On Sunday 4 November 2018, a one-off car that has the distinction of being Sweden’s oldest racing car in existence, will make its debut on the famous London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
It dates from 1903, but onlookers might struggle to identify it as it wears no badge on its radiator.
That's because this unique car was from a manufacturer with the hardly snappy name of Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget i Södertelge – later this was, understandably, deemed impractical, with the abbreviated name Vabis adorning younger models.
The company was established in 1891 in Södertälje, south-west of Stockholm, originally to build railway carriages, before branching out into other sectors – in 1911 it merged with Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania forming Scania-Vabis, now famous around the world as Scania AB.
This Vabis carrying Crown Prince Gustav in the passenger seat during a visit to Surahammar, Sweden, in June 1906
This car was first seen at the Paris motor show in 1903, then in 1906 it was photographed with Crown Prince Gustav sitting in the passenger seat in the year running up to his coronation, pictured above.
