1902 Napier D50

This is a photograph that I took at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1997.

Almost hidden underneath the literature and banners is a reconstruction, using many of the original parts, of the Napier D50 with which S F Edge won the 1902 Gordon Bennett Cup in France (actually run between Paris and Innsbruck in Austria). The Gordon Bennett Cup series of races were run between 1900 and 1905 and each nation was allowed to nominate up to three cars. The next year's race would be held in the country of the winner of the race, but as motor racing on public roads in the UK was illegal the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup race was held in Ireland (in County Kildare). Each country's cars were supposed to be painted in national colours and as the British colours of red, white and blue were already taken the cars were painted shamrock green because of the Irish connection. This car is kept at the National Motor Museum and is currently taxed up to the end of October 2024.