IN 1907the automobile world is a very different place. If you were going to travel somewhere, you wouldn’t even consider going by car unless you rich. The majority of the world’s population has never moved faster than the speed of one horseand Ford Model T Haven’t changed the world yet. And yet, in 1907, five cars and 12 drivers or passengers set off from Beijing – now Beijing, China – drove 8,000 miles to Paris, France.
That premise alone sounds unbelievable, but it’s a true story that’s presented to its fullest in author Kassia St. Clair titled The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris – The Adventure That Fueled the Twentieth Century.
By 1907, distance races between cities had become quite frequent in Europe. These events were designed to push the limits of nascent automotive machinery and reward wealthy or innovative drivers, while the competitions were sure to aid the development of automotive technology. young bowl. But the Beijing to Paris race is designed to be more than just a race; it was one adventure.
Organized by Paris newspaper Le Matin in an effort to sell paperwork, the Beijing-Paris race will be unlike anything ever done before in cars. The drivers and their teammates will travel through China, Siberia, Russia and Europe, sometimes driving but more often pushing their vehicles out of some muddy conundrums. They drove through the Gobi Desert and over the Ural Mountains, making rudimentary repairs and trying not to starve. All but one of the cars had a journalist as part of the group; Those journalists were tasked with telegraphing live updates Le Matin whenever they can.
The machinery in the challenge was as diverse as the ideologies of motorsport technology at the time. At one end of the spectrum is the three-wheeled, six-horsepower Contal Mototri, a light and agile vehicle that is said to easily overcome any obstacle in its path but will be slower on paved roads. At the other end is an Itala with between 35 and 45 horsepower; Many experts believe that this heavier vehicle will only thrive on the paved sections of the race, while it will struggle in the mud. Among those performance milestones are two 10 horsepower De Dion-Boutons representing the pride of France and a 15 horsepower Spyker from the Netherlands.
Truly understanding the significance of the Beijing-Paris race means understanding the world situation at the time. One of my favorite parts about Race to the future That’s author St. Clair devotes every other chapter to that all-important context. For example, before you read about race start times, St. Clair will guide you through the birth of the automobile. When motorists sent the first telegrams, St. Clair will help you understand the importance of the invention of the telegraph. As drivers make their way through the Siberian countryside, St. Clair discusses the horse’s long history as a means of transportation and why we switched to a new medium. In another chapter, she deftly explores why gasoline became the de facto power source for automobiles when in the early 20th century people used everything from alcohol to electricity to move cars Bowl.
All of this is beautifully integrated into the Beijing-Paris story itself, which is already very compelling. Because the race was organized by a French newspaper, the fact that an Italian car was leading for most of the race was a travesty. One competitor was said to have achieved the feat incredibly quickly – only for St. Clair revealed that he Right took the train instead, something every other writer on the subject seems to have missed. One team nearly died from contact with the Gobi, another could not advance further than the walls of Beijing. One competitor is European royalty, while another is revealed to be a serial fraudster.
The Beijing-Paris race is certainly not a “race” but an adventure – but that doesn’t make it a compelling story and Kassia St. Clair is the perfect person to make it happen. I had so much fun reading it that I’m tempted to call it a romp, but I also don’t want to detract from the wealth of knowledge it provides. Race to the future bring. If you’ve ever been interested in anything automotive, this is a perfect little example of what automotive history has to offer.
Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris – A Twentieth Century Acceleration Adventure will officially go on sale in the US on May 14, 2024 — but you can pre-order your copy now.
