Re: Car of the century

[Scott Fisher <sefisher@cisco.com>]

Matthew Killick is one of a number of people who correctly point out, in
re the adoption of the transverse FWD concept:

> Errr.  Fiat 127, introduced around 1969. 

I stand corrected, up to this point.  Beyond that, however...

> I disagree.  Fiat invented and proved it.

So please explain this new dating system, in which 1969 precedes 1959,
the year of the introduction of the Issigonis Mini.  Or is this part of
the famous trans-equatorial coriolis effect, that causes calendars as
well as drains to run backwards? :-)  

John Hertzmann, it comes as no surprise, was able to find record of an
even earlier front-driven transverse-engined vehicle, from some time
before 1905.  Nihil sub sole novum, whether said sole is warmest in July
or December, I suppose.  And yes, I know that the generally accepted
"earliest" twin-cam/pent-roof/four-valve-per-cylinder engine was the
1911 Peugeot Grand Prix car, predating the Giulietta by more than forty
years and eight valves.

I'm also interested, by the way, in learned dissertations on the French
automobile industry.  Another poster reminded me that not all Simcas of
the Sixties were the rapid, rear-engined Gordini variants that I've had
occasion to wonder about owning; Simca was also a pioneer in the
adoption of the Issigonis concept.  And of course, Citroen had the
Traction Avant in the Thirties, but like the Renaults of at least the
late Sixties, most of the Citroens I've peered at used longitudinally
mounted engines, in the manner of Saab and Audi.