28/06/2025
Work in progress
Delaunay-Belleville 70CV SMT (1909-1914)
While the 3D project is ready, we are waiting for printing. In the meantime, a little story about this car!
"Sa Majeste le Tsar" (SMT), or "His Majesty the Tsar" - this was the unofficial name for the car that Emperor Nicholas II drove. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Delaunay-Belleville brand was one of the most prestigious in the world, and it is not at all surprising that Nicholas II chose it. On the other hand, the Delaunay-Belleville company was proud of such a famous client, using his name as advertising. Nicholas II personally owned four copies of the Delaunay-Belleville 70CV, built to special order: a phaeton (1906) and three landaulets (1908, 1910 and 1913). All of them were driven by a lower-valve inline 6-cylinder engine with a volume of 11,846 cm3 and a power of 70 hp, which provided a top speed of more than 100 km/h.In accordance with the customer's requirements, these cars were equipped with double steering rods, a disc clutch instead of a cone clutch, a complex control system with nine pedals, dual ignition and a unique Barbet starter, which operated on compressed air and allowed the engine to be started from the driver's seat. The complex pneumatic system also provided engine braking and starting in any gear, in addition to extending the jack, inflating the tires and sounding the horn.
By the way, a similar car belonged to the Rothschild family!
To be continued....
