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1904 Gladiator 14/20 HP Four-Cylinder Demi-Limousine

Coachwork by Léon Molon

Registration no. NXI45

Chassis no. 2471

Engine no. C569

• ‘Successfully participated in over 35 London-Brighton Runs’

A relatively short-lived French marque, Gladiator produced motor cars from around 1896 to 1920, latterly as a division of Vinot et Deguingand. Société Gladiator had been founded in 1891 in Pré St Gervais by Paul Aucoq and Alexandre Darracq to manufacture bicycles, and a few years later was taken over by a British consortium headed by Harvey du Cros. The latter had recently bought Adolphe Clément's bicycle interests and the newly formed Clément-Gladiator-Humber company soon expanded its activities to include tricycles, quadricycles, motorcycles and automobiles. The first Gladiator cars were rear-engined, single-cylinder voiturettes boasting tubular steel frames and handlebar steering. They were also sold under the Clément-Gladiator name, Adolphe Clément being a prominent board member, as was the notorious fraudster Harry J Lawson.

By 1899, front-engined, Aster-powered models equipped with wheel steering had superseded the originals. Gladiator's biggest market was the UK, which was taking 80% of production by 1903, at that time running at more than 1,000 cars annually. Somewhat confusingly, similar cars bearing the names 'Clément-Gladiator' and 'Gladiator' were being made in the same factory, the essential difference being that the former had shaft drive while the latter were chain driven.

In Britain, Gladiators were distributed by the Motor Vehicle Company Ltd, which had been founded in 1899 by Harvey du Cros and S F Edge.

In October 1903 Adolphe Clément resigned from Clément-Gladiator, though the cars continued to bear his name for the next few years, and in 1909 the firm was sold to Vinot et Deguingand, which transferred production to its factory in Puteaux. From then onwards the two ranges became ever more similar until in 1920 the decision was taken to drop the Gladiator name.

Little is known of the previous history of this imposing 14/20hp (3.2-litre) Gladiator Demi-limousine other than the fact that it was owned by John Caperton of Kentucky, and it was he who applied for dating in 1974. He had apparently brought the car into the USA from Argentina. It was 'VCC dated' in 1974, but no certificate or dating plate was issued at that time, pending completion of the restoration and registration. The Gladiator seems to have been imported into the UK by Stephen Langton some time around 1982 and again, no certificate could be issued because the car was not registered. A certificate was finally issued in 1992). Both the VCC Dating Certificate and V5C document are on file.

The Gladiator was in ownership for some 40 years, having been purchased from a private owner, before being sold to the current ownership in 2023. In the current ownership the car has benefitted from an electric starter and has completed several long distance events including the Yorkshire Veteran car runs in 2025 and 2026. Described by our vendor as a great, strong, family car, it has successfully participated in over 35 London-Brighton Runs and is particularly rare in the fact it still carries its original Coachwork by Leon Molon.

POA

1904 Gladiator 14/20HP Limousine by Leon Molon

1904 Gladiator 14/20HP Limousine by Leon Molon

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