First Cars

First cars.

The found documents suggesting that he was a staff of several distance Governor Maževskio car, so a good chance that this particular engineer and was the first Lithuanian roads have driven driver. Treasury car cost 2,417 rubles in Tsarist Russia, but "Panhard-Levassor was worth it – after all, in 1895 it is the car won the race Paris-Bordeaux-Paris 1150km broke through 48h 17min. Since many of his contemporaries machine differs in its construction – Rene Panhard and Emile Levassoras familiar with the German car design and acquired license Daimler construction of two-cylinder engine, a car built for yourself – with the engine in the front, rather than under the seat, cone clutch, four-speed transmission with displaceable gear units, foot and hand brake – the word, the car already had all the characteristics of a classic car.

This was the second in history (after "Benz Victoria") a higher series produced car. Its chassis has been constructed in accordance with the type of horse-drawn carriages – wooden frame of rectangular cleats, apkaustytas metal band, elliptical leaf springs on all four wheels, wooden wheels with molded rubber tires. The front is equipped with two-cylinder engine displacement 2400 cm3 develop 4,5HP power.

The torque of the main drive of semi-chains was transferred to the rear wheels. Power construction was usual for that time – owned car driver at the steering wheel and tiller like a sailor! The steering was precise, but insisted on driving a lot of attention and a fair amount of force, because all the irregularities, shots were transferred to the driver's hand (quadrant laid the left hand and right driver to switch gears, stop), and it quickly wearied. Car had neither doors nor windshield, but already had the wings of a clamshell leather roof, acetylene lamps. He weighed 750kg and was 3m long.

The car was very reliable - to find the documents says that "Panhard-Levassor 4CV" in the civil service remained for twelve years, until 1908, it was decided to sell it at auction. As indicated in its report roads in Vilnius district governor, the car could not overcome the ups stretch of road between Šiauliai and Tauragė. Repairs needed a lot of money, so it was suggested that a government car to sell and buy a new one. Downstream of the first Lithuania driving find out the fate of the car failed.

Tsarist Russia, which was part of Lithuania, in the development of automobiles in 1903 was a turning point - then began a massive importation of cars from abroad. mainly It imported French, German and Italian firms cars. Their tires šnarėjo Vilnius, Kaunas provinces urban pavement. Soon an attempt to organize commercial transportation. 1903 Lithuanian businessmen are trying to open a long-distance bus route between Liepaja and Klaipeda. However, the idea of ​​preventing bad roads, and from Liepaja to Bernati road was not at all – the bus drove seaside beaches.