The future of motoring according to M. Serpollet

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As we all know, the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was a time when no one was quite sure what an automobile should be; internal combustion, steam and electricity each had their zealous advocates. Léon Serpollet was certain the future lay in steam, which was natural enough - being a Frenchman, he came from a long line of successful steam pioneers which included Amédée Bollée and the partnership of the Comte de Dion, Georges Bouton and Charles Trépardoux.

Serpollet's contribution to steam engineering was no less important. His innovative use of a multi-tube flash boiler in 1888 made the steam-car far more usable and economical than it had ever been previously.

French engineering, American money

By 1900, he was marketing attractive cars like the one pictured, one of the first Gardner-Serpollets, in which he is seated alongside his well-dressed wife. It was in 1900 that he attracted the financial backing of American Frank Gardner, and with this extra support he was able to build a number of racing cars which proved highly competitive, being capable of no less than 75mph.

The car shown here is a 5cv Model D, Serpollet's smallest model, which entered production in mid-1900 having received approval from French officials in May. The pretty two-seater body is by the prominent Parisian carrosserie Kellner et ses Fils, while the photograph was taken by famed French sports photographer Jules Beau, for the cover of the January 1901 edition of Les Sports Modernes.

Steamers are fascinating to behold, and there's nowhere better to see them in action than on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which this year will play host to a plethora of Serpollet's American rivals, including Locomobile, Stanley and White.

Words: Zack Stiling; photograph: Jules Beau / Les Sports Modernes

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