At the beginning of the 20th century, trucks or lorries (“Camion“ in French) had a better reputation than passenger cars, even though they rumbled, banged, smoked and stank, because they were slower and brought a great benefit to rural populations. The passenger cars’ solid tyres used to destroy the not yet asphalted country roads and their loud honking used to startle people and animals. The Berna company produced the first omnibuses, which operated as post vans from 1906. The engine sat on top of the front axle and the engine rested on a massive radiator. Berna was considered to be one of the first and most innovative brands of motor vehicles of the last century. In 1914, Cardinaux created an unconventional poster for Berna, which pictured Hercules hauling a stone to symbolize engine power.
At the beginning of the 20th century, trucks or lorries (“Camion“ in French) had a better reputation than passenger cars, even though they rumbled, banged, smoked and sta ...
nk, because they were slower and brought a great benefit to rural populations. The passenger cars’ solid tyres used to destroy the not yet asphalted country roads and their loud honking used to startle people and animals. The Berna company produced the first omnibuses, which operated as post vans from 1906. The engine sat on top of the front axle and the engine rested on a massive radiator. Berna was considered to be one of the first and most innovative brands of motor vehicles of the last century. In 1914, Cardinaux created an unconventional poster for Berna, which pictured Hercules hauling a stone to symbolize engine power.
