Company overview
De Dion-Bouton was a French automobile and railcar manufacturer operating from 1883 to 1953. The company began with the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton, and Charles-Armand Trépardoux. Initially focused on steam vehicles, they built their first car in 1883 after de Dion saw a toy locomotive. Early models, including the Marquise and later tricycles, utilized steam engines and innovative axle designs like the ‘De Dion tube’. By 1894, the company transitioned to internal combustion engines, starting with a small one-cylinder engine and developing various models including the petite voiture tricar. In 1900, De Dion-Bouton was one of the largest automobile manufacturers globally. The company produced engines for other manufacturers and developed a V8 engine in 1910, marking its last major innovation. During World War I, it manufactured gun parts and armored vehicles. Passenger car production ceased in 1932, though railcars continued to be produced until 1950. The company’s final vehicles were Land Rovers licensed in the early 1950s, and the De Dion name was acquired by a motorcycle manufacturer in 1955.
