naudin Model C Speedster
Estimated sale price is $20,000 – $30,000
Sizaire-Naudin was founded in 1903 by brothers Maurice and Georges. They primarily built a brand around voiturette-style sports and racing cars. This Model C Speedster was produced during the height of their racing success, which ran from 1906 to 1909.
1910 Renault Type CB Landaulet
Estimated sale price is $50,000 – $75,000
The Renault Type CB debuted in 1910. This model features a beautiful restoration that brings the burgundy color back to life with the red wheels. A summary of the vehicle’s history shows that it was produced by Renault Freres, “For USA Colonies and Cuba.” Brewster and Company of New York bodied it.
1911 Panhard Et Levassor X17 Sedanca de Ville
Estimated sale price is $50,000 – $70,000
The X17 model was introduced in 1911 and would continue to be produced through 1915. The styling would be a visual that looks like carriages from earlier days. The model features a double-sleeve configuration that uses connecting rods to actuate sleeves that cover and uncover the inlet and exhaust ports on the valves. The car was purchased by the Mullin Collection from Jack Braam Ruben in 2006.
1911 De Dien-Bouton Type DY Tourer
Estimated sale price is $30,000 – $40,000
This beauty was once owned by Prince Rainier in Monaco. The car was built by De Dion-Bouton, which would go on to become one of the largest auto manufacturers in the world. They were producing roughly 2,000 cars by 1904 but pivoted to military production during WWI. Unfortunately, after the war, they did not gain the same popularity. This specific car features an early four-cylinder model and looks to have been restored.
1912 Clément-Bayard Type 4M2
Estimated sale price is $20,000 – $30,000
In 1903, Gustave Adolphe Clément, who made a fortune manufacturing bicycles and pneumatic tires, decided to create an automobile. This car is powered by a four-cylinder engine, estimated to displace 1,400 cc. In 2003, Don and Laurie Larson purchased the car; with them, it underwent a period-correct restoration. In 2012, they sold it to the Mullin Museum.
1913 Bedelia Type 8 10CV Sport Torpedo
Estimated sale price is $10,000 – $20,000
Cyclecars were a low-cost and fuel-efficient option that made them popular in Europe. Bedelias were built from 1910-1925 in Paris and powered by a single-cylinder Aster engine. The version for sale is one of the early tandem Bedelias. It is similar in style to the factory-campaigned version that won the 1913 Cyclecar Grand Prix.
1913 Peugeot Bébé Two-Seat Tourer
Estimated sale price is $25,000 – $35,000
An English collector owned this two-seat automobile. It comes with a Veteran Car Club of Great Britain Certificate confirming it was produced in 1913. The Mullin Collection acquired it in 2009. The car features a four-cylinder T-head engine and a reversed quarter-elliptical leaf spring rear suspension.
1914 Lorraine-Dietrich Fire Truck
Estimated sale price is $25,000 – $35,000
If owning a vintage fire truck has been your dream, here you go. The fire truck became a part of the Mullin Collection in 2008. It is believed there is only one other known example of this auto, so this is truly a rare find.
1914 Delaunay-Belleville 1A4 Landaulet
Estimated sale price is $40,000 – $60,000
Delaunay-Belleville was considered a premier automaker in France before WWI. The founder, Louis Delaunay and Marius Barbarou in 1903. Barbarou would bring his experience from his work at Benz and Clément to create the styling. The model up for sale was part of the Corine Lambert collection in 1985 and then the collection of Peter Aeschlimann in 1988. It joined the Mullin Museum in 2006.
1918 Delage Type BK Torpedo
Estimated sale price is $15,000 – $25,000
Louis Delage created this auto after wanting to receive some autonomy from propriety engine suppliers. In 1913, he launched his AI and AK series automobiles; the BK was released in 1915. This auto is one of only a few that have survived and is a rare six-cylinder. It was formerly owned by the Schlumpf Reserve Collection and was taken over by Mullin in 2008.
1919 Citroën Type A Coupe de Ville
Estimated sale price is $20,000 – $30,000
André-Gustave Citroën was an industrialist who went on to become one of the biggest automakers in France and the fourth-largest automaker in the world by 1932. The Type A was his first auto, and they produced 24,093 of it. This unrestored model is said to have been in storage in Switzerland from the mid-1960s to 2010. It became part of the Mullin Museum in 2012.
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