About Panhard
Panhard is a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. It was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under PSA ownership for 40 years. The combined company now uses the Panhard name. Panhard once built civilian cars but ceased production in 1968, although many of their products end up on the civilian market via third sources and as military/government surplus.
History
Panhard was originally called Panhard et Levassor, and was established as a car manufacturing concern by René Panhard, Emile Levassor, and Belgian lawyer Edouard Sarazin in 1887. Benz and Daimler produced pilot models before this time, and Benz was in production by 1888 with his three-wheeler. Parisian bicycle manufacturer Emile Roger obtained a license to produce this car, and ended up producing more than Benz, due to the ready acceptance of automobiles by the French. Daimler began producing cars in small series circa 1890/91.
Inspired by Daimler's Stahlradwagen (Steel Wheel Wagon) prototypes of 1889, Panhard and Levassor decided to move to making automobiles. Their first car, with licence-produced Daimler engines, was offered in 1890. Levassor obtained his licence from a friend who already had one, Sarazin. Upon Sarazin's death in 1887, Sarazin's widow married Levassor, and the deal was cemented. Daimler and Levassor became fast friends, and shared improvements with one another.
These first vehicles set many modern standards, but each was a one-off design. They used a clutch pedal to operate a chain-driven gearbox. The vehicle also featured a front-mounted radiator. An 1895 Panhard is credited with the first modern transmission.
