- Adam! he shouted, covering the rattle of the engine. -
What is the name of your cart?
“Lauren-Dietrich,” replied Kozlevich.
- Well, what is this name? Machine like a military
the ship must have its own name. Your
Lauren-Dietrich is remarkable for its speed
and the noble beauty of the lines. Therefore, I suggest
name the car - Antelope. Wildebeest.
Who is against? Unanimously.

© I. Ilf, E. Petrov, The Golden Calf

But Lauren-Dietrich actually existed, just like the nobody's uncle Studebaker.

Soon after the publication of the now famous novel, Ilf and Petrov were greatly impressed by the authorities for the consonance of the brand of the self-run crew of crooks with the Leninist Rolls-Royce and the same patronymic of their drivers - Pan Kozlevich's name was Adam Kazimirovich, Lenin's driver was, as you know, Stepan Kazimirovich. Violently brothers-writers justified themselves. But Lauren-Dietrichs in pre-revolutionary Russia, and not only, were valued no less than the legendary Royces ...

Mark Lauren-Dietrich (originally written Lorraine-Dietrich ) in 1905 was assigned to cars produced at a new plant owned by Baron Eugene de Dietrich. The old enterprise was located in the German-owned Lorraine, in the city of Niedenbronn. It was engaged in the production of railway equipment, and then cars under the brand name De Dietrich ... The new plant was opened 15 kilometers from the border, in Luneville. The cars produced on it were so different from the earlier designs that the owners of the plant decided to emphasize this by changing the brand, adding to it the name of the new partner and also the chief engineer.

Kozlevich undoubtedly wanted to "rejuvenate" his motorized crew to attract customers, and therefore decorated his radiator with the emblem of the newer and more prestigious Lauren-Dietrichs, which adorned the Lorraine cross, storks and airplanes.

Lauren-Dietrichs soon made themselves talk about themselves, winning races both on the ring track and on the long marathon distance. The car of this brand won the Moscow – St. Petersburg race in 1913 and immediately after the finish took part in an automobile exhibition.

But also the early De Dietrich enjoyed a solid reputation - after all, Ettore Bugatti took part in their development. Subsequently, he became a world celebrity, and then he was only 20 years old and behind him he had only a little experience working in a small factory. Prinetti & Stucchi in his native Brescia. However, talent decides for itself when to show itself. The first De Dietrich had a coil radiator in the form of a corrugated copper tube, which was polished to a shine, a chain drive of the driving wheels.

The short wheelbase provided the Dietrichs with the maneuverability that was useful on the racetrack, but the road options were slightly improved racing options with all the ensuing consequences. In particular, it was possible to install only one type of body - removable, type "tonneau". Passengers entered it through the doors, which simultaneously served as seat backs.

"Tonneau" had one more feature - it was extremely difficult to install a folding fabric or leather top on it to protect it from the rain, so they managed with a canopy on the racks. This canopy was often decorated with fringes.

That was how she was, the "Wildebeest" - tall, clumsy, pompous, like an old carriage, with large rear wheels, a huge horn and acetylene lamps. But there were people who appreciated these old self-propelled carriages. Even before the revolution, they were recognized as museum treasures. And when the museum funds hit the market, they were acquired by different people - for example, the Zoshchenko character, who got the tsar's boots. Kozlevich was no exception, who bought a rarity in order to engage in a private cab.

The famous illustrations and replicas of "Antelope", for example, the car parked in the foyer of the "Golden Ostap" restaurant, are based rather on the descriptions of the later Lauren-Dietrichs. By the way, the company successfully survived the First World War and in 1923 developed a high-speed sports model 15CV ... This car was designed to win races, most notably the 24-hour marathon at Le Mans. It won it twice - in 1925 and 1926, becoming the first car to win the famous race twice and the first to win twice in a row.

Lauren Dietrich cars were produced from 1896 to 1935 by the French company Societe Lorraine des Anciens Etablissements de Dietrich et Cie de Luneville, formerly known as a manufacturer of railway locomotives. In the early 1930s, the joint-stock company was reoriented to the production of aviation components and armored vehicles.

Start

De Dietrich et Cie was founded by Jean de Dietrich in 1884. Over the first decade, it has established itself as a major manufacturer of railway cars, rails and wheelsets. However, the Franco-Prussian War led to the division of production facilities. One of the company's factories in the city of Luneville (Lorraine) remained under French control, while the other in Niederbronn-les-Bains (Alsace) ended up in German-occupied territory.

At the end of the 19th century, another technological revolution took place - the world got acquainted with automatic mobile transport. Motor carriages were rapidly conquering the streets of European cities, displacing horse trams and creating competition for trams. Jean de Dietrich, sensing the potential of the novelty, in 1896 bought the rights to the engine from the famous inventor Amede Bolle and began to assemble the Lauren Dietrich car.

The photo of the first model, fortunately, has survived. The two-seater motorized carriage had a short wheelbase and a high awning roof, which gave the impression of a disproportionate design. The innovation was the use of a large sheet windshield and three powerful headlights. The vehicle was driven by a front horizontal double engine with sliding couplings and a belt drive.

Towards speed

Although the company initially used Bolle engines, all other parts of Lauren Dietrich's cars were made in-house according to the original design. No sooner had the first civilian model left the factory than Jean de Dietrich ordered the assembly of a car for auto racing. She received the name Torpilleur (Torpedo). The design uses a 4-cylinder engine and front independent suspension.

