MarquisJules Félix Philippe Albert de Dion de Wandonne (9 March 1856 – 19 August 1946) was a French pioneer of the automobile industry. He invented a steam-powered car and used it to win the world's first auto race, but his vehicle was adjudged to be against the rules. He was a co-founder of De Dion-Bouton, the world's largest automobile manufacturer for a time, as well as the French sports newspaper L'Équipe.
Dion was the heir of a leading French noble family, in 1901 succeeding his father Louis Albert William Joseph de Dion de Wandonne as Count and later Marquis. A "notorious duellist", he also had a passion for mechanics.[1] He had already built a model steam engine when, in 1881, he saw one in a store window and asked about building another.[1] The engineers, Georges Bouton and his brother-in-law, Charles Trépardoux,[2] had a shop in Léon where they made scientific toys.[1] Needing money for Trépardoux's long-time dream of a steam car, they acceded to De Dion's request.[3]
During 1883, they formed a partnership which became the De Dion-Bouton automobile company, the world's largest automobile manufacturer for a time. They tried marine steam engines, but progressed to a steam car which used belts to drive the front wheels whilst steering with the rear. This was destroyed by fire during trials. In 1884, they built another, "La Marquise", with steerable front wheels and drive to the rear wheels. As of 2011, it is the world's oldest running car, and is capable of carrying four people at up to 38 miles per hour (61 km/h).[2]
Comte de Dion entered one in an 1887 trial, "Europe's first motoring competition",[2] the brainchild of M. Paul Faussier of cycling magazine Le Vélocipède Illustré.[2] Evidently, the promotion was insufficient, for the de Dion was the sole entrant,[2] but it completed the course.
The de Dion tube (or 'dead axle') was actually invented by steam advocate Trépardoux, just before he resigned because the company was turning to internal combustion.[4]
He died in 1946, age 90,[6] and is buried in the cemetery at Montparnasse in Paris. There is a memorial plaque in the family chapel in Wandonne, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Audincthun in the Pas-de-Calais.[citation needed]
Racing career
Motor racing was started in France as a direct result of the enthusiasm with which the French public embraced the motor car.[7] Manufacturers were enthusiastic due to the possibility of using motor racing as a shop window for their cars.[7] The first motor race took place on 22 July 1894 and was organised by Le Petit Journal, a Parisian newspaper. It was run over the 122 kilometres (76 mi) distance between Paris and Rouen. The race was won by de Dion, although he was not awarded the prize for first place as his steam-powered car required a stoker and the judges deemed this outside of their objectives.[8]
Dreyfus affair and L'Auto
The roots of both the Tour de France cycle race and L'Auto (L'Équipe), a daily sporting newspaper, can be traced to the Dreyfus affair and de Dion's passionate anti-dreyfusard opinion and actions.
Opinions were heated and there were demonstrations by both sides in the Dreyfus affair. Historian Eugen Weber described an 1899 conflagration at the Auteuil horse-race course in Paris as "an absurd political shindig" when, among other events, the President of France (Émile Loubet) was struck on the head by a walking stick wielded by de Dion.[9][10] He served 15 days in jail and was fined 100 francs,[10][11] and his behaviour was heavily criticised by Le Vélo, the largest daily sports newspaper in France, and its Dreyfusard editor, Pierre Giffard.
As a result, de Dion withdrew all his advertising from the paper,[12][13] and in 1900, he led a group of wealthy 'anti-Dreyfusard' manufacturers, including Édouard Michelin and Adolphe Clément, to start a rival daily sports paper, L'Auto-Velo, and compete directly with Le Velo. De Dion and Michelin were also concerned with Le Vélo – which reported more than cycling – because its financial backer was one of their commercial rivals, the Darracq company. De Dion believed that Le Vélo gave Darracq too much attention and him too little. After a legally enforced change of name to L'Auto, it in turn created the Tour de France race in 1903 to boost falling circulation.[14]
De Dion was an outspoken man who already wrote columns for Le Figaro, Le Matin and others. His wealth allowed him to indulge his whims, which also included refounding Le Nain jaune (The Yellow Gnome), a fortnightly publication which "answers no particular need."[15]
Notes
^ abcWise, David Burgess, "De Dion: The Aristocrat and the Toymaker", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), Volume 5, p. 510.
^ abcdeGeorgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1990), p. 27.
^Georgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1990), p. 24 cap.
^Wise, David Burgess, "De Dion: The Aristocrat and the Toymaker", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), Volume 5, p. 511.
