Jules-Albert de Dion | |
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 de Dion on asteam car | |
| Born | Jules Félix Philippe Albert de Dion de Wandonne (1856-03-09)9 March 1856 Carquefou, Loire-Atlantique,French Second Empire |
| Died | 19 August 1946(1946-08-19) (aged 90) Paris,French Fourth Republic |
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MarquisJules Félix Philippe Albert de Dion de Wandonne (French pronunciation:[ʒylfeliksfilipalbɛʁdədjɔ̃dəwɑ̃dɔn]; 9 March 1856 – 19 August 1946) was a French pioneer of theautomobile industry. He invented asteam-powered car and used it to winthe world's first auto race, but his vehicle was adjudged to be against the rules. He was a co-founder ofDe Dion-Bouton, the world's largest automobile manufacturer for a time, as well as the French sports newspaperL'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 inLéon where they made scientific toys.[1] Needing money for Trépardoux's long-time dream of asteam car, they acceded to De Dion's request.[3]
During 1883, they formed a partnership which became theDe Dion-Bouton automobile company, the world's largestautomobile 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 builtanother, "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 ofM. Paul Faussier ofcycling magazineLe Vélocipède Illustré.[2] Evidently, the promotion was insufficient, for the de Dion was the sole entrant,[2] but it completed the course.
Thede Dion tube (or 'dead axle') was actually invented by steam advocate Trépardoux, just before he resigned because the company was turning tointernal combustion.[4]
In 1898, he co-founded the Salon de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show).[5]
He died in 1946, age 90,[6] and is buried inMontparnasse Cemetery in Paris. There is a memorial plaque in the family chapel inWandonne, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south ofAudincthun in thePas-de-Calais.[citation needed]
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 byLe Petit Journal, a Parisian newspaper. It was run over the 122 kilometres (76 mi) distance betweenParis 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 astoker and the judges deemed this outside of their requirements.[8]
The roots of both theTour de France cycle race andL'Auto (L'Équipe), a daily sporting newspaper, can be traced to theDreyfus 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. HistorianEugen Weber described an 1899 conflagration at theAuteuil horse-race course in Paris as "an absurd political shindig" when, among other events, de Dion struck thePresident of France,Émile Loubet, on the head with awalking stick.[9][10] De Dion served 15 days in jail and was fined 100French francs,[10][11] and his behaviour was heavily criticised byLe 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, includingÉdouard Michelin andAdolphe Clément, to start a rival daily sports paper,L'Auto-Vélo, and compete directly withLe Vélo. De Dion and Michelin were also concerned withLe Vélo – which reported more than cycling – because its financial backer was one of their commercial rivals, theDarracq company. De Dion believed thatLe Vélo gave Darracq too much attention and him too little. After a legally enforced change of name toL'Auto, it in turn created theTour de France race in 1903 to boost falling circulation.[14]
De Dion was an outspoken man who already wrote columns forLe Figaro,Le Matin and others. His wealth allowed him to indulge his whims, which also included refoundingLe Nain jaune (The Yellow Gnome), a fortnightly publication which "answers no particular need."[15]
le velo newspaper.
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