In 1898 "Torpedo" took part in the Paris - Amsterdam rally driven by the driver Gaudi. Despite the accident, the team finished in third place and won 1 million gold francs in prize money - an excellent result!

A year later, the company decided to build on its success by taking part in the prestigious Tour de France Automobile rally. A number of progressive changes have been made to the design of the Lauren Dietrich Torpedo racing car. The engine is made by casting using a new monoblock technology. To reduce drag, the ground clearance is reduced. But due to poor preparation, none of Dietrich's cars were able to complete the race.

Search for the ideal

Motor transport developed so rapidly that the first motorized carriages seemed already archaic against the background of new models. By the beginning of the 20th century (and only a few years had passed), the Bolle engine had become ineffective. In 1901, a French company acquired a license from Belgian colleagues to use the Vivinus engine in Lauren Dietrich cars.

At the same time, attempts were made to create their own power unit. In 1902, the brilliant engineer Ettore Bugatti, who at that time was only 21 years old, was hired for this purpose. He developed a 24-horsepower overhead valve engine paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. Before leaving for rival company Mathis, young Ettore created the famous 30/35 series engine, which was used in future models.

Brand emblem

Until 1904, Lauren Dietrich cars were produced at factories in Niederbronn and Luneville. However, due to logistics problems, the production was split. Turcat-Mery was in charge of the production of equipment in Alsace, and De Dietrich in Lorraine.

To make the products somehow different (and the models were of the same type), a new logo was developed. It is a double cross in a circle like the coat of arms of Lorraine.

Reputation

At the beginning of the 20th century, French engineers occupied leading positions in the automotive industry. Many of their ideas were later applied in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, and the USA. Lorraine Dietrich was no exception. She stood at the top of the industry along with British firms Crossley Motors and D. Napier & Son Limited, Italian Itala, German Mercedes.

The fame was largely due to his active participation in motorsport. Lauren Dietrich racing cars have always been the main contenders for victory. Among the most striking achievements - 3rd place of the driver Charles Jarrot in the Paris-Madrid rally (1903), victory in the Circuit des Ardennes race under the leadership of Arthur Dure (1906). By the way, the crew led by the Frenchman Duret in 1907 became the winner of the Moscow - St. Petersburg rally. A 60-horsepower 13-liter Lorraine Dietrich engine was under the hood of the champion.

All this allowed us to take our niche in the segment of premium cars and even aim at the super luxury class. First in 1905, and later in 1908, a small-scale assembly of luxury six-wheeled De voyage limousines was carried out to order.

Pre-war years

Although relations between the world powers were deteriorating, this has not yet affected the activities of Lorraine Dietrich. On the contrary, international cooperation developed. In 1907, Dietrich bought the Italian motor brand Isotta Fraschini. Based on their developments, an inexpensive OHC car with a capacity of 10 liters was produced. With.

The characteristics of the Lauren Dietrich car, designed on the basis of the developments of the English bureau Ariel Morse Limited, were more worthy. It was presented in 1908 at the Olympia International Motor Show and produced twice as much power - 20 hp. Mulliner and Salmons & Sons premium convertibles were produced on its chassis.

In 1908, Dietrich introduced a whole line of chain-driven road cars:

• 18/28 l. With. and 28/38 liters. With.
• 40/45 l. With. and 60/80 l. With.
• 70/80 l. With.

The most striking model was the 1912 HP Torpedo. The company's entry into the aviation market with its own line of power units belongs to the same period. The First World War led to a halt in the main production.

Post-war period

The year 1919 was marked by the resumption of production of Lauren Dietrich cars. Photos of new products B2-6 and A1-6 on an elongated and shortened wheelbase flew around Europe. Everyone started talking about the revival of the famous brand. In support of these hopes, the company presented the B3-6 model in 1922, which embodied the latest engineering achievements of the time. The power plant was a 6-cylinder 3.5-liter 15 CV 15 hp engine. With. Its design used:

• crankshaft on four bearings;
• aluminum pistons;
• hemispherical cylinder heads;
• top valve layout and other innovations.

In 1924, the 15 Sport racing model saw the light of day. Servos of the Dewandre-Reprusseau braking system, enlarged valves, a double mixture formation scheme should have warmed up interest in the new product. In 1925-1926, the sports car won the Le Mans race more than once, demonstrating an enviable average speed of 106 km / h. Car manufacturer Lauren Dietrich is the first to win the world's most prestigious car racing tournament for two years in a row.

Sunset

Despite the sporting success, the company's financial position deteriorated. In 1928, Dietrich's heirs sold their share and retired. The brand was renamed simply Lorraine. In 1930, the aircraft engine division was bought out by the financial conglomerate Societe Generale.

The automotive segment was in stagnation. The once popular 15 CV model was replaced by a successor with a more powerful 4-liter 20 CV engine, but the new product was in for a failure. Only a few hundred units were sold. It became clear that the time of the eminent brand had passed. In 1935, the production of cars was finally stopped. The plant returned to the production of products from which production began - to rail transport, which is what it is doing to this day.

“The breed of the car was unknown, but Adam Kazimirovich claimed that it was Lauren-Dietrich. As proof, he nailed a brass plaque bearing the Lorenditrich trademark to the car's radiator. "

I. Ilf and E. Petrov, "The Golden Calf"

So, was Kozlevich right? Let's try to figure it out ...

