Le Zebre Type C

Posted on July 23, 2020 by classiccarweekly

1914 Le Zebre Type C

Offered by Bonhams | Bicester, U.K | July 25, 2020

Julius Solomon and Jacques Bizet met while working at Georges Richard and left to start their own company, Le Zebre. They launched their first car in 1909, the Type A. It was followed by the Type B and C in 1912.

The six-horsepower Type C would last through 1918, a year longer than the B. The replacement sub-one-liter inline-four in this car has been fitted with an electric starter and has been drained of fluids. This Type C will require a little work before it gets back on the road.

Le Zebre lasted through 1931, and their relatively diminutive cars do come up for sale here and there. But they are by no means common. This one should bring between $15,000-$17,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $12,503.

Bonhams/H&H June 2013 Highlights

Posted on June 22, 2013 by classiccarweekly

Bonhams’ Banbury Run sale was held last week and the top sale was this 1966 Aston Martin DB6 which sold for $208,817.

Our feature cars both sold. The 1899 Columbia Motor Buggy sold for $17,966. The ex-works demonstrator Javan R1 sold for $17,068. Interesting cars included this 1949 Daimler DB18 Drophead Coupe with coachwork by Barker. It sold for $34,136.

Other cool cars included this 1929 Morgan Anzani Aero – a fairly early Morgan three-wheeler. It sold for $44,916.

And finally, this 1981 Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus “Rally Car.” These are moderately cool cars (the early-80s weren’t exactly “cool car” times) and this one sold for $17,966. Click here for full results.

Next up was H&H Auctions’ sale held at Rockingham Castle in the U.K. Our featured AC Ace Brooklands sold for $19,342. Top sale was this 1937 Bentley 4.25-Litre Vanden Plas Coupe which brought $226,834.

Interesting sales were definitely led by this 1918 Le Zebre Sports. I don’t remember coming across it when I looked for cars to feature, otherwise I surely would have. It sold for $123,088.

Other cars included this pretty 1926 Buick Standard Six Tourer (first below) which sold for $18,024 and the 1920 Sunbeam 16hp Tourer (second below) which went for $58,027. Check out complete results here.

1910 Le Zèbre

Posted on July 11, 2012 by classiccarweekly

1910 Le Zèbre Type A

For sale at Oldtimer Galerie International | Toffen, Switzerland

If this thing looks small, that’s because it is. It almost looks like one of those old cars they have at amusement parks – those kind of 2/3-scale Ford Model Ts. But this looks even smaller – you could fit at least five people in an antique car ride car. And this only has a single cylinder.

Le Zèbre started building cars in 1909 – and they started with single-cylinder engines making a whopping five horsepower. This one displaces 636cc and power reached the rear wheels via shaft drive and a two-speed (all forward) transmission. The cars were popular upon release.

In 1912, a four-cylinder model was added. In 1917, the two founders split up, with Jules Solomon, the driving force behind the company, leaving. In 1924 a new model was introduced, the Type Z. Perhaps this was not the best possible name, because it spelled the downfall of the firm. If you’re going to start it off with a “Type A,” then the “Type Z” seems like a logical conclusion to your business. Poor planning? Or just a shifting market toward bigger, more powerful cars? Probably the latter – Le Zebre closed up shop in 1932.

This car is currently for sale in Toffen, Switzerland, although I suspect it could appear at a forthcoming auction from the company. The price? $35,600. For more information, click here.