1912 Pilain Model 4S Two Seater Roadster

1912 Pilain Model 4S Two Seater Roadster

Rolland-Pilain was a French car maker formally established on 4 November 1905 at 95, rue Victor-Hugo in Tours by François Rolland and Émile Pilain.

In 1905 Emile Pilain joined Rolland at Tours and together they quickly developed a reputation for the construction of innovative and high-quality motorcars. The following decades would see continued progress at the company with a focus on mechanical development. Later on, one of their outstanding achievements was the four-wheel braking system that utilised hydraulically actuated front brakes.

Although to the untrained eye one expects that all Edwardian cars looked like 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' and had round 'barrel' radiators, the reality is that surprisingly few did, Delaunay-Belleville and Hotchkiss were two, Pilain was another. This distinctive characteristic greatly enhances the look of these cars and none more so that when configured in the ever popular 'raceabout' or roadster style, with spartan coachwork of two bucket seats and a drum fuel tank behind.

Descriptions & pictures by bonhams & flickr & wikipedia