What was the first car that rolled in Medellín?

An album published by Villegas Editores in 1995, called Carros, the car in Colombia, presents this version about the first car that rolled in Colombia: "Historians and historians of Manizales mention as the first car arrived in those lands a Ford of 1912 brought from Medellín, where a first car had been seen thanks to the initiative of the wealthy businessman Carlos Coriolano Amador (...). This first vehicle entered Medellín on the back of a mule on October 19, 1899, the same day that the War of the Thousand Days broke out. It was a De Dion Bouton built in France, from where he arrived unarmed and accompanied by a chauffeur (...)

Based on the year of its arrival in Colombia, it can be thought that this historic car should have been one of the first four-wheeled models made by the famous French Count Albert De Dion Bouton, (...) whose production the most famous Was the 'Vis á Vis' endowed with two facing benches, with capacity for four people. It is possible that this was the car imported by Amador. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to find photographs of the time that certify it. "

Searching for evidence

It is clear and obvious that who wrote that text was not certain, his was a hypothetical version of probabilities. He himself affirms it: a photographic proof is lacking.

The reasons for speculation about the type, model, brand and year of the vehicle brought by Amador have been precisely the lack of documentary evidence on the import and characteristics of the same, in addition to the little diffusion that has had the only photograph Known from the automobile, published by the Society of Public Improvements of Medellín (SMP), in 1910.

This entity, founded in 1898, in commemoration of the first centenary of the Independence of Colombia, published in that year an album of photographs called Medellín, on July 20, 1910, printed by the Victor Sperling Publishing House, Leipzig, Germany .

The purpose of the book was, according to the SMP, "to leave a record of the state of progress in Medellín at the time of the Centennial." As for the photographic records, among others he brings a photo of the "First car that came to Medellín".

From this historical photo, the hypothesis that "the car imported by Mr. Amador has been a Vis-A-vis equipped with two opposing benches, with capacity for four people, is discarded in the foreground." As you can see, it is a Double Phaeton type car, with front and rear seats facing forward and seating up to five people (two front and three rear, although a total of seven appear in the photo).

What are the characteristics of this car? Besides this photograph there is no more data. Emmanuel Piat, head of History and Historic Heritage of the Automobile Club de France (from where that car was supposed to be) responded via email about the features of this De Dion Bouton: "It is very difficult to say that the car is a De Dion Bouton Since the calender of the car in question and the hood look different from those produced by De Dion Bouton around 1910. If this car is truly a De Dion Bouton, it could be one of type AO (15 HP), AOL (15 HP) or an AP (24 HP) built in 1906 (4 cylinders). It is difficult to be right, due to the lack of sources in the documentation ... ".

Some conclusions

The doubts about the manufacturer of this first car arrived in Medellín, the images of cars of that time produced by that manufacturer, which contrast with the photo of the first car that presents the SMP.

Other distinguishing elements of a De Dion Bouton with the chariot of Don Coriolano are the shield of the manufacturer, for while the De Dion Bouton bring it in the upper part of the frame of the radiator, that of Don Coriolano has no such shield; As well as the manufacturer's name, which both cars have on the front of the radiator.

While it is true that in the first car that arrived in Medellín you can see that it has the name of the manufacturer in the mentioned site, although illegible, it can be ruled out that there says De Dion Bouton when comparing the features of that sign with the most readable Of the De Dion Bouton of that time.

Consequently, one can also rule out the hypothesis that the first car arrived in Medellín was a De Dion Bouton.

The text that accompanies the photograph of that mythical automobile on the SMP album says: "First car that came to Medellín. It was brought by a group of gentlemen in order to demonstrate, as they demonstrated, that the roads of this valley are suitable for motorsport. " Despite not mentioning the names of those involved in what for that time must have been an extraordinary event, comparing photos of Mr. Amador known with that of the knight who is in command of that first car, can be said with a high Degree of certainty that it is Don Carlos Coriolano Amador.

The photo, like others from the 1910 album of the SMP, brings the credit of B. de la Calle. Benjamin de la Calle Múñoz (Yarumal 1869, Medellín 1934) was one of the most important photographers of Medellín towards the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century and probably for his prestige he was fortunate to have been chosen by Don Carlos Coriolano so that with his Camera will capture that wonderful event