Steam dream

Sirs,

I congratulate you on the quality of your recent pictures of the steamer ‘L’Obeissante’ built by my great-grandfather Amedee Bollee, which clearly show this machine was the first automobile to have independently steered and suspended front wheels controlled by a steering wheel. The machine was used not only for Sunday jaunts, but also for business duties. However, the motor of the second vehicle was not used to power machines in the factory during WWI as the item suggests.

The article also perpetuates the confusion between the Bollee father and sons, implying that Bollee built only steam vehicles; while this is true for Amedee Sr, his sons, in particular one also named Amedee, built petrol cars as late as 1920.

A visit to see `L’Obeissante’ at the Musee des Arts et Metiers in Paris will confirm its pioneering use of the above features, which fully merited its name ‘Obedience’.

I AM, YOURS, ETC

Francois Bollee, Arnage, France

(I am aware of the Leon Bollee petrol cars I have had a 1921 version for many years. – WB)