René Panhard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Louis François René Panhard (27 May 1841, Paris - 16 July 1908 La Bourboule, dept. Puy-de-Dôme) was a French engineer, merchant and a pioneer of the automobile industry in France.

Having graduated from École Centrale Paris, he was employed by Jean-Louis Périn in a firm that produced wood-working machines, where Panhard met Émile Levassor. After Périn's death, the two established their own firm, Panhard & Levassor which produced its first automobile in 1890.

He was also a mayor of Thiais in the departement Val-de-Marne. In Paris, a street in the 13th arrondissement is named after him.

[edit] External links