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1886 Daimler-Maybach The Daimler-Maybach partnership produced the world's first motor vehicle in 1885. Their first four-wheeler was this converted wooden carriage, fitted in 1886 with Daimler's engine.

Photo & caption: VintageWeb

1887 Tatra Präsident The first car of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy was built in Koprivnice, in what is now the Czech Republic. The purpose-built wooden motor-carriage has a two cylinder water cooled Benz type engine is coupled to a belt transmission with two speeds forward and no reverse. Top speed is about 25 km/h.

Source: Technical Museum Tatra (Czech & English)

1902-03 Fiat 12hp with varnished wooden bodywork could manage 45 mph with a 3.4 litre four cylinder engine. Pressed steel parts were being used in other companies and Fiat adopted its use in 1904.

Source: History of the Motorcar, a book by Marco Matteucci
And CarLover.com

Wood is plentiful on this Spanish-built 1908 Hispano-Suiza 15/20. It is one of the earliest examples of the marque. Hispano-Suiza was most famous as a French make, although its origins were Spanish. The company, La Hispano-Suiza Fabrica de Automobiles, was incorporated in Barcelona in 1904. Marc Birkigt, a Swiss-born engineer who held patents for engine and chassis design, was designing engineer. Hispano "Spain" and Suiza "Swiss" embraced the heritage of the two nations.

Photo: La Colección de Automóviles de Salvador Claret
Information: Adam Ward's VCCC 1,000 Mile Trial Site

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