In 1912, the Russian Count Peter Schilovski visited the Wolseley car company in England and presented them with his plans for a gyroscopically-stabilised motorcar running on only two wheels.

The Shilovsky Gyrocar was driven by a Wolseley (approx.) 20hp engine mounted behind the front wheel and driving the rear wheel via an offset driveshaft. The gyroscope itself, powered by a 1.25p electric motor, was mounted amidships and revolved at between 2,000 and 3,000rpm. Inertia / balance was maintained between the gyroscope and the body of the car through a rack-and-pinion system linked by cords to two pendulums. If the gyroscope was to stop, legs automatically lowered on each side to stop the car tipping over.

Despite the initial success of the gyroscopic principle applied to a motor vehicle, the Gyrocar was put aside by Wolseley when the First World War broke out in 1914. After the war, and knowing what had happened to Count Schilovski - but mindful of the fact that he could therefore still reappear at any moment - it was decided to bury the Gyrocar complete, instead of dismantling it or breaking it up.

Via: Wolseley World