Early 20th-century Hispano-Suiza racing car with its driver and a group of gentlemen on a mountain road, with the green “Auto Garage Términus” sign

Barcelona · 1901

Auto Garage Términus: car garage and dealership in Barcelona (1901–1912)

Benz, Hispano-Suiza, Berliet and Anglada in early 20th-century Barcelona, through the press of the time.

1901Founded in Barcelona

1904Purveyors to the Royal Household

Anglada 24 HPAlfonso XIII's first car

4Makes in the catalogue

From Passeig de Gràcia to Carrer de València: the story of Barcelona's first large motor-car garage, told through the press of the time.

Who founded the Auto Garage Términus? Domingo and Enrique Balet (1901)

In 1901 the brothers Domingo and Enrique Balet Duran, sons of the master builder Domènec Balet i Nadal, opened a car dealership that sold the leading vehicle makes of the early 20th century and where important events for the motor industry took place...

Alfonso XIII's first car: an Anglada 24 HP (1904)

According to Los Deportes (22/05/1904), the Auto Garage Términus sold King Alfonso XIII his first car, an Anglada 24 H.P., and Domingo Balet gave him private driving lessons. A week later (29/05/1904) the same paper reported that the Balet brothers had been granted the title of Purveyors to the Royal Household.

During Alfonso XIII's visit to Valencia, Domingo Balet presented him with a Benz 40 HP Landaulet, according to Las Provincias (14/04/1905).

See the “sportsmen” clients

Auto Garage Términus key facts

Founded: 1901, in Barcelona, by the brothers Domingo Balet Duran (1867–1936) and Enrique Balet Duran (1885–1936), sons of the master builder Domènec Balet i Nadal.
First premises: In 1901 it began selling Benz cars from offices at Passeig de Gràcia, 2; the first showroom opened in December 1903.
Addresses: Passeig de Gràcia, 2 · Carrer de Bailèn, 52 · Carrer de València, 290 · Carrer de les Corts, 629 · Carrer d'Aragó, 282.
Makes: Sole agency for Spain of Benz (today Mercedes-Benz); also Hispano-Suiza, Berliet and Automóviles Anglada.
Royal Household: It sold Alfonso XIII his first car, an Anglada 24 H.P. (1904), and was granted the title of Purveyor to the Royal Household.

How to explore the history of the Auto Garage Términus

This website is built from news items and advertisements found in magazines and newspapers of the time which, carefully arranged in chronological order and explained, bring us closer to the history of this Auto Garage.

The website is divided into several sections, such as the history of the dealership, the events, the advertisements and its clients, which you will find in the Menu at the top right of the desktop version; on a phone, tap the three horizontal lines at the top of the screen.

Auto Garage Términus advertisements in the press (1901–1912)

This section brings together 22 wonderful advertisements of the Auto Garage, which give us a closer look at how vehicles were sold at the beginning of the century.

See the period advertisements

Motor festivals and races in Barcelona (1903–1906)

Motoring gatherings, races, sponsorships, town festivals... were some of the events of the time.

See the main events

Who were its clients? Alfonso XIII, Ramon Casas and other “sportsmen”

Aristocrats, artists, businessmen, politicians... wealthy people such as Alfonso XIII or Ramon Casas, among others, were the clients of the Auto Garage Términus. Only a privileged few could begin to enjoy the technological revolution, the mobility and the sport that the motor car has meant for the world...

Who were the clients?

Catalogue