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Amilcar

May 03, 2024

For the male name, see Amílcar.

The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1940.

Amilcar
IndustryManufacturing
Founded1921
FounderJoseph Lamy
Émile Akar
Defunct1939
HeadquartersSaint-Denis (France)
Key people
André Morel
ProductsCars

History edit

Foundation and location edit

Amilcar was founded in July 1921 by Joseph Lamy and Emile Akar.[1] The name "Amilcar" was an imperfect anagram of the partners' names.[1] The business was established at 34 rue du Chemin-Vert in the 11th arrondissement of Paris.[1] However, Amilcar quickly outgrew their restricted city-centre premises, and during the middle part of 1924 the company relocated to Saint-Denis on the northern edge of the city.[1]

Early years edit

The original Amilcar was a small cyclecar. Designed by Jules Salomon [fr] and Edmond Moyet, it bore a striking resemblance to the pre-war Le Zèbre. The vehicle was first exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in October 1921.[1] The business was a leading beneficiary of a cyclecar boom, prompted by a government initiative which held out the promise of a reduced rate of annual car tax, fixed at 100 francs per year, for powered vehicles weighing no more than 350 kg (dry weight, without fuel or water or such extras as a spare tyre/wheel), providing seating for no more than two people and powered by an engine of not more than 1100cc.[1] Once a vehicle exceeded these limits it ceased to be a cyclecar and was instead officially designated a voiturette.[1]

The 4-cylinder 903cc Amilcar CC appeared in 1922, with a wheelbase of just 2,320 mm (91 in).[1] The CC subsequently became available in two further versions; the Amilcar C4 was a slightly longer sports car, while the CS, introduced in 1924,[1] was a brisker sports version with the engine size increased to 1004 cc.[1] The side-valve engine had splash lubrication, and came with a three-speed gearbox. The most famous model of all was the CGS "Grand Sport" of 1924; this featured a 1074 cc sv engine and four-wheel brakes. This in turn evolved into the more sporty CGSS "Grand Sport Surbaissé". These models were built under license in Germany (as the Pluto [de]) and in Austria (as the Grofri) and in Italy (as Amilcar Italiana). The marque entered automobile racing in the mid-1920s with a batch of supercharged double overhead camshaft 1100 cc six-cylinder cars that used a roller bearing crankshaft in the full racing version; these vehicles were also available with plain metal bearings, driven by famous race driver André Morel.

 
Amilcar Racer

Financial challenges and the loss of independence edit

 
Share of the S. A. Française d'Automobiles, issued 29 December 1932

During the later 1920s the company expanded out of its original comfort zone of small economical cars: the results were mixed. The founders, Akar and Lamy, becoming less involved with the management of the business, were persuaded to conclude, in 1931, a business agreement with André Briès and Marcel Sée.[1] Sée already knew Amilcar from the inside, having in January 1929 been dismissed from a position involved in management of the company.[1] The early 1930s were years of economic crisis in France, and at the end of 1933 a company owned by Briès and Sée, called "Sofia" (Societe financiere pour l'automobile), took effective control of Amilcar, which nevertheless continued to function under its existing name.[1]

 
Amilcar M2 (1932)
 
Amilcar Pégase (1935)
 
Amilcar Compound (ca 1939)
 
Amilcar Compound

From 1928 the company offered a light touring car; called the "M-Type", it featured a side-valve 1200 cc engine and was launched in 1928. It was followed by the M2, M3, and M4 versions. The M-type and its successors continued to be produced through the ensuing years of financial difficulty, offered for sale till 1935, though production probably ended in 1934. 1928 saw the introduction of a straight eight, which was built with an ohc 2.3-liter engine. This, the C8, proved unreliable, and soon disappeared with only a few hundred produced.

The acquisition of Amilcar by "Sofia" in 1933 did not in itself resolve the financial pressures. At the end of August 1934, still faced with disappointing sales volumes, the factory at Saint-Denis closed for the last time, as management struggled to save the business. A new model was clearly needed and in October 1934 the company presented the new 2-litre (12CV) Amilcar Pégase powered by a 4-cylinder ohv 2150 cc engine supplied by Delahaye.[2] There was also a competition version of the Pégase with a 2490 cc (14CV) engine.[2] By October 1935, the smaller Amilcar models having been discontinued, the Pégase, produced under much reduced circumstances at premises in Boulogne-Billancourt, was the only Amilcar model listed.[2]

Another change of control edit

Recognising the impossibility of sustaining the Amilcar business with a single model, but unsure of how to finance or produce another, management turned to Hotchkiss which had recently taken a large shareholding in "Sofia", Amilcar's holding company.[2] Hotchkiss had problems of their own at this time, their hugely lucrative armaments business having recently been nationalised by the left-wing Blum government, while their middle-market automobile business was under increasing pressure as volume automakers became more effective in pushing their own ranges upmarket with models such as the Peugeot 402 and the Citroën Traction.[2] Henry Mann Ainsworth, the Automobile Director at Hotchkiss, had already been presented, by the high-profile engineer Jean-Albert Grégoire, with a promising prototype (at that stage based on an Adler chassis) for a lightweight 7CV category, small, technically advanced family car.[2] It was agreed that the automotive businesses of Hotchkiss and Amilcar would be merged and the prototype would be developed into an Amilcar model that would become the Amilcar Compound.[2]

The front-wheel-drive Amilcar Compound was technically advanced in design for its era, featuring a monocoque frame made of a light alloy and independent suspension all around. Its engine at launch was a four-cylinder side-valve unit of 1185 cc.[3] The Compound's ambitious use of aluminium in its body structure, and its front-wheel-drive configuration, meant that production got off to a slow start, and although it was launched in October 1937, 584 of the 681 passenger cars produced date only from 1939, with a further 64 produced during the early months of 1940, before the German invasion of May/June 1940 effectively ended civilian automobile production in the Paris region.[4] Production prototypes for an upgraded Compound with an OHV 1340 cc engine were running by the summer of 1939, and this version was scheduled for an October launch at the 1939 Paris Motor Show, but the motor show was cancelled and the launch was postponed – as matters turned out indefinitely – due to the intervention of war which France (and Britain) declared against Germany in early September 1939.[4]

Production of the Amilcar was not resumed after World War II.

