1900 Marot Gardon

The Collection’s exhibit

The Marot-Gardon quadricycle on display entered the Shuttleworth Collection in 1935 having been exchanged for a 1905 Wolseley ‘Baby’ X Type that had been part of the Collection since 1929.

The quadricycle was, for many years, in non-running condition until it was restored by Vehicle Collection volunteers.

The short-lived Ph. Marot, Gardon et cie company of Corbie, Somme, was a highly successful maker of racing bicycles and tricycles. The company quickly grasped the promise of the internal combustion engine and from 1896 was manufacturing motorised tricycles powered by a single-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engine. From then it was a short step to add another wheel, and the Marot-Gardon quadricycle was born. Unlike the tricycle, the ‘quad’ offered a forward mounted seat for a single passenger.

Little is known about Marot-Gardon, a manufacturer that lasted just six years. The company’s automobiles followed De Dion-Bouton into motor racing, although their success was not as great. In addition to the quadricycle, from 1900 they made four-wheel ‘voiturettes’ (light cars) with chain drive De Dion-Bouton engines of 2 3/4hp, and in 1901 a racing version with 7hp of power.

In 1901 the British distributor for Marot-Gardon vehicles was William H M Burgess of Farringdon Road, London, who in advertising described the quadricycle as being ‘Light, Speedy and Comfortable’