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 refocused on the production of aircraft components and armored vehicles.

Start

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

At the end of the 19th century, another technological revolution took place - the world got acquainted with automatic mobile transport. Motorized carriages rapidly conquered the streets of European cities, displacing horse-drawn cars 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.

Photo of the first model, fortunately, survived. The double motorized stroller had a short wheelbase and a high awning roof, which created the impression of a disproportionate design. An innovation was the use of a large sheet windshield and three powerful headlights. The vehicle was driven by a frontal horizontal double engine with sliding clutches and a belt drive.

On the way to speed

Although the company initially used Bolle engines, all other parts of the Lauren Dietrich cars were manufactured in-house according to the original design. Before the first civilian model left the factory, Jean de Dietrich ordered to assemble a car for auto racing. She was named Torpilleur (Torpedo). The design used a 4-cylinder engine and front independent suspension.

In 1898, Torpedo took part in the Paris-Amsterdam rally under the control of Gaudi. Despite the accident, the team took third place and received a prize of 1 million gold francs - a great result!

A year later, the company decided to build on its success by participating in the prestigious Tour de France Automobile rally. A number of progressive changes were 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 has been reduced. But due to poor preparation, none of Dietrich's cars could complete the race.

Search for the ideal

Motor transport developed so rapidly that the first motorized vehicles 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 inefficient. 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 engine with an overhead valve system, paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. Before leaving for rival Mathis, the young Ettore created the famous 30/35 series engine, which was used in future models.

Company emblem

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

In order for the products to somehow differ (and the models to be of the same type), a new logo was developed. It is a double cross in a circle similar to the coat of arms of Lorraine.

Reputation

French engineers at the beginning of the 20th century occupied leading positions in the automotive industry. Many of their ideas were subsequently 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.

Fame was largely due to active participation in motorsport. Race cars "Lauren Dietrich" has always been the main contenders for victory. Among the most striking achievements are the 3rd place of the racer Charles Jarrot in the Paris-Madrid rally (1903), victory in the Circuit des Ardennes race led by Arthur Dure (1906). By the way, the crew under the control of the Frenchman Duret in 1907 became the winner of the Moscow-St. Petersburg rally. Under the hood of the champion “worked” a 60-horsepower 13-liter engine designed by Lorraine Dietrich.

All this made it possible to occupy its niche in the premium car segment and even aim at the superlux class. First, in 1905, and later in 1908, small-scale assembly was carried out under the order of luxurious six-wheeled De voyage limousines.

Pre-war years

Although relations between world powers were deteriorating, this did not affect the activities of Lorraine Dietrich in any way. 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.

More worthy were the characteristics of the Lauren Dietrich machine, designed on the basis of the developments of the English bureau Ariel Mors Limited. 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 l. With.
• 40/45 l. With. and 60/80 l. With.
• 70/80 l. With.

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

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 extended and shortened wheelbase flew around Europe. Everyone started talking about the revival of the famous brand. In confirmation of hopes, the company in 1922 presented the B3-6 model, which embodied the latest engineering achievements of that time. The power plant was a 6-cylinder 3.5-liter engine of the 15 CV series with a capacity of 15 liters. With. In its design were used:

• crankshaft on four bearings;
• aluminum pistons;
• hemispherical cylinder heads;
• overhead valving and other innovations.

In 1924, the racing model 15 Sport saw the light of day. Dewandre-Reprusseau brake servos, enlarged valves, dual carburetion scheme should have fueled 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. Automaker Lauren Dietrich became the first team to win the most prestigious circuit racing tournament for two years in a row.

Sunset

Despite sporting successes, the company's financial situation worsened. In 1928, Dietrich's heirs sold their share and retired. The brand became 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 novelty was 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 with which production began - to railway transport, which is what it does to this day.

The car from the "Golden Calf" had a real creator. What kind of exotic car brand is Lauren-Dietrich? Let's remember Ilf and Petrov ... Soon after the publication of the now famous novel, Ilf and Petrov got a great blow from the authorities for the consonance of the brand of the self-running crew of crooks with Lenin's 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 Gil.

