Cars from 1878 to 1920 - The forerunners
De Dion-Bouton Type AW
1908
Code 2109
Body style: double phaeton
This Type AW is a double phaeton body. The phaeton was originally the name of a type of light, open, horse-drawn carriage. The word double phaeton is used when there is a rear passenger seat. This type of vehicle often has a folding seat between the rear and front seats.
It was difficult to make a choice in the De Dion-Bouton range in the 1906-1910 period. The four-cylinder engine was offered with four different chassis of different sizes and various body versions. Each of the possible combinations were referred to with an individual two-letter code - and the letters were not easy to differentiate. It is a riddle for today’s specialists, when looking to identify a particular model, especially when the mechanical parts may not always be the original ones. Through in-depth investigations, a thorough strip-down and careful measurements, it has been ascertained that this vehicle is similar to the model that Cormier and Collignon used in 1907 for the 1907 Peking to Paris race. The reputation of the Dion-Bouton, one of the largest French makes at the time, was significantly enhanced by the successful completion of this amazing 81-day trek.
