Peugeot
French automobile brand, oldest car company in the world.
Peugeot began as a family-run steel foundry in 1810, evolving over decades to produce saws, hand tools, coffee grinders, and, by the 1850s, corsets reinforced with steel. The company later added pepper grinders, umbrella frames, and bicycles, with Armand Peugeot introducing a penny-farthing in 1882. The brand’s lion logo, first applied in 1858, originally symbolized the speed and strength of its saw blades. Armand Peugeot built the company’s first vehicle, a steam-powered tricycle, in 1889, collaborating with Léon Serpollet. After meeting Gottlieb Daimler, Peugeot abandoned steam and produced its first internal combustion car in 1890, using a Panhard-Daimler engine. This four-wheeled vehicle featured a three-point suspension and sliding-gear transmission. Peugeot became the first manufacturer to fit rubber tires to a petrol car. Early racing success included Albert Lemaître winning the world’s first motor race, the Paris–Rouen, in a 3 hp Peugeot. The company built its own engines from 1896, designed by Rigoulot, and moved the engine to the front of the car. That same year, Armand Peugeot founded the Société des Automobiles Peugeot, building a new factory at Audincourt. By 1899, annual sales reached 300 cars. Peugeot also debuted a small, shaft-driven one-cylinder model called “Bébé” in 1901. The motorcycle division, launched in 1898 with a Dion-Bouton motor, remains the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer. Peugeot’s motorsport legacy includes five World Rally Championship titles, seven Dakar Rally wins, three victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and three Indianapolis 500 wins. The brand has earned six European Car of the Year awards. The Peugeot family and company originate from Sochaux, where a large manufacturing plant and the Peugeot Museum still operate.
- field
- Automobile manufacturing
- nationality
- French
Lore & Background
Peugeot, a French automobile brand under Stellantis, originated as a family business in 1810 and established its automobile division in 1896, making it the world’s oldest surviving car company. The family and company are rooted in Sochaux, where a major manufacturing plant and the Peugeot Museum remain. The brand’s defining emblem, a lion, was registered in 1858 by Émile Peugeot, symbolizing the strength and speed of the company’s early steel products. Before cars, the firm produced saws, coffee grinders, pepper grinders, corsets, and bicycles, including Armand Peugeot’s “Le Grand Bi” penny-farthing in 1882. The first vehicle, a steam-powered tricycle, was built in 1889, but steam was soon abandoned for a petrol internal combustion engine using a Panhard-Daimler design in 1890. Peugeot pioneered rubber tires on a petrol car and introduced its own engines in 1896. Early models evolved from tiller-steered carriages to cars with front engines and steering wheels. The brand was an early motorsport leader: Albert Lemaître won the first motor race, Paris–Rouen, in a 3 hp Peugeot. Later, Peugeot Sport amassed major victories, including five World Rally Championships, seven Dakar Rally wins, and three 24 Hours of Le Mans triumphs, along with Indianapolis 500 wins in 1913, 1916, and 1919. The company also produced the first motorcycle with a Dion-Bouton engine in 1898 and remains the oldest motorcycle manufacturer.
Reader's Guide
The brand pioneered early automotive technology, including fitting rubber tyres to a petrol-powered car and developing dual overhead camshaft engines. The brand has received six European Car of the Year awards, reflecting consistent consumer and industry recognition. Peugeot's historical evolution from a steel foundry to a global automobile manufacturer illustrates the industrial transformation of France. The company's early adoption of internal combustion engines and its role in the first motor races helped shape the automotive industry. Peugeot's continued presence in Sochaux, with its manufacturing facility and museum, maintains a tangible link to its origins. The brand's ability to adapt from producing saws and grinders to bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles shows a long-term capacity for innovation and market responsiveness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Peugeot make before it started building cars?
The original family business produced steel goods such as saws, hand tools, and even coffee and pepper grinders. It later expanded into bicycles and motorcycles before eventually entering the automobile market in the late 19th century.
Why does Peugeot matter in automotive history?
As the world's oldest car company, Peugeot represents nearly two centuries of continuous engineering and manufacturing evolution. Its journey from a small steel workshop to a global automotive and racing powerhouse makes it a foundational name in the industry.
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