Camille Jenatzy and the car that was the first to overcome the 100 km / h barrier (7 photos)

At the end of the 19th century, the world was experiencing a real revolution in the transport industry. Cars were just beginning to gain popularity, and racing was becoming a field for bold experiments.





It was during this period that the Belgian engineer and racing driver Camille Jenatzy went down in history as the first person to accelerate a car to 100 km/h. His car was a unique electric car called Le Jamais Contente ("The One Who Is Eternally Dissatisfied").

The History of Le Jamais Contente



Camille and his brainchild

The Le Jamais Contente project became one of the most iconic achievements in the history of the automobile industry. This unique electric car was created in 1899 by the Belgian engineer and racing driver Camille Jenatzy, who not only personally designed it, but also built this futuristic device himself.





Zhenatzi in 1908 at the wheel of a Mors

The name Le Jamais Contente reflected the bold and wayward character of the car (the creator jokingly named it after his wife). This artillery shell-shaped car was possibly the first car with an aerodynamic body and was not just made for a quiet ride - it was made for records and victories.

Record attempt



Camille was born in 1868 into a family of entrepreneurs who, among other things, manufactured tires. So, one could say, his occupation was predetermined from childhood. He received an engineering education and also participated in bicycle races in his youth.

On April 29, 1899, Camille Jenatzy got behind the wheel of Le Jamais Contente on a highway near Paris. The car reached a speed of 105.88 km/h, which became an absolute world record. This moment marked a new era in the history of automobile manufacturing: for the first time, humanity overcame the symbolic threshold of 100 km/h.



Jenatzy and his wife in La Jamais Contente after setting the speed record, 1899

This record is important for the following reasons:

A breakthrough in technology. At the time, the "Ever-Mad" was the pinnacle of engineering. Its design and use of an electric motor were ahead of their time, setting the standard for future developments.

A symbol of progress. Jenatzy's record showed that cars could be not only a means of transportation, but also a platform for achieving new heights of speed and efficiency.



Interestingly, the first car to break the 100 km/h barrier was electric. Today, more than 125 years later, the industry is turning to electric vehicles again, and the story of Le Jamais Contente seems surprisingly modern.

The Legacy of Camille Jenatzy



A copy of "The Ever-Dissatisfied" in a museum

Camille Jenatzy was not only famous for his record, but also became one of the pioneers of motorsport. He subsequently took part in several motor races of various distances in cars of other manufacturers. However, his career was tragically short: in 1913, he died accidentally while hunting. Despite this, his name and achievement remain in memory as a symbol of courage and the desire to innovate.

Le Jamais Contente is not just a car, it is a legend and the embodiment of the spirit of the late 19th century, when humanity was striving to conquer new horizons. This record became the starting point for the development of the automobile industry and motorsport, and a copy of the car is now kept in the automobile museum in Château de Compiegne in France as a reminder that dreams can come true.