9781422269657

design, or a 3.8-liter four. The growing auto line drew corporate interest, too, and Darracq sold his company to a British financial group the same year. The group only wanted financial involvement, though, and named Alexandre Darracq as the CEO. Under the new owners, Darracq amended his essential design in 1904, switching to pressed steel for the chassis instead of flitch plated wood. The company introduced its Flying Fifteen, which

featured a chassis crafted from a single steel sheet. Automobiles Darracq Developments

The Flying Fifteen led Automobiles Darracq to capture a 10 percent share of the French automotive market. Still, Darracq had lost essential control to the British, who gradually wanted more say in vehicle design. He left Automobile Darracq to cofound Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (S.A.I.D.) in 1906 with a group of Italian investors led by Cavaliere Ugo Stella, a Milanese aristocrat.

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