Louis Zborowski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louis Zborowski
Zborowski at the 1922 French Grand Prix
Born	Louis Vorow Zborowski (1895-02-20)20 February 1895 Mayfair, London, England
Died	19 October 1924(1924-10-19) (aged 29) Monza, Lombardy, Italy
Champ Car career
1 race run over 1 year
First race	1923 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0

Louis Vorow Zborowski (born February 20, 1895 – died October 19, 1924) was a British racing driver and car engineer. He is most famous for building special racing cars called the "Chitty-Bang-Bangs." These cars later inspired Ian Fleming's famous children's book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. One of his cars, the "Higham Special," even helped set a new World Land Speed Record after his death.

Early Life and Family

Louis Zborowski was born in London, England, in 1895. His parents were American. His father, Elliott Zborowski, was also a racing driver. Sadly, his father died in a racing accident in 1903.

Louis's mother was a very rich American heiress. Her family, the Astor family, was well-known. When Louis's father died, Louis was still very young. His father had often used the title "Count," even though there's no clear proof he was a real count. After his father's death, Louis also used this title.

Louis Zborowski as a child (1898)

In 1910, Louis's mother bought a large estate called Higham Park in Kent, England. It included a farm, 225 acres of land, and twelve houses. She spent a lot of money making the house even grander.

When his mother passed away in 1911, Louis was just 16 years old. He became one of the richest young people in the world. He inherited a huge amount of money and properties, including land in Manhattan, New York.

Racing Adventures

Louis Zborowski loved racing cars. He was an amateur driver, meaning he raced for fun, not as a job. He raced many different types of cars and took part in many events. He was an early supporter of Aston Martin cars and raced for them at Brooklands and in the 1922 French Grand Prix.

Building Amazing Cars

Louis Zborowski in the driving seat of Chitty Bang Bang 1 at Brooklands

Louis was not just a driver; he also designed and built his own racing cars. He built four of these special cars in the stables at his home, Higham Park. He had help from his engineer, Captain Clive Gallop.

The first car he built was called "Chitty Bang Bang". It had a huge 23,093 cc engine from an airplane! He built a second "Chitty Bang Bang" with another large airplane engine. He also made a third car, the "White Mercedes," which also used a big airplane engine. These cars were quite successful in races at Brooklands.

Another car he built at Higham Park was called the "Higham Special." This car had an even bigger 27-liter American Liberty airplane engine. After Louis died, another driver named J.G. Parry-Thomas bought the "Higham Special." He made some changes to it and renamed it "Babs."

In April 1926, Parry-Thomas used "Babs" to break the land speed record, going over 170 miles per hour! Sadly, Parry-Thomas died in an accident with "Babs" in 1927. Today, "Babs" has been fixed up and can be seen at the Pendine Sands museum or the Brooklands Museum.

In 1922, Louis, his wife, and friends took "Chitty Bang Bang 2" and the "White Mercedes" on an amazing trip. They drove them across the Mediterranean Sea and into the Sahara Desert!

Later Career and Death

The grave of Louis Zborowski in the churchyard of St James, Burton Lazars

In 1923, Louis Zborowski raced a Bugatti in the Indianapolis 500 race. He also raced in the 1923 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

In 1924, Louis joined the Mercedes racing team. Sadly, he died that same year in a racing accident. He was competing at the 1924 Italian Grand Prix at Monza when his car skidded and crashed.

Lasting Impact

Louis Zborowski was also very interested in railways. He built a small 15-inch gauge railway around his estate in Kent. This railway helped inspire him and his friend, Captain J. E. P. Howey, to build a much longer railway line. This led to the creation of the 14-mile long Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, which is still a popular tourist attraction today.

Louis even ordered the first steam locomotive for his railway. After his death, this locomotive was bought by another railway and named "Count Louis" in his honor.

The famous children's book by Ian Fleming, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, was inspired by Louis Zborowski's exciting life and his "Chitty-Bang-Bang" cars. Ian Fleming had watched Louis race when he was a schoolboy. He later visited Louis's old home, Higham Park, and learned more about his amazing cars and adventures.