Old Beirut shared a picture yesterday of the first car to enter in Lebanon, as per their claim. The car, which was brought to Lebanon in 1906 was owned by AUB President Dr. Howard Bliss at the time. Another source claims that the first car to enter Lebanon was owned by by Mr. Michel Sursock and then Dr. Graham back in 1905.

However, AIA website disputes this claim by stating that Philippe Skaff was the first to own a car in Lebanon back in 1903, and that the car could fit 13 people (I wonder what that car was!) . The same website claims that Isabelle Bustros was the first Lebanese woman to own a car (Bentley) in 1913, Gebran Elias Fernaini was the first person to receive a driving license in the country in 1920, and that the first automobile race was organized in Lebanon in 1931, where President Ibrahim Saad won on his Essex Terraplane, beating Halim Ghandour chief of Beirut’s Police.

I have no idea who Pr. Ibrahim Saad to be honest, but I’d love to see a footage of this race 😁.