The price of gasoline flies away? Who cares ! With Reuge, the pleasure of driving remains intact and zero CO2 emissions. The historic Manufacture of Sainte-Croix is indeed charting a new course in terms of creation inspired by the automotive world. The “Racing Symphony” musical automaton stands as a worthy spiritual son of the mechanical inventions monopolizing the circuits yesterday as today.
Racing Symphony © Reuge
Reverse in the 1930s
Between the two wars of the last century, the Auto Union car brand – whose four-circle logo was taken over by its descendant Audi – succeeded in the first attempts to position the engine in the center of the car. Because, to corner perfectly – without tipping over! – the center of gravity of a vehicle is a crucial factor. Such placement of the engine improves handling and grip. Of course, this configuration reduces the space in the passenger compartment – which is not very practical for touring cars but is of little importance in racing. Thereafter, and until today, cars with central engines will dominate the Formula 1 and 3 circuits.
Racing Symphony © Reuge
A design at full speed!
At the origins of “Racing Symphony”, the desire to draw as much inspiration as possible from the automotive world. The design, that of a contemporary mid-engined sports car, was the starting point. The lines of the chassis were sculpted in clay, as is customary when creating a racing car. Then, the molding of the aluminum case was carried out in an art foundry, before the metal was sanded by hand for a whole week until perfectly sharp lines were obtained. For paint, coachbuilder’s lacquer, of course, applied by a specialist from Sainte-Croix, headquarters of the Reuge Manufacture.
By way of colors, red for Italy, blue for France, green for the United Kingdom and yellow for Belgium – the nations then represented on the circuits. Metallic bands emphasize the aerodynamics of the lines. Each shade is available in 16 copies, and the serial number engraved on a plate.
Racing Symphony © Reuge
If speed had a sound
Reuge, a specialist in musical automata, could only provide this new “Racing Symphony” with a motor to match, entirely produced in its own factory. Two independent and symmetrical movements – each with three melodies – are placed on each side of the car, and are furiously reminiscent of the 16-cylinder engine of the Auto Union series of the time. Two air regulators are positioned on the sides, fitted with wheels to regulate the rotation of each tube in order to adapt it to the melodies. As fuel, human energy is enough – in quite reasonable doses! – since winding is done by hand using a key.
No deafening roar, but skillfully arranged notes – 72 per cylinder – compose melodies evoking the intoxication of speed: Back to the Future, James Bond, Mission Impossible, The Godfather, Edelweiss or the 9th Symphony. Far from easy, these melodies are born at Reuge thanks to the ingenuity of a musical arranger, then the combined know-how of the craftsmen of the manufacture.
How to resist ? Roll down the window, turn up the sound, and… have a good trip, towards Sainte-Croix!