^"Automobilia". Toutes les voitures françaises 1920 (Salon [Paris, Oct] 1919). Paris: Histoire & collections. Nr. 31: 61. 2004.
^Wise, David Burgess, "De Dion: The Aristocrat and the Toymaker", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), Volume 5, p. 514.
^ abRendall, Ivan (1995). The Chequered Flag. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 10. ISBN0-297-83550-5.
^Rendall, Ivan (1995). The Chequered Flag. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 12. ISBN0-297-83550-5.
^Stephen L. Harp (13 November 2001). Marketing Michelin: Advertising and Cultural Identity in Twentieth-Century France. JHU Press. p. 20. ISBN978-0-8018-6651-7. le velo newspaper.
^ abWeber, Eugen (2003), foreword to "Tour de France: 1903–2003", eds. Dauncey, Hugh and Hare, Geoff, Routledge, USA, ISBN978-0-7146-5362-4, p. xi.
^Boeuf, Jean-Luc, and Léonard, Yves (2003); La République de Tour de France, Seuil, France.
^Boeuf, Jean-Luc, and Léonard, Yves (2003), La République du Tour de France, Seuil, France, p. 23.
^Nicholson, Geoffrey (1991) Le Tour, the rise and rise of the Tour de France, Hodder and Stoughton, UK.
^Dauncey, Hugh; Hare, Geoff (2 August 2004). The Tour De France, 1903–2003: A Century of Sporting Structures, Meanings and Values. Routledge. pp. 6–7. ISBN978-1-135-76239-1.
Georgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930. London: Grange-Universal, 1990 (reprints AB Nordbok 1985 edition).
Wise, David Burgess, "De Dion: The Aristocrat and the Toymaker", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. The World of Automobiles, Volume 5 (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), pp. 510–514.
Profile on Historic Racing
External links
Media related to Jules-Albert de Dion at Wikimedia Commons
March 06, 2023
jules, albert, dion, marquis, jules, félix, philippe, albert, dion, wandonne, march, 1856, august, 1946, french, pioneer, automobile, industry, invented, steam, powered, used, world, first, auto, race, vehicle, adjudged, against, rules, founder, dion, bouton, . Marquis Jules Felix Philippe Albert de Dion de Wandonne 9 March 1856 19 August 1946 was a French pioneer of the automobile industry He invented a steam powered car and used it to win the world s first auto race but his vehicle was adjudged to be against the rules He was a co founder of De Dion Bouton the world s largest automobile manufacturer for a time as well as the French sports newspaper L Equipe MarquisJules Albert de Dionde Dion on a steam carBornJules Felix Philippe Albert de Dion de Wandonne 1856 03 09 9 March 1856Carquefou Loire Atlantique FranceDied19 August 1946 1946 08 19 aged 90 Paris FranceNationalityFrenchKnown forAutomobile motorcycle pioneerDreyfus affair Automobile Caricature by Guth published in Vanity Fair in 1899 Blazon de Dion Contents 1 His life 2 Racing career 3 Dreyfus affair and L Auto 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksHis life EditDion was the heir of a leading French noble family in 1901 succeeding his father Louis Albert William Joseph de Dion de Wandonne as Count and later Marquis A notorious duellist he also had a passion for mechanics 1 He had already built a model steam engine when in 1881 he saw one in a store window and asked about building another 1 The engineers Georges Bouton and his brother in law Charles Trepardoux 2 had a shop in Leon where they made scientific toys 1 Needing money for Trepardoux s long time dream of a steam car they acceded to De Dion s request 3 During 1883 they formed a partnership which became the De Dion Bouton automobile company the world s largest automobile manufacturer for a time They tried marine steam engines but progressed to a steam car which used belts to drive the front wheels whilst steering with the rear This was destroyed by fire during trials In 1884 they built another La Marquise with steerable front wheels and drive to the rear wheels As of 2011 it is the world s oldest running car and is capable of carrying four people at up to 38 miles per hour 61 km h 2 Comte de Dion entered one in an 1887 trial Europe s first motoring competition 2 the brainchild of M Paul Faussier of cycling magazine Le Velocipede Illustre 2 Evidently the promotion was insufficient for the de Dion was the sole entrant 2 but it completed the course The de Dion tube or dead axle was actually invented by steam advocate Trepardoux just before he resigned because the company was turning to internal combustion 4 In 1898 he co founded the Mondial de l Automobile Paris Motor Show 5 He died in 1946 age 90 6 and is buried in the cemetery at Montparnasse in Paris There is a