In fact, a copper plaque, and even nailed with his own hand, cannot serve as a compelling argument. Moreover, it is rather an indirect proof that "Antelope" is not "Lauren-Dietrich", but this is also not a fact. Fortunately, Ilf and Petrov, in their immortal work, pay a lot of attention to the description of the car, so we can easily conduct a small semi-detective investigation, relying solely on quotes from The Golden Calf. By the way, such attention to small details clearly indicates that the authors had in mind a very specific car - perhaps it belonged to one of them or their acquaintances.

When creating the feature film "The Golden Calf" (the one where Sergei Yursky and Zinoviy Gerdt were filmed), the creative team even conducted an investigation on what kind of car it was. In the film, they removed just an approximately similar car from the beginning of the century (as experts say, "Russo-Balt C24 / 30", which has been produced since 1909), since the reconstruction of the real "Antelope" turned out to be a complicated and expensive business
What was this famous car like? In the television series, they decided not to bother themselves with the search for a prototype and somehow try to recreate "Antelope", referring to the fact that even the authors themselves could not assert what this hodgepodge was. After all, as you know, Adam Kozlevich's car was just an attachment to a palm tree in a green tub, and its appearance on the market "could only be explained by the liquidation of the automobile museum." It will never be possible to find out what the device for 190 rubles actually was. The driver himself chose to make him "Lorendietrich" by attaching this emblem to the radiator ..

So, Adam Kozlevich "... bought on the occasion of such an old car that its appearance on the market could only be explained by the liquidation of the automobile museum." Another confirmation of the more than solid age of the car is the following quote: "- The original design, - said, finally, one of them, - the dawn of motoring." How old is "Antelope"? The action of The Golden Calf takes place around 1930-31; So the car, which even then looked like a kind of "dinosaur", should be released at the very beginning of the twentieth century. Taking into account the not very fast pace of development of the automotive industry at that time, we will determine the year of production of "Gnu Antelope" somewhere between 1898 and 1908. By the way, this in itself excludes the option with Lauren-Dietrich, since the production of cars under this brand began only in 1909, and in the early 30s they could hardly be considered museum exhibits. Of course, "Lauren-Dietrich" on the street looked the same as the "twenty-first" "Volga" or "Victory" look now, but it was still too early for him to go to the museum.

But back to the book. Here are a few more "witness statements" (emphasis mine - V. N.): "He jumped out of the car and quickly started the heavily knocking engine." "Balaganov pressed the pear, and old-fashioned, cheerful, suddenly breaking sounds escaped from the copper horn ...". “He was busily rubbing the copper parts with a cloth ...”. The "Wildebeest" rolled on, ... swaying like a funeral chariot. " "Panikovsky leaned his back on a car wheel." “Kozlevich opened the muffler and the car released a plume of blue smoke ...”. "The Antelope ran thirty kilometers in an hour and a half." "Adam ... changed cameras and protectors on all four wheels ...". “… An Antelope drove out of the gates of the inn, shining pale headlights. And the last thing: "Antelope" was not there. An ugly heap of debris was lying on the road: pistons, pillows, springs ... The chain slipped into a rut like a viper. "

What useful information can be extracted from this heap of quotes? So, the engine is started with the starting handle, which means there is no starter. A whistle with a pear doing an old-fashioned dance (ancient machine, ancient!). Copper body fittings. The similarity with the funeral chariot, probably, was given by the high canopy. The wheels are large, since you can lean on them, but with pneumatic tires. The pale headlights are probably acetylene, not electric. Drive chains. The speed is twenty kilometers per hour, and on not the worst road.

Which is amazing. Remember Kozlevich dreamed of an oil pipeline? This means that it had a four-cylinder engine, on which the idea of ​​supplying oil under pressure had just been implemented. And this design also appeared after 1904.

Finally, the muffler. As you know, it slows down the release of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, thereby reducing exhaust noise. Naturally, part of the engine's power is spent on the resistance that the muffler provides to the gases. For today's cars, this consumption is practically irrelevant, but the engines of the beginning of the century were already weak. For a quick acceleration, requiring a lot of power, the driver opened the muffler valve, and the gases freely, with a roar, escaped into the atmosphere.

In a word, there is practically no doubt that the "Antelope" is a car produced around 1901-1905. But the main blow to the "Lorenditrich" version comes from the following quotes (emphasis added - V.N.): "Panikovsky, wiggling his legs, grabbed the body, then leaned on board with his stomach, rolled into the car, like swimming in a boat, and knocking with his cuffs , fell on the floor". “The distraught Kozlevich jumped to third speed, the car jerked off and Balaganov fell out of the opened door.” That is, Panikovsky, who was catching up with the Antelope with a goose under his arm, had to roll over the side, which indicates the absence of side doors. Then where did Balaganov fall? Even if we assume that the side door was still there and, moreover, opened against the movement (otherwise how would it have opened from a jerk?), It still remains unclear how Shura managed to fall out into it. At first glance, it is a blatant contradiction, but there is still a logical explanation for it.

Balaganov fell out through the door located in the rear wall of the body. Such bodies were called "tonno" (translated from French "barrel"), and were quite common on cars of the beginning of the century. The rear seats were located above the axle, they were attached to the floor on special hinges and, turning, served as if the doors of the doors. Moreover, in some designs, even the seat adjacent to the driver's seat was swivel - this is to the question that Balaganov could sit in front, next to Kozlevich. Indeed, it was necessary to loosely close these "doors", and the passenger, together with the seat, would leave the body and, sometimes, unable to resist, fell onto the road.

