A steam-powered car built in France is the oldest running car in the world at the age of 128 years. Though it is one of six of its kind still in existence of the twenty that were built, it is the only one that still runs.
The car, a De Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux, was originally built in 1884 especially for French Count De Dion, one of the three founders of the company that built it. It reportedly remained in one family for 81 years before being sold.
The design features three wheels, two in front and one in the rear. It is powered by coal, wood and paper, and takes about half an hour to build up enough steam to move. When it does, though, it can achieve a top speed of about 38 miles an hour, which was remarkable in its day. It can go about 20 miles on a tankful of water.
"Le Marquise," as it was nicknamed, is said to have been the only car to show up for the world’s first automobile race in 1887, averaging 16 miles per hour over the 20-mile long course.
The car was sold to an unidentified buyer for $4.6 million at an auction held in Hershey, Pennsylvania in October 2011. It literally came onto the stage under its own steam, to the delight of the audience.
If you are interested in seeing pictures of this remarkable old vehicle, go here
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