PROVENANCE
M. Clément, Mexico (acquired on September 8, 1911)
Fernando Ariza, Mexico (acquired circa 1960s)
Jan Voboril, Topanga, California (acquired in June 2000)
Private Collection (acquired in December 2000)
John Lothrop, Windham, New Hampshire (acquired in January 2002)
Current Owner (acquired from the above)

EXHIBITED
AACA Auburn Central Spring Meet, Auburn, Indiana, May 2013 (First Place, Junior)
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida, March 2016 (Best in Class)

THIS CAR
For a brief period during Peugeot’s early years, production was guided by two separate wings of the Peugeot family. Armand Peugeot concentrated on larger automobiles, while cousin Robert focused on low-horsepower production, such as the example offered here. Known as the Lion-Peugeots, these diminutive vehicles delivered surprising performance, sweeping 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions at the 1910 Targa Florio. French driver Jules Goux garnered three victories during 1910 alone. Often competing in open classes against opponents with much larger displacements, Lion-Peugeots were capable of speeds in excess of 65 mph.

Total V2Y2 production was 515 units, split among 215 shaft-driven and 300 chain-driven examples. Five body styles were offered, ranging from large phaetons and landaulets to the performance-oriented Sport à Chaines, such as this example. The consignor states that when he visited Peugeot headquarters in France in January 2015, he was told by company officials that this was the only known remaining example of the Sport à Chaines. Peugeot S.A. also issued a letter at that time providing the delivery date and the name of this car’s first owner.

M. Clément of Mexico took possession of this car on September 8, 1911, and it remained in Mexico into the 1960s, when it was owned by Fernando Ariza. Sometime during the 1990s, Mr. Ariza shipped the car to the US for restoration, but he passed away before work was completed. In June 2000, Jan Voboril of Topanga, California, acquired the Peugeot, and in 2002, it was acquired by John Lothrop, a retired master machinist from Polaroid, once one of America’s best-known camera manufacturers. Mr. Lothrop embarked on an 8 1/2-year restoration, benefiting from access to the machine shop of his former employer. Original components were painstakingly restored or used as patterns for accurate reproductions, as was the case with its wheels. The car was finished in two shades of green complemented by straw yellow pinstriping and wheels, with black leather upholstery.

The current owner acquired the car in 2012 and began exhibiting it; the quality of the restoration was validated with a First Place in the Junior category from the 2013 AACA spring event in Auburn, Indiana, and a Best in Class award at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Accompanying it are select tools, sales brochures, and an owner’s manual.

This Peugeot possesses the rare combination of a high-caliber restoration, largely known ownership history, and the capacity to comfortably accommodate a taller driver. It is well-positioned for spritely early motoring adventures as well as recognition on the show field as an incredibly rare example of one of the oldest automobile manufacturer’s earliest competition efforts.