Why did I call this fact "a blow to Lauren-Dietrich"? Because just this company did not produce cars with a "tonneau" body; Moreover, when she started production, such bodies were practically out of fashion and were produced by a few firms. That is, there are no more options left: Adam Kazimirovich shamelessly lied - probably wanting to lower the age of his car in order to raise its prestige in the eyes of others, and, perhaps, simply unknowingly assigning the first “beautiful” name that came across “Antelope-Gnu” ...

But if "Antelope" was not "Lauren-Dietrich," then what was she then? It is much more difficult to answer this question - after all, the authors do not give the slightest indication either of the true make of the car, or even of the country that gave birth to it. After a careful study of the models, a lot of options arise - from more or less well-known firms to tiny small-scale firms like those whose models are shown in the photo. These cars almost completely correspond to the description given by Ilf and Petrov, except for one small detail - there is no notorious canopy awning that made the Antelope akin to the funeral chariot. However, with the exception of this minor difference, everything else - the horn, the big wheels, the front engine position, and finally (most importantly!) The body type - fully meets our requirements.

And these are the possible options for Dietrich, judging by the book

Vladimir Nekrasov

Something about Lauren-Dietrich

The history of this brand is interesting in itself. Its roots go back to one of the oldest French engineering companies "De Dietrich", founded as early as the 17th century (!) In Niederbronn, near Strasbourg. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, this company was engaged in the production of railway cars, axles, wheels and rails, and from 1897, following the fashion, it switched to the manufacture of the first cars. By this time, the company already had two branches - in Niederbronn and Lunneville.

An interesting fact: from about 1902 to 1905 in the Niederbronn branch, someone worked as a designer ... Ettore Bugatti, who later created one of the most prestigious car brands in the world. But it's not about him.

In 1905, the two divisions of the company decided to split up, as a result of which two brands were formed: "Lorraine" and "De Dietrich". They quite successfully existed independently of each other, but after a few years they again decided to unite. This is how the Lauren-Dietrich brand was born, the emblem of which was worn on the radiator by the Antelope-Gnu. The brand existed with varying success until 1935, when, due to a drop in demand for its products, the production of cars was stopped. However, the Lauren-Dietrich engines enjoyed a certain reputation - they were even installed on some airplane models.

If the body can still testify that Kozlevich had a very ancient "Lauren-Dietrich", then the engine raises questions. But where to find the answer to them? Not a single car of this brand of release has survived in the world until 1907. The only copy of this company, released later, was presented in the German town of Saarlouis last year at the international rally of classic cars

Well, some historical facts

Loren-Dietrich (fr. Lorraine-Dietrich) is a French company specializing in the production of automobiles and aircraft engines from 1896 to 1935. It was created on the basis of the company for the production of railway locomotives Société Lorraine des Anciens Etablissements de Dietrich and Cie, better known as "Dietrich and Co." fr. De Dietrich et Cie, founded in 1884 by Jean de Dietrich, converted to a more profitable automobile production.

Story
In 1896, the director of the Luneville plant, Baron Adrien Ferdinand de Turckheim, bought the rights to manufacture the Amédée Bollée. The model had a belt-driven, horizontal twin engine with slide gears and a belt drive, a convertible top, three acetylene headlights and a windshield for wind protection, which was very unusual at the time. For some time, the company used engines from Bolée, but De Dietrich was engaged in the manufacture of the entire car independently.
In 1898, De Dietrich made his debut at the Paris-Amsterdam international competition with the Torpilleur, which had a four-cylinder engine and independent front suspension. The car was damaged along the way, but still finished in third place. The prize was not small, more than one million gold francs. The 1899 torpilleur was less successful, despite the suspension chassis and the twin-carb monobloc four-cylinder, poor preparation left no chance of finishing the Tour de France.
Bolée's developments were ousted by similar ones from the Belgian company Voiturette Vivinus from Niederbronn-les-Bains and the Marseilles company Turcat-Méry from Lunéville, who helped to get out of a difficult financial situation in 1901.
In 1902, De Dietrich hired 21-year-old Ettore Bugatti, who designed cars that won prizes in 1899 and 1901, and a 24-horsepower overhead four-cylinder engine. (18 kW) and a four-speed transmission that replaced the Vivinus. He also created 30/35 in 1903, before moving on to Mathis in 1904.
In the same year, the management at Niederbronnie abandoned the production of automobiles, as a result of which they completely relocated to Luneville, while the Turcat-Méry company, whose products came under the Dietrich brand, were sold with the Alsace market. To avoid releasing products with the same logo, Luneville management has added the Lorraine Cross to the radiator grille. However, apart from this sign, the cars did not differ much until 1911. Nevertheless, Lorraine-Dietrich was a prestigious brand, along with Crossley and Itala, management even tried to take a position in the super-luxury class, launching small-scale six-wheel limousines (limousines de voyage) on the market in 1905 and 1908 worth ₤ 4000 ( USD 20,000).
Like Napiers and Mercedes, the reputation of Lorraine-Dietrich was built on the participation of the races, most notably the driver Charles Jarrott, who finished third in the 1903 Paris-Madrid rally and places 1-2-3 in 1906 at Rally Circuit des Ardennes, led by Arthur Dure.
In 1907, De Dietrich bought out Isotta-Fraschini, which manufactured OHC (Overhead cam) engines of their own design, including a 10 hp engine. (7.5 kW), which is said to have been developed by Bugatti. In the same year, Lorraine-Dietrich takes over Ariel Mors Limited in Birmingham, with the only British model to produce 20 hp. (15 kW), exhibited at the Olympia Motor Show in 1908, proposed for the open chassis of the Salmson and Mulliner convertibles. (The British branch was not successful; it existed for about a year).
For 1908, De Dietrich presented a touring line with a chain drive on four-cylinder 18/28 hp, 28/38 hp, 40/45 hp, and 60/80 hp, according to prices from ₤ 550 to ₤ 960 and six-cylinder 70/80 hp. by ₤ 1040. The British version was distinguished by the presence of a propeller shaft. In the same year, the name of automobile and aircraft engines was changed to Lorraine-Dietrich.
By 1914, all de Dietrich were already propeller-driven, from the 12/16, 18/20, 20/30 touring models to the sporty four-cylinder 40/75 (in the image of Mercer or Stutz), all were assembled in Argenteuil, Seine-et-Oise (which became the company's headquarters in the post-war period).

