These Are the 4 Oldest Running Cars in the World

Automobiles have existed for over a century. But did you know that many of the earliest vehicles are still operational today? Learn about the oldest running cars in the world below!

La Marquise

Named after the mother of its inventory, La Marquise was first manufactured by Count De Dion in France in 1884. Like many of the first attempts at self-propelled vehicles, La Marquise was a huge nine-foot vessel that housed twin compound steam engines and could seat up to four.

It wasn’t the most practical method of transportation, as it took roughly half an hour for the engines to heat up and produce enough steam to move. It could then only travel roughly 20 miles, but it was still an incredible technological achievement for its time. In fact, Law Marquise is credited as winning the first-ever automobile race—a 20-mile trek from Paris to Versailles and back in 1887.

Benz Patent-Motorwagen

In many ways, you could consider the Benz Patent-Motorwagen as the oldest running car in the world, even if other vehicles on our list are older. Carl Benz (of Mercedes-Benz fame) is credited with inventing the first modern car as we know them and the first production automobile, the Patent-Motorwagen.

Created in 1879 and patented in 1886, the Patent-Motorwagen is much smaller than others on our list and was considered a massive leap forward in automobile technology. Roughly 25 of Benz’s inventions were manufactured, and restored versions are still available today that can still crank out the whopping 0.75 horsepower the car produced in its heyday.

Grenville Steam Carriage

Before the Benz and Marquise inventions in France and Germany, Great Britain had its automotive breakthrough with the Grenville Steam Carriage in 1875. Robert Neville Grenville invented the two-cylinder, steam-powered carriage with assistance from railway engineer George Jackson Churchward.

The Grenville Carriage was large and not very user-friendly, as it consisted of a massive steel chassis that could seat up to seven people, including the fireman responsible for maintaining the hot boiler. The Grenville Carriage was big but could still reach up to 18 mph and is still in working condition on display at the National Motor Museum in the United Kingdon.

The Cugnot Steam Tractor

Nicolas Joseph Cugnot is credited with inventing the first self-propelled vehicle in history, designing the Cugnot Steam Tractor in France in 1769. Whether you could call this a car is debatable, but it could still move on its own via a steam engine.

Its purpose was for the military to move artillery without horses, and while Cugnot and his assistant Brezin took years to create something that could tow up to five tons for a short period, they forgot one crucial thing—brakes! The 1769 Cugnot Steam Tractor has no brakes, but it still runs like it’s the 18th century at the Paris museum where it resides.

Where To Find Classic Cars Online

While we don’t have any ancient steam tractors to offer, we still have a wide selection of custom classic cars for sale at Ideal Classic Cars! Browse our inventory online or visit our showroom in Venice, Florida, to see our selection for yourself today!