Louis Emile Rigolly is one of the many early motoring
pioneers that little is known about, or at least
we here at Unique Cars & Parts were unable to
derive much information (his name does crop up in
the early prize-lists when motor racing was young).
Nevertheless
we do know that Rigolly achieved the distinction
of being the first man to top the magid “ton”,
and if for no other reason he is a worthy inclusion
on this site.
Just imagine what it would have been
like, sitting in the open on springs like a stage-coach
and tyres that might burst any minute, with giant
chains whirring under your elbows, leaping from bump
to bump in a cloud of dust, then you can measure
the heroism of the man.
Rigolly first beat Vanderbilt's 92.3 mph with his
Gobron-Brillie, then, not satisfied with this speed,
he had the monster specially tuned for one of those
periodical gatherings when all the fastest men on
earth got together for an ear splitting drag session.
This time it was on the fast Ostend road in July
1904.
The Gobron-Brillie was really a road racer,
not a specially prepared automobile designed to take
out the world land speed record.
But despite that,
Rigolly “piloted” the beast along the
1 kilometre stretch in an amazing 21.6 seconds, at
a speed of 103.56 mph.