After World War I
After the First World War, with the restoration of Lauren in France, the company resumed the production of automobiles and aircraft engines. Their 12-cylinder aircraft engines were used including Louis Breguet, IAR and Aero.
In 1919, the new technical director Marius Barbarou (successor to Delaunay-Belleville) introduced a new model with two wheelbases (short and long), the A1-6 and B2-6, which were joined by the B3-6 three years later. The same 15 CV (11 kW) 3445 cc was used with six cylinders and overhead valves, hemispherical cylinder head, aluminum pistons, and four crankshaft bearings.
Aiming to "show the best result" led to the creation in 1924 of 15 Sport, with two mixture systems, enlarged valves, and Dewandre-Reprusseau servo brake system on all four wheels (this is at a time when brakes of any design on all four wheels were a rarity), which was comparable to a 3-liter Bentley, with 15 Sport beating it in 1925 to win Le Mans, and in 1926 Bloch and André Rossignol won with an average speed of 106 km / h (66 mph ). Lorraine-Dietrich thus became the first brand to win Le Mans twice and the first to win two consecutive years.
This contributed to the popularity of the 15s station wagon.
Up to 15 CV, 2297 cm³ 12 CV (10 kW) four- (up to 1929) and 6107 cm³ 30 CV (20 kW) six-cylinder (up to 1927) were added, while 15 CV remained until 1932; 15 CV The sport took the championship in 1930 and had its last race in the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally, when Donald Healey in Invicta passed head-to-head Jean-Pierre Wimille by one tenth of a second.

Name change
The De Dietrich family sold their stake in the company in 1928, which then became simply Lorraine.
End of car production
15 CV replaced 4086 cm³ 20 CV (15 kW), which was produced in only a few hundred quantities. Car production became unprofitable, and after the failure of the 20 CV model, the concern ceased car production in 1935.
In 1930, De Dietrich was taken over by the Aviation Societe Generale and the Argenteuil plant was transformed into aircraft engines and six-wheeled trucks under the Tatra license. By 1935, Lorraine-Dietrich had retired from the automotive industry. During World War II, Lorraine focused on the production of military vehicles such as the Lorraine 37L armored personnel carriers.
The Lunéville plant returned to the production of railway locomotives. As of 2007, it still operates under the De Dietrich Ferroviaire brand.
Lorraine-Dietrich Competition Wins
Adrien de Turckheim won prizes between 1896 and 1905 at many races in Europe. For example, his victory in 1900 in Strasbourg.
Les "Lorraine" ont été engagées dans plusieurs courses automobiles, et ont gagné plusieurs trophées, parmi lesquels:
1903 - Paris - Madrid: victory for Fernand Gabriel.
1907 - Moscow - St. Petersburg: Duray victory.
1912 - Grand Prix de Dieppe: Hémery wins and records set 3 and 6 hours at 152.593 and 138.984 km / h.
1924 - 24 Hours of Le Mans: Crew Henri Stoffel-Édouard Brisson - 2nd place, Crew Gérard de Courcelles-André Rossignol - 3rd place.
1925 - 24 Hours of Le Mans: Crew of the Gérard de Courcelles-André Rossignol wins the race, and the crew of de Stalter-Édouard Brisson - 3rd place.
1926 - 24 Hours of Le Mans: Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 - 3 first places and a record of 106.350 km / h.

.Aircraft engines

C: Companies founded in 1896 C: Companies disbanded in 1935

The Bolée developments were ousted in Niederbronn-les-Bains (fr.) By similar ones from the Belgian company Vivinus (fr.) (Model voiturette, fr.), And in Luneville - from the Marseille company Turcat-Méry, which helped in 1901 to get out of the heavy financial situation.

In 1902, De Dietrich hired 21-year-old Ettore Bugatti, who designed cars that won prizes in 1899 and 1901, and a 24-horsepower overhead four-cylinder engine. (18 kW) and a four-speed transmission that replaced the Vivinus. He also created 30/35 in 1903, before moving on to Mathis in 1904.

