Louwman Museum Unveils Spectacular Leyat Hélica From 1921

DEN HAAG, The Netherlands, 17 September, 2025 - The Louwman Museum welcomes one of the most unusual vehicles in automotive history: the 1921 Leyat Hélica 2H Conduite Intérieure. This propeller car, designed by French aircraft manufacturer Marcel Leyat, demonstrates how advanced mobility was already more than a century ago.

An aeroplane without wings was the nickname given to the car when it was introduced in 1913. A nickname that the car, christened Hélica, received because of its large propeller at the front. The propeller, coupled to an air-cooled two-cylinder engine, provided the propulsion for the four-wheeled car. This made a gearbox and clutch superfluous. Reversing was only possible with a push, which was no problem thanks to the low weight of 250 kilograms. Steering was done with the rear axle and the front axle had drum brakes with double pedals. After years of development work, the first production model of the Hélica was released in 1921. Although some 600 interested parties registered at the Paris Motor Show, Leyat only built 30 units. Reportedly, three units still exist, of which the Hélica in the Louwman Museum is the only one with a closed body, a Conduite Intérieure.

A story full of adventure
The Leyat Hélica in the Louwman Museum is chassis 004 and was built by Marcel Leyat and used as a development vehicle, but Leyat soon sold the car to the Peugeot family for private use. It was not until 2025 that the French car manufacturer's family parted with the car. The grandson of the first owner felt it was time to share this unique car with the public. For the Louwman Museum, the addition of the extremely rare Hélica is a dream come true, as it is a unique piece of automotive history.