memorial plaque in the family chapel in Wandonne 3 kilometres 1 9 mi south of Audincthun in the Pas de Calais citation needed Racing career EditMotor racing was started in France as a direct result of the enthusiasm with which the French public embraced the motor car 7 Manufacturers were enthusiastic due to the possibility of using motor racing as a shop window for their cars 7 The first motor race took place on 22 July 1894 and was organised by Le Petit Journal a Parisian newspaper It was run over the 122 kilometres 76 mi distance between Paris and Rouen The race was won by de Dion although he was not awarded the prize for first place as his steam powered car required a stoker and the judges deemed this outside of their objectives 8 Dreyfus affair and L Auto EditThe roots of both the Tour de France cycle race and L Auto L Equipe a daily sporting newspaper can be traced to the Dreyfus affair and de Dion s passionate anti dreyfusard opinion and actions Opinions were heated and there were demonstrations by both sides in the Dreyfus affair Historian Eugen Weber described an 1899 conflagration at the Auteuil horse race course in Paris as an absurd political shindig when among other events the President of France Emile Loubet was struck on the head by a walking stick wielded by de Dion 9 10 He served 15 days in jail and was fined 100 francs 10 11 and his behaviour was heavily criticised by Le Velo the largest daily sports newspaper in France and its Dreyfusard editor Pierre Giffard As a result de Dion withdrew all his advertising from the paper 12 13 and in 1900 he led a group of wealthy anti Dreyfusard manufacturers including Edouard Michelin and Adolphe Clement to start a rival daily sports paper L Auto Velo and compete directly with Le Velo De Dion and Michelin were also concerned with Le Velo which reported more than cycling because its financial backer was one of their commercial rivals the Darracq company De Dion believed that Le Velo gave Darracq too much attention and him too little After a legally enforced change of name to L Auto it in turn created the Tour de France race in 1903 to boost falling circulation 14 De Dion was an outspoken man who already wrote columns for Le Figaro Le Matin and others His wealth allowed him to indulge his whims which also included refounding Le Nain jaune The Yellow Gnome a fortnightly publication which answers no particular need 15 Notes Edit a b c Wise David Burgess De Dion The Aristocrat and the Toymaker in Ward Ian executive editor The World of Automobiles London Orbis Publishing 1974 Volume 5 p 510 a b c d e Georgano G N Cars Early and Vintage 1886 1930 London Grange Universal 1990 p 27 Georgano G N Cars Early and Vintage 1886 1930 London Grange Universal 1990 p 24 cap Wise David Burgess De Dion The Aristocrat and the Toymaker in Ward Ian executive editor The World of Automobiles London Orbis Publishing 1974 Volume 5 p 511 Automobilia Toutes les voitures francaises 1920 Salon Paris Oct 1919 Paris Histoire amp collections Nr 31 61 2004 Wise David Burgess De Dion The Aristocrat and the Toymaker in Ward Ian executive editor The World of Automobiles London Orbis Publishing 1974 Volume 5 p 514 a b Rendall Ivan 1995 The Chequered Flag Weidenfeld and Nicolson p 10 ISBN 0 297 83550 5 Rendall Ivan 1995 The Chequered Flag Weidenfeld and Nicolson p 12 ISBN 0 297 83550 5 Stephen L Harp 13 November 2001 Marketing Michelin Advertising and Cultural Identity in Twentieth Century France JHU Press p 20 ISBN 978 0 8018 6651 7 le velo newspaper a b Weber Eugen 2003 foreword to Tour de France 1903 2003 eds Dauncey Hugh and Hare Geoff Routledge USA ISBN 978 0 7146 5362 4 p xi Boeuf Jean Luc and Leonard Yves 2003 La Republique de Tour de France Seuil France Boeuf Jean Luc and Leonard Yves 2003 La Republique du Tour de France Seuil France p 23 Nicholson Geoffrey 1991 Le Tour the rise and rise of the Tour de France Hodder and Stoughton UK Dauncey Hugh Hare Geoff 2 August 2004 The Tour De France 1903 2003 A Century of Sporting Structures Meanings and Values Routledge pp 6 7 ISBN 978 1 135 76239 1 Le Naine Jaune References EditGeorgano G N Cars Early and Vintage 1886 1930 London Grange Universal 1990 reprints AB Nordbok 1985 edition Wise David Burgess De Dion The Aristocrat and the Toymaker in Ward Ian executive editor The World of Automobiles Volume 5 London Orbis Publishing 1974 pp 510 514 Profile on Historic RacingExternal links Edit Media related to Jules Albert de Dion at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jules Albert de Dion amp oldid 1128131088, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