In the same year, the management in Niederbronn abandoned the production of cars, as a result of which it completely relocated to Luneville, while the Turcat-Méry company, whose products came under the Dietrich brand, were sold with the Alsace market. To avoid releasing products with the same logo, Luneville management has added the Lorraine Cross to the radiator grille. However, apart from this sign, the cars did not differ much until 1911. Nevertheless, Lorraine-Dietrich was a prestigious brand, along with Crossley Motors and Itala, the management even tried to take a position in the super-luxury class, launching small-scale six-wheel limousines (limousines de voyage) on the market in 1905 and 1908, costing ₤ 4000 (USD 20,000).

In 1907, De Dietrich bought the Isotta-Fraschini company, producing two models with a single camshaft engine and valves in the head of the Isotta-Fraschini design, including a 10 hp engine. (7.5 kW), which is said to have been designed by Bugatti. In the same year, Lorraine-Dietrich takes over Ariel Mors Limited in Birmingham, with the only British model to produce 20 hp. (15 kW), exhibited at the Olympia Motor Show in 1908, proposed for the open chassis of the Salmons & Sons and Mulliner convertibles. The British branch was not successful; it existed for about a year.

For 1908, De Dietrich presented a touring line with a chain drive on four-cylinder 18/28 hp, 28/38 hp, 40/45 hp, and 60/80 hp, according to prices from ₤ 550 to ₤ 960 and six-cylinder 70/80 hp. by ₤ 1040. The British version was distinguished by the presence of a propeller shaft. In the same year, the name of automobile and aircraft engines was changed to Lorraine-Dietrich.

By 1914, all De Dietrichs were PTO-driven, from the 12/16, 18/20, 20/30 touring models to the sporty four-cylinder 40/75 (modeled on the Mercer or Stutz). .)), all were assembled in Argenteuil, near Paris, which became the company's headquarters in the post-war period.

After World War I

In 1919, the new technical director Marius Barbarou (successor to Delaunay-Belleville) introduced a new model with two wheelbase options (short and long), A1-6 and B2-6, which she joined three years later B3-6... The same 15 CV (11 kW) 3445 cc was used with six cylinders and overhead valves, hemispherical cylinder head, aluminum pistons, and four crankshaft bearings.

The focus on "showing the best results" led to the creation in 1924 15 Sports, with two mixture systems, enlarged valves, and a Dewandre-Reprusseau four-wheel servo braking system (this is at a time when brakes of any design on all four wheels were a rarity), which was comparable to a 3-liter Bentley, moreover 15 Sports beat him in 1925 to win Le Mans, and in 1926 Robert Bloch and André Rossignol (FR) won with an average speed of 106 km / h (66 mph). Lorraine-Dietrich thus became the first brand to win Le Mans twice and the first to win two consecutive years.

This contributed to the popularity of the 15s station wagon.

Up to 15 CV, 2297 cm³ 12 CV (10 kW) four- (up to 1929) and 6107 cm³ 30 CV (20 kW) six-cylinder (up to 1927) were added, while 15 CV remained until 1932; 15 CV Sports lost the championship in 1930 and held his last race in the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally, when Donald Healey in Invicta passed the nose-to-nose Jean-Pierre Wimille by one tenth of a second.

Name change

The De Dietrich family sold their stake in the company in 1928, which then became simply Lorraine.

End of car production

15 CV replaced 4086 cm³ 20 CV (15 kW), which was produced in only a few hundred quantities. Car production became unprofitable, and after the failure of the 20 CV model, the concern ceased car production in 1935.

In 1930, De Dietrich was taken over by the Aviation Societe Generale and the Argenteuil plant was transformed into aircraft engines and six-wheeled trucks under the Tatra license. By 1935, Lorraine-Dietrich had retired from the automotive industry. During World War II, Lorraine focused on the production of military vehicles such as the Lorraine 37L armored personnel carriers.

The Lunéville plant returned to the production of railway locomotives. As of 2007, it still operates under the De Dietrich Ferroviaire brand.

Lorraine-Dietrich Competition Wins

Adrien de Turckheim won prizes between 1896 and 1905 at many races in Europe. For example, his victory in 1900 in Strasbourg.

Les "Lorraine" ont été engagées dans plusieurs courses automobiles, et ont gagné plusieurs trophées, parmi lesquels:

• - Paris v Madrid: victory for Fernand Gabriel.
• - Moscow - St. Petersburg: victory for Duray. The Frenchman A. Duret won in Lauren-Dietrich with a 13-liter 60-horsepower engine.
• - Grand Prix de Dieppe: victory for Hémery and set 3 and 6 hours records of 152.593 and 138.984 km / h.
• - 24 Hours of Le Mans: Crew Henri Stoffel-Édouard Brisson - 2nd place, Crew Gérard de Courcelles-André Rossignol - 3rd place.
• - 24 Hours of Le Mans: the crew of the Gérard de Courcelles-André Rossignol wins the race and the crew of the de Stalter-Édouard Brisson - 3rd place.
• - 24 Hours of Le Mans: Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 - 3 first places and a record of 106.350 km / h.

Aircraft engines

In fiction

The car of Adam Kozlevich "Wildebeest" in the famous novel by Ilf and Petrov "The Golden Calf" - the brand "Lauren-Dietrich" (according to Kozlevich himself).

