Léon Bollée Automobiles was a French company founded by Léon Bollée in Le Mans to build a first vehicle called “Voiturette”.The first “Voiturette” built by Léon Bollée in 1895 was a three-wheel tandem driven by a single-cylinder 3 HP engine and belt drive. The cars sold well and several hundred were made for Léon Bollée by Hurtu & Diligeon, only the prototypes were made at the Le Mans factory.
source.image: yesterdaysnl
It was powered by an air-cooled, single cylinder 650cc (3hp) engine with bore x stroke of 75 x 145 mm and employed hot-tube ignition and three forward gears.The Voiturette was at the time the fastest petrol-engined vehicle on the road. Watch the video from yesterdaysnl:
It had a tubular frame with a steel footwell at the front to protect the passenger’s feet from puddles on the road and the driver sat at the rear.This was a practical layout because he could then communicate with his (lady)passenger and still have his eyes on the road.
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The Voiturette sold well and several hundreds were made for Léon Bollée by Hurtu & Diligeon in Albert; only the prototypes were made at the Le Mans Bollée factory.In 1897 modified versions won the Paris-Dieppe race at 24 mph and the Paris-Trouville race at 28 mph.
