The story of French car-makers Peugeot, who got the lion trademark long before it actually appeared on their cars
On November 20, 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion trademark. That was much before the French manufacturer started production of automobiles.
Starting with the manufacture of steel, coffee grinders and bicycles, Peugeot began producing automobiles in 1889. The steam-propelled Serpollet Peugeot made its début at the Paris Motor Show. This was followed by several models, which were powered by engines from Daimler.
The first ‘all Peugeot’ car was the Type 15, which featured an eight HP engine designed by the French engineer, Rigoulot, in 1896.
In 1899 Peugeot entered motor sport in the Nice-Castellane-Nice Rally, wherein they won the race in their 5,850-cc, 20 HP racer.
The original plant in Valentigney was shifted to Sochaux in 1907. The Sochaux plant went on to be the main HQ for Peugeot in 1929.
A race-oriented team of driver-engineers – Jules Goux, Paolo Zuccarelli and Georges Boillot – created the L76, powered by a 7.6-litre, four-cylinder engine that led to Boillot’s victory in the 1912 French Grand Prix. This was followed by a 1-2 victory in 1913, with Goux following Boillot in the first place.
In 1929 Peugeot introduced the 201. Not only was the 201 the cheapest car in France, it was the first car to use a three-digit model number with a zero protection in the middle. To date Peugeot cars are not named. They are identified by their model numbers, separated by a zero in the middle.
Due to the model number trademark, no manufacturer is allowed to use three-digit combinations without the consent of Peugeot. This eventually led to Porsche naming their car as 911 instead of 901, as was planned earlier.
