FN 3,5-hp Victoria

The Belgian company FN is originally a weapons manufacturer based in Liege. At the end of the 19th century, after being taken over by a German group, it was decided to start producing other things as well, including cars.

That little seat on the back of the FN cannot have been very comfortable. Although elegant to look at and of a refined design, it was not really intended for passengers but for the mechanic or ‘mécanicien’, who was still considered a servant at the end of the 19th century. After all, the driver couldn’t get his or her hands dirty when certain moving parts had to be oiled or, even worse, when a drive chain broke. It’s worth noting that the cranking handle had to be inserted through the spokes of the wheel. The Belgian company FN, located in Liège, was originally an arms factory, the abbreviation standing for Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre. The first FN automobile dates back to 1899 and had an air-cooled, 2.5 hp, twin-cylinder engine. The car exhibited (which is very well preserved) has a water-cooled, 3.5 hp engine. The model proved so popular that a 4.5 hp was introduced in 1900.