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Excerpt from Lorraine-Dietrich

- When did you get it? From Olmütz? - repeats Prince Vasily, who seems to need to know this in order to resolve the dispute.
"And is it possible to talk and think about such trifles?" thinks Pierre.
“Yes, from Olmütz,” he replies with a sigh.
From supper Pierre led his lady after the others into the drawing-room. The guests began to leave, and some left without saying goodbye to Helene. As if not wishing to tear her away from her serious occupation, some approached for a minute and rather withdrew, forbidding her to see her off. The diplomat was sadly silent, leaving the living room. He imagined all the futility of his diplomatic career in comparison with the happiness of Pierre. The old general grunted angrily at his wife when she asked him about the condition of his leg. Eka, you old fool, he thought. - Here Elena Vasilievna will be so beautiful at 50 ”.
“It seems that I can congratulate you,” Anna Pavlovna whispered to the princess and kissed her hard. - If not for the migraine, I would have stayed.
The princess did not answer; she was tormented by envy of her daughter's happiness.
Pierre, while seeing off the guests, remained for a long time alone with Helene in the small drawing-room, where they sat down. He had often before, in the last month and a half, been alone with Helene, but he had never spoken to her of love. Now he felt that it was necessary, but he could not make up his mind to take this last step. He was ashamed; it seemed to him that here, beside Helene, he was taking someone else's place. This happiness is not for you, - some inner voice told him. - This is happiness for those who do not have what you have. But he had to say something, and he spoke. He asked her if she was happy with this evening? She, as always, answered with her simplicity that the present name days were one of the most pleasant for her.
Some of the closest relatives still remained. They were sitting in a large living room. Prince Vasily approached Pierre with lazy steps. Pierre got up and said that it was too late. Prince Vasily looked at him sternly inquiringly, as if what he had said were so strange that it was impossible to hear. But after that the expression of severity changed, and Prince Vasily pulled Pierre down by the hand, sat him down and smiled affectionately.
- Well, what, Lelya? - he immediately turned to his daughter with that careless tone of familiar tenderness, which is assimilated by parents who caress their children from childhood, but which Prince Vasily only guessed through imitation of other parents.
And he again turned to Pierre.
“Sergey Kuzmich, from all sides,” he said, unbuttoning the top button of his vest.
Pierre smiled, but it was evident from his smile that he understood that it was not the anecdote of Sergei Kuzmich that interested Prince Vasily at that time; and Prince Vasily understood that Pierre understood this. Prince Vasily suddenly muttered something and left. It seemed to Pierre that even Prince Vasily was embarrassed. Pierre was moved by the look of this old socialite's embarrassment; he looked back at Helene - and she seemed to be embarrassed and said with a glance: "Well, you yourself are to blame."
“We must inevitably step over, but I cannot, I cannot,” thought Pierre, and spoke again about the stranger, about Sergei Kuzmich, asking what this anecdote was, since he did not hear it. Helen answered with a smile that she did not know either.
When Prince Vasily entered the drawing-room, the princess spoke quietly with the elderly lady about Pierre.
- Of course, c "est un parti tres brillant, mais le bonheur, ma chere ... - Les Marieiages se font dans les cieux, [Of course, this is a very brilliant party, but happiness, my dear ... - Marriages are made in heaven,] - answered old lady.
Prince Vasily, as if not listening to the ladies, walked into the far corner and sat down on the sofa. He closed his eyes and seemed to be dozing. His head fell, and he woke up.
- Aline, - he said to his wife, - allez voir ce qu "ils font. [Alina, look what they do.]
The princess went to the door, walked past it with a significant, indifferent air, and looked into the drawing-room. Pierre and Helene also sat and talked.
- All the same, - she answered her husband.
Prince Vasily frowned, wrinkled his mouth to one side, his cheeks jumped with his characteristic unpleasant, rude expression; Shaking himself, he got up, threw back his head and with decisive steps, past the ladies, went into the small drawing-room. With rapid steps, he happily approached Pierre. The prince's face was so unusually solemn that Pierre got up in fright when he saw him.
- Thank God! - he said. - My wife told me everything! He hugged Pierre with one arm, his daughter with the other. - My friend Lelya! I am very, very happy. His voice trembled. - I loved your father ... and she will be a good wife for you ... God bless you! ...
He hugged his daughter, then Pierre again and kissed him with a foul-smelling mouth. Tears really wet his cheeks.
“Princess, come here,” he shouted.
The princess went out and wept too. The elderly lady also wiped herself with a handkerchief. Pierre was kissed, and he kissed the hand of the beautiful Helene several times. After a while they were left alone again.
“All this should have been and could not be otherwise,” thought Pierre, “so there is no need to ask whether this is good or bad? Good, because definitely, and there is no previous tormenting doubt. " Pierre silently held the hand of his bride and looked at her beautiful breasts rising and falling.
- Helen! He said aloud and stopped.
“Something so special is said in these cases,” he thought, but he could not remember what exactly it was said in these cases. He looked into her face. She moved closer to him. Her face flushed.
"Ah, take off these ... like these ..." She pointed to the glasses.
Pierre took off his spectacles, and his eyes, in addition to the general strangeness of the eyes of people who had taken off their spectacles, looked fearfully inquiringly. He wanted to bend over her hand and kiss her; but with a quick and rough movement of her head she seized his lips and brought them to hers. Her face struck Pierre with its changed, unpleasantly bewildered expression.
“It's too late now, it's over; and I love her, ”thought Pierre.
- Je vous aime! [I love you!] - he said, remembering what had to be said in these cases; but these words sounded so poor that he felt ashamed of himself.
A month and a half later, he was married and settled, as they said, the happy owner of a beautiful wife and millions, in the large newly decorated house of the Bezukhikhs in St. Petersburg.

