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Introduced in 1894 the Bernardi was possibly the first vehicle to run on the roads of Italy. Professor Enrico Bernardi had researched the Internal Combustion Engine at the University of Padua where he was Professor of Physics and in 1884 he produced his first engine. This was a small engine and was demonstrated by powering a sewing machine. From 1889 Bernardi became interested in motorised vehicles and so started to build an engine that could propel a vehicle. In 1894 Bernardi introduced his first 3-wheeler. Powered by a 624cc single cylinder four-stroke engine with overhead valve the vehicle has an interesting feature in that the throttle was a bulb mounted on the handlebars and this had to be squeezed and closed to control the speed of the vehicle.
A new company; La Società Miari Guisti, was established to build and sell the vehicle and patents were obtained in several countries including Britain, though when this closed down in 1899, Bernardi formed his own company and produced the Bernardi until 1901.
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