Violently, the literary brothers justified themselves. But Lauren-Dietrichs in pre-revolutionary Russia, and not only, were valued no lower than the legendary Royces ...

The Loren-Dietrich brand (originally spelled "Lorraine-Dietrich") in 1905 was assigned to cars produced at a new factory owned by Baron Eugène de Dietrich. The old enterprise was located in Lorraine, which belonged to the Germans, in the city of Niedenbronn. It was engaged in the production of railway equipment, and then cars under the brand name De Dietrich. A new plant was opened 15 kilometers from the border, in Luneville.

The cars produced on it were so different from earlier designs that the owners of the plant decided to emphasize this by changing the brand, adding to it the name of a new partner and part-time chief engineer. Kozlevich, no doubt, wanted to "rejuvenate" his motorized carriage to attract customers, and therefore decorated its radiator with the emblem of the newer and more prestigious Lauren-Dietrichs, which adorned the cross of Lorraine, storks and airplanes.

Lauren-Dietrichs soon made themselves known by 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 the early De Dietrich also 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 in a small Prinetti & Stucchi factory in his native Brescia. However, the talent itself decides when it manifests itself.

The first De Dietrich had a serpentine radiator in the form of a copper corrugated tube, which was polished to a shine, a chain drive of the drive wheels. The short wheelbase gave the Dietrichs the agility they needed on the race track, but the road versions were slightly improved versions of the racing ones, with all the ensuing consequences. In particular, it was possible to install only one type of body - removable, of the "tonne" type. Passengers got into it through the doors, which simultaneously served as seat backs.

"Tonno" had one more feature - it was extremely difficult to install a folding cloth or leather top on it to protect against rain, so they managed with a canopy on the racks. This canopy was often decorated with fringes. That's how it was, "Gnu Antelope" - tall, clumsy, pompous, like an old carriage, with large rear wheels, a huge horn and acetylene lanterns.

But there were people who appreciated these old self-propelled carriages. Even before the revolution, they were recognized as museum values. And when the museum funds hit the market, they were acquired by different people - for example, Zoshchenko's character, who got the royal boots. Kozlevich was no exception, who bought a rarity in order to engage in a private cab on it.

The well-known illustrations and replicas of Antelope, for example, the car that stood in the lobby of the Zolotoy Ostap restaurant, are based more on 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. She 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.

, Aircraft engines

C:Companies founded in 1896 C:Companies abolished in 1935

Bolée developments were superseded in Niederbronn-les-Bains (fr.) by similar ones from the Belgian company Vivinus (fr.) (voiturette models, fr.), and in Luneville - from the Marseille company Turcat-Méry, which helped in 1901 to get out of a difficult financial position.

In 1902, De Dietrich hired 21-year-old Ettore Bugatti, who designed cars that won prizes in 1899 and 1901 and a 24 hp four-cylinder overhead valve 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 moved to Luneville, at the same time, Turcat-Méry, whose products were sold under the Dietrich brand, is sold with the Alsace market. To avoid releasing products with the same logo, Luneville management added a cross of Lorraine to the 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 establish a position in the super-luxury class, launching small-scale six-wheeled limousines (limousines de voyage) costing ₤ 4000 in 1905 and 1908 (US$20,000).

In 1907, De Dietrich bought the Isotta-Fraschini firm, producing two models with a single-camshaft engine and Isotta-Fraschini valves in the head, 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 a single British engine model, rated at 20 hp. (15 kW), exhibited at the Olympia Motor Show in 1908, proposed for the open chassis of Salmons & Sons (English) and Mulliner (English) convertibles. The British branch was not successful, existed for about a year.

