De Dion-Bouton Type AD History

Launched for 1904, the Type AD was De Dion-Bouton's entry into four-cylinder motoring: a 2,545 cc engine producing 15 CV, available in touring body styles typical of Edwardian motoring. It was joined by the 24 CV Type AI, offering a range that covered buyers from modest runabouts to proper touring cars.

The Edwardian-era Type AX 15 HP (a related four-cylinder, c.1906–1908) is among the survivors most commonly seen today. One such car, bodied by Roussille & Fils of Bergerac, illustrates the custom coachwork that upper-tier De Dion-Boutons received. De Dion-Bouton also entered a 10 CV car in the punishing 1907 Peking-to-Paris rally, demonstrating confidence in the reliability of their four-cylinder touring cars.

By this era — 1904 to 1908 — De Dion-Bouton was one of France's most prominent manufacturers, but the Edwardian market was fragmenting as dozens of new rivals emerged with modern engineering. The Type AD family represents the high-water mark of De Dion-Bouton's touring-car programme before the landmark V8 era.