It seems to have gone largely unnoticed by the company he helped lead to produce its first motorised car but this year marks the 100th anniversary of Armand Peugeot’s death.
To highlight the Frenchman’s contribution to the motor industry, online car buying service, Sell Your Jamjar, recently took a look back over his life with an insightful post on its car blog.
For those not familiar with Peugeot’s history, the company was a manufacturing company founded by Armand’s grandfather, Jean-Pierre, in the early 1800s and it did not start producing automobiles until 1889.
Having got involved with the family business as a teenager in 1865, Armand, alongside his cousin, Eugene, steered Peugeot towards making bicycles, including penny farthings.
But after meeting German engineer Gottlieb Daimler, the first Peugeot three-wheeled steam-powered car was introduced. A four-wheeled petrol-driven vehicle – the Type 2 quadricycle – complete with Daimler engine was to follow in 1899.
Interestingly, it appears because of Armand’s desire to grow Peugeot as a car manufacturer that a family feud with Eugene developed – who was not so keen – and he broke away and formed his own company.
The two cousins would later it seems patch it up as the two companies were later merged with Armand stepping down in 1913 before passing away on January 2, 1915.
Today, Peugeot is one of the most widely recognised car brands in the world, and its thanks largely to foresight of one man –Armand Peugeot.