For 1908, De Dietrich introduces a chain-driven touring line with four-cylinder 18/28 hp, 28/38 hp, 40/45 hp, and 60/80 hp, price from ₤ 550 to ₤ 960 and six-cylinder 70/80 hp. for ₤1040. The British version was notable for having a cardan shaft. In the same year, the name of automobile and aircraft engines was changed to Lorraine-Dietrich.

By 1914, all De Dietrichs were 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, 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 (Delaunay-Belleville's successor) introduced a new model with two wheelbases (short and long), A1-6 and B2-6, which three years later joined B3-6. The same 15 CV (11 kW) 3445 cc six-cylinder overhead valve, hemispherical cylinder head, aluminum pistons, and four crankshaft bearings were used.

The focus on "showing the best result" led to the creation in 1924 15 Sports, with dual carburetion systems, larger valves, and a Dewandre-Reprusseau four-wheel brake servo (this at a time when brakes of any design on all four wheels were rare), which was comparable to a 3-liter Bentley, moreover 15 Sports passed it in 1925 by winning 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 marque to win Le Mans twice, and the first to win two consecutive years.

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

To 15 CV, 2297 cm³ 12 CV (10 kW) four- (until 1929) and 6107 cm³ 30 CV (20 kW) six-cylinder (until 1927) were added, while 15 CV remained until 1932; 15CV Sport lost the championship in 1930 and ran his last race in the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally, when Donald Healey's Invicta beat 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

The 15 CV replaced the 4086 cm³ 20 CV (15 kW), which was produced in only a few hundred. 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 plant at Argenteuil was converted to build aircraft engines and six-wheeled trucks under license from Tatra. By 1935 Lorraine-Dietrich had retired from the automobile industry. During World War II, Lorraine focused on the production of military vehicles such as the Lorraine 37L armored personnel carrier.

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

Lorraine-Dietrich wins in competitions

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

Aircraft engines

In fiction

Adam Kozlevich's car "Antelope-Gnu" in the famous novel by Ilf and Petrov "The Golden Calf" - brand "Loren-Dietrich" (according to Kozlevich himself).

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An excerpt characterizing Lorraine-Dietrich

