French engineer Alexandre Darracq established the Gladiator Cycle Co.

in 1891, developed it over a five year period and sold out in 1896.

He retained his interests in the bicycle industry, shrewdly moving to components manufacture, but was intrigued by the new-fangled horseless carriages.

The first successful car built by Société A Darracq at Suresnes was a horizontal-engined car to the design of Leon Bollée which appeared in 1898.

Darracq found this machine to be inefficient and built a car to his own design which appeared in 1900.

This was a vertical-engined, single-cylinder voiturette of 6 1/2hp with a tubular steel chassis and shaft drive, a very advanced feature in its day.

In December 1901 The Autocar magazine reported - 'Darracq et Cie., have increased the length and width of the frame for their light carriages and they have consequently been considerably strengthened .....

the greater length of the frame allows of the carriage body being extended, and the tonneau at the ...