The marvellous Mercedes with a mysterious driver

Before Rolls-Royce boldly announced that it was building 'The Best Car in the World', Mercedes might have been in a position to make the same claim. The marque came into being in 1901 for the express purpose of building cars which were both fast and luxurious, and which Hans-Otto Neubauer labelled 'the forefather of modern motor cars'. Advanced and innovative features included honeycomb radiators, gate gear-change, mechanically-operated inlet valves and pressed-steel chassis. In its very first year, Mercedes claimed victory in the Nice Speed Trials and La Turbie Hill Climb, immediately making it the envy of other car-makers.

Here we have a have a picture of a Mercedes sent on a postcard by one Léonce on 22nd June 1907 from Place Chopin in Paris's 16th arrondissement to an Englishman, Mr. Bond. The car is, I believe, a 1905 120 hp Mercedes racing car. Léonce refers to the ‘photo of my motor car’ whilst writing to Mr. Bond. Did Léonce own this car? Or was he just joking!? If he did own it, is that him in the driving seat? Did he race the car or just have the fastest road car in the world at the time!?

Mr Bond of Colchester, Essex (also where your writer is from), ran an antiques shop for many years from the North Hill address and was also involved in the local amateur dramatics group.

Does anyone know any more about the car or Léonce's claim?

Words and photograph: Matt Shepherd

Pubblicato:

mercoledì maggio 17th, 2023

David Grimstead

18 Maggio 2023, 22:13

Looks a little young and slim-faced for Girardot but could be Léonce Delphin, born in Carouge, Geneva c.1879, who came to England aged 16 and was listed as an engineer based at 85, Shaftesbury Ave. in 1907-8, which also became the address of the Motobloc Syndicate Ltd. in London, agents for Motobloc cars made in Bordeaux. It was bankrupt in 1910.

Photographs dated 1907-9, with a strong likeness to the man on the Mercedes, caption him as the managing director of the Motobloc Syndicate. Based in London, this man may well have had friends in Essex and he went on to marry the daughter of an earl, become perhaps the first Swiss-born officer in the British Army and be awarded a DSO in France in 1918. However, his life was not entirely illustrious, involving several financial court cases before and after WWI; he died in 1932.

If indeed it is him, motoring in France in 1907, the Mercedes was his perfect steed.

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Matt Shepherd

19 Maggio 2023, 19:19

David, thank you, well researched, I think you are correct. Léonce Delphin does look very much like him, and the connection he had with England adds value too. I’ve tried to find relatives of Mr Bond online to see if they can add any more but without success.

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Keith Kuehn

17 Maggio 2023, 23:41

Well whomever the gent is, I will say he sure has a devil-may-care and cocky look about him! And as usual, I'll add I wouldn't kick the car outa my garage for drippin' oil either! Great photo, thanks for sharing!

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Herman van Oldeneel

17 Maggio 2023, 09:14

Is 'Léonce' the racing driver Léonce Girardot?
Girardot raced Panhards and he manufactured CGV automobiles.

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The marvellous Mercedes with a mysterious driver

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