Mors Model A

Emile Mors was another pioneer of automobile design from France who produced his first car in 1895 based on a rear mounted V-4 engine. He also designed and developed racing cars, which proved highly successful, dominating the European race circuits around the turn of the century.

Despite continued technical advancements, the company’s financial position deteriorated in the early 1900s, partly due to the high costs of the racing programme and some poor management decisions. It was close to bankruptcy when André Citroën was appointed temporary Chairman in 1908. He promptly doubled sales volumes in one year and modernized the model range.

Post WWI however, the company struggled again and in an ironic twist, was taken over, in 1925, by the company André Citroën had set up in 1919, after he left Mors. Car production ceased soon afterwards.

About this vehicle

This is an original, and very rare, 1899 ‘Petit Duc’ with folding ‘dickey’ seat at the rear and with handlebar steering. The car was originally purchased in Paris in September 1899 and imported to England the following month by Frank Wellington, a well-known motor engineer and racing driver of the time.

It had at least two other owners before Richard Shuttleworth purchased the car in 1930.

Specification