{"id":497246,"date":"2018-01-01T01:53:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-01T09:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscardigest.com\/\/?p=53385"},"modified":"2024-01-13T07:14:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-13T07:14:40","slug":"respect-for-the-charlatan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/respect-for-the-charlatan\/","title":{"rendered":"Respect for the Charlatan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As you\u2019ll read in this issue\u2019s news, the much-revered Lyndley Bothwell collection was recently sold by Bonhams. Of particular interest in this collection was arguably the jewel in the crown, the 1914 Peugeot L45 Grand Prix car. While many have noted the record breaking price it achieved ($7.26 million), few if any have mentioned or even acknowledge the incredible historical significance of this vehicle. I would argue that this may very well be the most significant historic racecar\u2026of all time. An overly grand statement? Perhaps. But consider the evidence.<\/p>\n

The dawn of the 20th Century witnessed the \u201creal\u201d birth of motor racing, and 1906 marked the first Grand Prix. During this time period aspiring auto manufacturers began to realize that competition could set their products apart from the rest. During these nascent days, the quest for speed was dominated by essentially one developmental factor\u2014displacement. If Mercedes won a race with a 12-liter engine, Fiat would respond with a 14-liter engine. The saying, \u201cthere\u2019s no substitute for horsepower\u201d was etched in stone tablets, right at the very beginning. But then, around 1910, an unlikely trio came up with an unlikely car that not only shook the then very foundations of motorsport, but would go on to become the archetype for literally every competitive racecar that would follow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n