– When did you receive it? From Olmutz? - repeats Prince Vasily, who supposedly needs to know this in order to resolve the dispute.
“And is it possible to talk and think about such trifles?” thinks Pierre.
“Yes, from Olmutz,” he replies with a sigh.
From dinner, Pierre led his lady after the others into the living room. The guests began to leave, and some left without saying goodbye to Helen. As if not wanting to interrupt her from her serious occupation, some of them came up for a minute and quickly left, forbidding her to see them off. The diplomat was sadly silent as he left the living room. He imagined all the futility of his diplomatic career in comparison with Pierre's happiness. The old general grumbled angrily at his wife when she asked him about the condition of his leg. Eka, you old fool, he thought. “Here is Elena Vasilievna, so she will be a beauty even at 50.”
“It seems that I can congratulate you,” Anna Pavlovna whispered to the princess and kissed her warmly. “If it weren’t for a migraine, I would have stayed.
The princess did not answer; she was tormented by envy of her daughter's happiness.
Pierre, during the farewell of the guests, remained for a long time alone with Helen in the small drawing room, where they sat down. He had often before, in the last month and a half, been left alone with Helen, but he had never spoken to her of love. Now he felt it was necessary, but he couldn't bring himself to take that last step. He was ashamed; it seemed to him that here, beside Helene, he was occupying 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 satisfied with this evening? She, as always, with her simplicity answered that the current name day was one of the most pleasant for her.
Some of the closest relatives still remained. They sat in a large living room. Prince Vasily walked up to Pierre with lazy steps. Pierre got up and said that it was already late. Prince Vasily looked at him sternly inquiringly, as if what he said was so strange that it was impossible to hear. But after that, the expression of severity changed, and Prince Vasily pulled Pierre down by the arm, sat him down and smiled affectionately.
- Well, Lelya? - he immediately turned to his daughter with that careless tone of habitual tenderness, which is acquired by parents who caress their children from childhood, but which Prince Vasily was only guessed by imitating other parents.
And he again turned to Pierre.
“Sergey Kuzmich, from all sides,” he said, unbuttoning the top button of his waistcoat.
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 realized that Pierre understood this. Prince Vasily suddenly murmured something and left. It seemed to Pierre that even Prince Vasily was embarrassed. The sight of the embarrassment of this old man of the world touched Pierre; he looked back at Helen - and she seemed to be embarrassed and said with a look: "well, you yourself are to blame."
“I must inevitably step over, but I can’t, I can’t,” thought Pierre, and spoke again about an outsider, about Sergei Kuzmich, asking what this anecdote consisted of, since he did not catch it. Helen replied with a smile that she didn't know either.
When Prince Vasily entered the drawing room, the princess spoke quietly to 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 elderly lady.
Prince Vasily, as if not listening to the ladies, went to a far corner and sat down on the sofa. He closed his eyes and seemed to be dozing. His head was about to fall, and he woke up.
- Aline, - he said to his wife, - allez voir ce qu "ils font. [Alina, look what they are doing.]
The princess went up to the door, walked past it with a significant, indifferent air, and peered into the drawing-room. Pierre and Helen also sat and talked.
“All the same,” she answered her husband.
Prince Vasily frowned, wrinkled his mouth to the side, his cheeks jumped up and down with his usual unpleasant, rude expression; Shaking himself, he got up, threw back his head, and with resolute steps, past the ladies, went into the little drawing-room. With quick steps, he joyfully approached Pierre. The prince's face was so unusually solemn that Pierre stood 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'm very, very happy. - His voice trembled. - I loved your father ... and she will be a good wife to you ... God bless you! ...
He hugged his daughter, then again Pierre and kissed him with a foul-smelling mouth. Tears really wet his cheeks.
“Princess, come here,” he shouted.
The princess came out and wept too. The old lady also wiped herself with a handkerchief. Pierre was kissed, and several times he kissed the hand of the beautiful Helen. After a while they were left alone again.
“All this should have been so and could not have been otherwise,” thought Pierre, “therefore, there is nothing to ask, is it good or bad? Good, because definitely, and there is no former painful doubt. Pierre silently held his bride's hand and looked at her beautiful breasts rising and falling.
- Helen! he said aloud and stopped.
"Something special is said in these cases," he thought, but he could not remember what exactly they say in these cases. He looked into her face. She moved closer to him. Her face reddened.
“Ah, take off these… like these…” she pointed to the glasses.
Pierre took off his glasses, and his eyes, in addition to the general strangeness of the eyes of people who took off their glasses, his eyes looked frightened and inquiring. He wanted to bend over her hand and kiss her; but with a quick and rough movement of her head she caught hold of his lips and brought them together with hers. Her face struck Pierre with its changed, unpleasantly bewildered expression.
“Now it’s too late, it’s all over; Yes, and I love her, thought Pierre.
- Je vous aim! [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 St. Petersburg newly decorated house of the Bezukhi Counts.

