Torpedo Model (Rhéda coachwork) - Manufactured from 1911 until 1920

The world's first vehicle to be built on an assembly line, on which only 15 were manufactured. Panhard & Levassor is the oldest manufacturer of cars in the world, founded in Paris in 1889 by René Panhard and ÉmileLevassor. The X-19 is a very advanced model for its time. It predates the First World War and coincides with the period known as the Belle Époque (1890-1914). This model, being very robust and reliable, was used in World War I as an ambulance, and many were adapted as vans. According to the English cataloguing it belongs to the “Edwardian" period, and, according to the French, forms part of the "Ancêtres".

It was at the Motor Show in London in 1911 that Panhard-Levassor first introduced a brake which, instead of acting on the differential, acted on two shoes that spread inside drums located on the inside of the rim. On our model, this brake can be operated by foot pedal or a lever. This invention is still used today in millions of vehicles worldwide. The X-19 engine is cast in one piece (monobloc iron) and has four records in the cylinder head that allow access to the side valves. Ignition is by magneto and gravity feed, allowing the car to be started in an instant after several years standing. The crankshaft has 3 supports, which makes for high rigidity.

Our model is equipped with spectacular "Ducellier" carbide lights made in Paris, which are independent of each other and work with carbide stone and water. When water drips on the stone a gas is released that, once ignited, produces a bright light. The headlights are detachable and could be used as portable lanterns. At that time house and street lighting was far inferior to what we currently enjoy. The Panhard & Levassor make also became famous for its models with engines of concentric sleeves without valves (Knight type). Its radiator grille of the type "coupe-vent" (“cut wind”) was used for the first time in this model.

Lost in the magic of being transported in this century-old vehicle you can imagine rolling through the streets of the old Paris of the 20’s, passing landmarks such as the FoliesBergère, the famous Chat Noir, and clubs and theatres that might have been painted by the brilliant artist Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. King Alfonso XIII was among the clients of the period.