• Rare American-built De Dion • Acquired for the Bühner Collection in 1996 • Past participant in the London-Brighton Veteran Car Run • Science Museum dating certificate The names of De Dion and Bouton are inextricably linked with the pioneer years of the motor car, initially in company with Trépardoux in the building of light steam carriages, the first of which appeared in 1883.

In the early 1890s De Dion and Bouton turned their attention to the internal combustion engine, much to the annoyance of Trépardoux who quit in 1894, leaving his erstwhile partners to develop what was, in effect, the first high-speed internal combustion engine.

By 1901, De Dion-Bouton was one of the largest volume manufacturers of automobiles in the world.

Early De Dions were rear engined and of the vis-à-vis type – where the passengers sat facing the driver – but from 1902 onwards the firm began to adopt what would become accepted as the conventional layout for a motor car.

Kenneth Skinner was the man behi...