René Panhard was an engineer whose business, based in Paris, made woodworking tools and built engines under license.

With his partner, Emile Levassor, he experimented with horseless carriages using engines licensed from Daimler.

In 1891, Panhard et Levassor offered for sale what was arguably the world's first production car, using a Daimler engine.

Above all, the firm was responsible for bequeathing the automobile world with Systeme Panhard, which embodied the now familiar layout of a front mounted engine driving a rear axle via a clutch, gearbox and differential.

The modern motor car had been born.

Panhard et Levassor quickly established a reputation for fine engineering, excellent craftsmanship, superior reliability and outstanding performance.

A Panhard travelled from Paris to Versailles and then on to Etretat in 1892 with no serious mechanical difficulties, while another won the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race in 1895, further cementing the marque's reputation for excellence.

The ...