Old Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky in December 1805 received a letter from Prince Vasily, informing him of his arrival together with his son. (“I am going to an audit, and, of course, I’m not a detour 100 miles away to visit you, dear benefactor,” he wrote, “and my Anatole escorts me and goes to the army; and I hope that you will allow him to personally express to you the deep respect that he, imitating his father, has for you.")
“There’s no need for Marie to be taken out: the grooms themselves are coming to us,” the little princess said carelessly, hearing about this.
Prince Nikolai Andreevich frowned and said nothing.
Two weeks after receiving the letter, in the evening, the people of Prince Vasily arrived ahead, and the next day he himself 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, in the new reigns under Paul and Alexander, went far in ranks and honors. Now, from the hints of the letter and the little princess, he understood what was the matter, and the low opinion of Prince Vasily turned in the soul of Prince Nikolai Andreevich into a feeling of unfriendly contempt. He constantly snorted, talking about him. On the day Prince Vasily arrived, Prince Nikolai Andreevich was especially dissatisfied and out of sorts. Was it because he was out of sorts that Prince Vasily was coming, or because he was especially dissatisfied with the arrival of Prince Vasily, because he was out of sorts; but he was not in a good mood, and even in the morning Tikhon advised the architect not to come in with a report to the prince.
“Hear how he walks,” said Tikhon, drawing the architect’s attention to the sound of the prince’s steps. - Steps on the whole heel - we already 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. It snowed the day before. The path along which Prince Nikolai Andreevich walked to the greenhouse had been cleared, broom marks could be seen in the swept snow, and the shovel had been stuck into the loose mound of snow that ran on both sides of the path. The prince walked through the greenhouses, through the household and buildings, frowning and silent.
- Is it possible to ride in a sleigh? he asked the venerable man, who was escorting him to the house, similar in face and manners to the owner, the manager.
“The snow is deep, Your Excellency. I already ordered to sweep it according to the preshpektu.
The prince bowed his head and went up to the porch. “Glory to you, Lord,” thought the steward, “a cloud has passed!”
“It was difficult to pass, Your Excellency,” added the steward. - How did you hear, your excellency, that the minister would wish to your excellency?
The prince turned to the steward and stared at him with frowning eyes.

On the issue 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, at first I thought that the original historical car of the early twentieth century was used in the movie "The Golden Calf" in 1968. It is clear that there is no Lorraine (as Kozlevich claimed), but perhaps "Russo-Balt" 1909. However, upon closer, frame-by-frame examination, I quickly realized that, unfortunately, it was not "Russo-Balt" in front of me. Or rather Russo, but far from Balt. The cinematic "Gnu Antelope" turned out to be an ordinary replica, or rather a replica-hodgepodge of cars of the late 1900s and early 10s. Soon, after a thorough search on the net, it turned out that this replica was made by a talented designer Lev Shugurov (1934 - 2009) especially for the film "The Golden Calf". Well, I will pay tribute to the designer: he built, of course, not a book "Gnu Antelope" (the combinator's car had a chain drive to the rear wheels and a completely different type of body), but still he got a good copy of the car of the early twentieth century.

Now a few words about the series "The Golden Calf" in 2006. Here, too, replicas of cars from the beginning of the last century are used. For example, the car of the Americans (in the second series) turned out to be a composite image of cars from 1915-1925: 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 Gnu Antelope, which was driven by Nazarov, but the fact that this car is a replica is also visible to the naked eye.

But what the book car "Gnu Antelope" really was, we probably will never know for sure. We can only guess. According to Ilf and Petrov, Kozlevich's car in 1925-1930 was already considered an antique and had a ton body ( tonneau - "barrel") with a door in the center of the back (which is clear from the episode with Balaganov who fell out) and an awning or canopy (otherwise it would not look like a "funeral chariot"). Such cars were very popular in 1901-1907 - they were produced at that time by many car companies. And although Kozlevich himself called his unit “Loren-Dietrich” (more correctly, “Loren-Ditrish”), this did not mean at all that the car was of this particular brand. For example, the famous auto historian Yu. Dolmatovsky even believed that the "Gnu Antelope" is " fiat »1901-08 Personally, I am less categorical: in my humble opinion, it is generally impossible to tie the Gnu Antelope to any specific automakers and models today. And the only thing you can be sure of one hundred percent is that "Antelope ..." is not "Lauren-Dietrich". The fact is that the brand Lorraine finally took shape only in 1906-1908, i.e. already at a time when the fashion for tonnage bodies began to decline. Among other things, in 1906-1908 Lorraine did not produce a ton with a rear door and a removable canopy. During this period, tons of them were already produced in bodies with side doors and folding awnings. But the predecessors of Loren-Dietrichov were tons De Dietrich with a back door - are quite common. Thus, Kozlevich's car could well have been a De Dietrich, but certainly not a Lauren-Dietrich.