[faksta]

Lessner

Lessner factory has appeared in St.-Petersberg in 1853 and produced different steam equipment, but in 1901 this business became profitless. So, in 1901 Lessner has bought a license from Daimler to produce their automotive engines and cars - not Mercedes, but the ones developed by Russian engineer at Daimler factory – Boris Lutzkiy. First cars were assembled in 1905 – first of those 14 post cars was made on March, 26. At 1907 St.-Petersberg auto show Lessner has received a special prize for starting an automotive production in Russia on industrial basis. Until 1909, which has become the last year for Lessner, a few hundred cars were made. One of the interesting products was a 1909 all-wheel drive and 4WS car with a differential between axes and a 320mm clearance. But it has just remained a prototype…

Russo-Baltique C24/30

In 1869 Belgian company called Van Der Zypen and Charlier established a manufacture in Riga to produce railroad carriages. Beside them RBVZ has made agricultural machines, oil and kerosene engines and planes. In 1908 an automotive department was settled under the management of I.Friazinskiy. In the same year Belgian engineer Julien Potterat was invited as a chief constructor, who has previously worked at Fondu factory in Belgium. That’s why the first Russo-Baltiques looked so much like Fondu cars.
On May, 26, 1909 the first car has left the factory – Russo-Baltique C24/30 with a two-seater sport body. That car was the one which has participated in 1909 St.-Petersberg – Riga race driven by a constructor, Potterat, himself. Later some prototype bodies were applied to chassis #1.


Pictures:

1. Lessner at the start of a 1909 St.-Petersberg - Riga run.
2-3. Russo-Baltique C24/30 chassis. Source - denisovets.narod.ru.
4. Russo-Baltique C24/30 - the very first RBVZ car as it came off the factory. Source - denisovets.narod.ru.