The old prince Nikolai Andreich Bolkonsky in December 1805 received a letter from Prince Vasily, informing him of his arrival with his son. (“I am going to the audit, and, of course, I’m not a detour 100 miles to visit you, dear benefactor,” he wrote, “and my Anatol is accompanying me and going to the army; and I hope that you will allow him to personally express to you that deep respect that he, imitating his father, has for you. ")
“You don’t need to take Marie out: the suitors themselves are coming to us,” the little princess said inadvertently, having heard about this.
Prince Nikolai Andreevich winced and said nothing.
Two weeks after receiving the letter, in the evening, the people of Prince Vasily arrived ahead, and the next day he arrived with his son.
The old man Bolkonsky always had a low opinion of the character of Prince Vasily, and even more so recently, when Prince Vasily went far in ranks and honors in his new reigns under Paul and Alexander. Now, at the hints of the letter and the little princess, he understood what was the matter, and a low opinion of Prince Vasily passed in the soul of Prince Nikolai Andreich into a feeling of malevolent contempt. He snorted constantly about him. On the day Prince Vasily arrived, Prince Nikolai Andreevich was especially displeased and out of sorts. Was it because he was out of sorts that Prince Vasily was coming, or because he was especially displeased with the arrival of Prince Vasily, because he was out of sorts; but he was in a bad mood, and Tikhon had advised the architect to come in with a report to the prince even in the morning.
“Hear how he walks,” said Tikhon, drawing the architect’s attention to the sound of the prince’s footsteps. - Steps on the whole heel - we know ...
However, as usual, at 9 o'clock the prince went out for a walk in his velvet coat with a sable collar and the same hat. Snow fell the day before. The path along which Prince Nikolai Andreevich walked to the greenhouse was cleared, traces of a broomstick were visible in the swept snow, and the shovel was stuck in a loose mound of snow that ran on both sides of the path. The prince walked through the greenhouses, through the courtyard and buildings, frowning and silent.
- Is it possible to ride in a sleigh? - He asked the respectable who accompanied him to the house, similar in face and manner to the owner, manager.
“Snow is deep, your Excellency. I already ordered to disperse on the preshpekt.
The prince bowed his head and went to the porch. "Glory to you, Lord, - thought the manager, - a cloud swept by!"
“It was difficult to pass, Your Excellency,” added the manager. - How was it heard, Your Excellency, that the Minister will come to your Excellency?
The prince turned to the steward and stared at him with frowning eyes.

On the question of Ostap Bender's cars

A car, comrades, is not a luxury, but a means of transportation!

(from the movie "The Golden Calf")

To be honest, I initially thought the 1968 film The Golden Calf used an original historic car from the early 20th century. It is clear that there is no Lorraine - Dietrich (as Kozlevich asserted), but possibly "Russo-Balt" in 1909. However, upon closer examination, frame-by-frame, I quickly realized that, unfortunately, in front of me was not "Russo-Balt". Rousseau or rather, but far from balt. The movie "Wildebeest" turned out to be an ordinary remake, or rather a hodgepodge replica of cars of the late 1900s-early 10s. Soon, after careful searches on the net, it turned out that this replicar was made by the talented designer Lev Shugurov (1934 - 2009) especially for the film "The Golden Calf". Well, I'll give the designer his due: he certainly did not build a book "Antelope Gnu" (the combiner's car had a chain drive to the rear wheels and a completely different body type), but he still made a good copy of the car of the early twentieth century.

Now a few words about the 2006 series The Golden Calf. Replicas of cars from the beginning of the last century are also used here. For example, the American car (in the second series) turned out to be a prefabricated image of 1915-1925 cars: it was built by Alexander Lomakov (1928 - 2005) in 1989 for the film "American Grandpa". However, I did not find anything about the creators of the "Wildebeest" driven by Nazarov, but the fact that this car is a replica can also be seen with the naked eye.

But what the book car "Gnu Antelope" really was, we will probably never know for certain. We can only guess. According to Ilf and Petrov, Kozlevich's car in 1925-1930 was already considered antiques and had a body tonne ( Tonneau - "barrel") with a door in the center of the rear part (which is evident from the episode with the fallen Balaganov) and an awning or canopy (otherwise it would not look like a "funeral chariot"). Cars of this kind were very popular in 1901-1907 - they were produced at that time by many car companies. And although Kozlevich himself called his unit "Lauren-Dietrich" (more correctly - "Lauren-Dietrich"), this still did not mean that the car was of this particular brand. For example, the famous autohistoricist Yu. Dolmatovsky even believed that the "Wildebeest" is " Fiat "1901-08 Personally, I am less categorical: in my humble opinion today it is impossible to tie the "Wildebeest" to some specific automakers and models. And the only thing one can be sure of one hundred percent is that "Antelope ..." is not "Lauren-Dietrich". The point is that the brand Lorraine - Dietrich finally took shape only in 1906-1908, i.e. already at a time when the fashion for bodywork began to decline. Among other things, in 1906-1908 Lorraine - Dietrich not produced tonne with rear door and removable canopy. During this period, tons of them were already produced in bodies with side doors and folding awnings. But the predecessors of the Lauren-Dietrichs-ton De Dietrich with a rear door, they are met quite often. Thus, Kozlevich's car could well have been De Dietrich, but not Lauren-Dietrich.