Colour: Red Cylinders: 4; 3,216cc Gears: 4 + reverse Power: N/A Previously an engineer with Berliet, Pierre Desgoutte built his first automobile, a 9.5-litre 45hp ‘six’, in 1904 but it was his successor 24/40hp model that set the Lyon-based manufacturer on the road to success.

Launched at the Paris Salon in December 1905, the new car was built along Mercedes lines and of advanced specification.

It was well received and at the beginning of 1906 Desgoutte went into partnership with wealthy industrialist Cyrille Cottin, founding Automobiles Cottin et Desgouttes with Desgoutte as technical director and Cottin in charge of sales.

Four- and six-cylinder models were produced in the years leading up to WWI and Cottin-Desgouttes became admired both for its productivity and technical innovation, being among the first manufacturers to adopt monobloc engines, in-unit gearboxes and ‘Hotchkiss drive’ transmission.

Active participation in competitions and a number of notable successes helped enha...