De Dion-Bouton Quadricycle

The sales success of the Tricycle and the capacity of the engine soon lead De Dion-Bouton to bring derivative models onto the market.

An example was the four-wheeled Quadricycle, the first of which was produced in 1898. This vehicle also performed well, being capable of reaching a top speed of 50 km/h on level ground thanks to its light weight and relatively powerful water-cooled, single-cylinder engine. The De Dion-Bouton engines, although not cheap, were known for their reliability and this was why many car manufacturers who initially did not produce their own engines, bought them. Another advantage was that the engine parts were interchangeable. Manufacturers who became famous a little later, such as Renault, Delage and the American Pierce-Arrow and Peerless, equipped their first cars with De Dion-Bouton engines and effectively owe their very existence to De Dion-Bouton.