French American School of Tampa Bay Field Trip

The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum recently welcomed students from the French American School of Tampa Bay for a tour that felt like a fast-paced trip through French innovation. With so many rare French vehicles in the collection, the group had plenty to discover, from the earliest days of self-propelled travel to bold experiments in suspension, aerodynamics, and alternative power.

The journey started where it all began: the 1770 Fardier de Cugnot, often recognized as the first self-propelled vehicle. From there, students traced how French engineers kept pushing boundaries, seeing early breakthroughs like the 1899 Société Parisienne, one of the first production front-wheel drive cars, and the 1925 Gerin Aerodyne, with its aero body and exoskeletal spaceframe that still looks futuristic today.

As the group moved into the 1920s and 30s, they found a France obsessed with smart engineering and daring style. Highlights included the 1927 Avions Voisin C7 with its “Silent Knight” sleeve valve engine and power brakes, the 1937 Citroën 7CV (a milestone as one of the first production FWD unibody cars), and Art Deco icons like the 1938 Panhard Dynamic. Several cars also tied directly into competition history, including the 1929 Tracta A (a Le Mans winner) and elegant racers like the 1937 Peugeot Darl’Mat.

Students also saw how inventive French thinking stayed relentless after WWII, from lightweight and unconventional designs like the 1946 Mathis VL333 (3 wheels, 3 seats) to high-craft luxury such as the 1947 Talbot Lago Record. The 1950s lineup was packed with engineering talking points, including multiple Grégoire models featuring advanced aluminum construction, plus standout French staples like the 1954 Citroën 2CV, a car designed to be practical, simple, and beloved.

The tour wrapped in the era where France leaned into comfort, technology, and bold systems: the 1973 Citroën DS Pallas Prestige with hydropneumatic suspension and steerable headlights, the 1973 Citroën SM Maserati with high-pressure hydraulic suspension and brakes. Students also spent time with the 1974 Renault Alpine A110 1600 VD, famous for legendary rally performance, and the 1975 Citroën GS Birotor, a rare French swing at rotary power paired with Citroën’s signature hydropneumatic systems.

We loved hosting the French American School of St. Pete, and it was a joy watching students connect French history, language, and engineering through the cars themselves, each one a rolling lesson in creativity and problem-solving.