Renault Type A

The Renault Type A was the first car designed by Louis Renault himself and the model in which he used his most important invention, a driveshaft that replaced chain drive. It developed from a prototype built in 1898 and was first shown to the public in June 1899. It was a light voiturette with a bought-in single-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engine of 198 cc, later 270 cc, driving the rear wheels through a three-speed gearbox, following the Système Panhard layout of front engine and rear-wheel drive. Top speed was 22 km/h with the first engine and 28 km/h with the stronger one. Its simple construction made it a quick success, with 71 sold in 1899 alone, and production ended during 1900, when the more powerful Type B was on sale. Examples survive in several museums, including Beaulieu and Compiègne.