List of important Amilcar models edit

 
1921 Amilcar CC racecar.
 
Amilcar CGSS sport 1927
 
Amilcar CO, supercharged engine

Isadora Duncan edit

Isadora Duncan's fondness for flowing scarves was the cause of her death in 1927 in an automobile accident in Nice, France. The famed American dancer was the passenger in an Amilcar CGSS[9] when her silk scarf became entangled around the open-spoked wheels and rear axle, breaking her neck.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Automobilia". Toutes les voitures françaises 1925 (Salon Paris Oct 1924). 72. Paris: Histoire & collections: 59. 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Automobilia". Toutes les voitures françaises 1937 (Salon Paris Oct 1936). 72. Paris: Histoire & collections: Page 9. 1997.
  3. ^ "Automobilia". Toutes les voitures françaises 1938 (Salon [Oct] 1937). 6. Paris: Histoire & collections: Page 9. 1998.
  4. ^ a b "Automobilia". Toutes les voitures françaises 1940 - 46 (Les années sans salon). 26. Paris: Histoire & collections: 12. 2003.
  5. ^ "Cercle Pegase Amilcar (Model E)". cercle.amilcar.free.fr. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  6. ^ . 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-12-03. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Cercle Pegase Amilcar (Model C6)". cercle.amilcar.free.fr. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  8. ^ texte, Société anonyme française d'automobiles Amilcar Auteur du (1926–1929). "[Recueil. Documents publicitaires. Documents techniques] / Société anonyme française d'automobiles Amilcar - Type C.S.8". Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  9. ^ Lerner & Preston, History's Greatest Automobile Myths and Rumors Revealed, Motorbooks, 1st Ed. (Nov. 2012)
  10. ^ Craine, Debra and Mackrell, Judith 2000. The Oxford dictionary of dance. Oxford University Press, Oxford. p152 ISBN 0-19-860106-9

External links edit

  Media related to Amilcar at Wikimedia Commons

May 03, 2024
amilcar, male, name, amílcar, french, automobile, manufactured, from, 1921, 1940, industrymanufacturingfounded1921founderjoseph, lamyÉmile, akardefunct1939headquarterssaint, denis, france, peopleandré, morelproductscars, contents, history, foundation, location. For the male name see Amilcar The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1940 AmilcarIndustryManufacturingFounded1921FounderJoseph LamyEmile AkarDefunct1939HeadquartersSaint Denis France Key peopleAndre MorelProductsCars Contents 1 History 1 1 Foundation and location 1 2 Early years 1 3 Financial challenges and the loss of independence 1 4 Another change of control 2 List of important Amilcar models 3 Isadora Duncan 4 References 5 External linksHistory editFoundation and location edit Amilcar was founded in July 1921 by Joseph Lamy and Emile Akar 1 The name Amilcar was an imperfect anagram of the partners names 1 The business was established at 34 rue du Chemin Vert in the 11th arrondissement of Paris 1 However Amilcar quickly outgrew their restricted city centre premises and during the middle part of 1924 the company relocated to Saint Denis on the northern edge of the city 1 Early years edit The original Amilcar was a small cyclecar Designed by Jules Salomon fr and Edmond Moyet it bore a striking resemblance to the pre war Le Zebre The vehicle was first exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in October 1921 1 The business was a leading beneficiary of a cyclecar boom prompted by a government initiative which held out the promise of a reduced rate of annual car tax fixed at 100 francs per year for powered vehicles weighing no more than 350 kg dry weight without fuel or water or such extras as a spare tyre wheel providing seating for no more than two people and powered by an engine of not more than 1100cc 1 Once a vehicle exceeded these limits it ceased to be a cyclecar and was instead officially designated a voiturette 1 The 4 cylinder 903cc Amilcar CC appeared in 1922 with a wheelbase of just 2 320 mm 91 in 1 The CC subsequently became available in two further versions the Amilcar C4 was a slightly longer sports car while the CS introduced in 1924 1 was a brisker sports version with the engine size increased to 1004 cc 1 The side valve engine had splash lubrication and came with a three speed gearbox The most famous model of all was the CGS Grand Sport of 1924 this featured a 1074 cc sv engine and four wheel brakes This in turn evolved into the more sporty CGSS Grand Sport Surbaisse These models were built under license in Germany as the Pluto de and in Austria as the Grofri and in Italy as Amilcar Italiana The marque entered automobile racing in the mid 1920s with a batch of supercharged double overhead camshaft 1100 cc six cylinder cars that used a roller bearing crankshaft in the full racing version these vehicles were also available with plain metal bearings driven by famous race driver Andre Morel nbsp Amilcar Racer Financial challenges and the loss of independence edit nbsp Share of the S A Francaise d Automobiles issued 29 December 1932 During the later 1920s the company expanded out of its original comfort zone of small economical cars the results were mixed The founders Akar and Lamy becoming less involved with the management of the business were persuaded to conclude in 1931 a business agreement with Andre Bries and Marcel See 1 See already knew Amilcar from the inside having in January 1929 been dismissed from a position involved in management of the company 1 The early 1930s were years of economic crisis in France and at the end of 1933 a company owned by Bries and See called Sofia Societe financiere pour l automobile took effective control of Amilcar which nevertheless continued to function under its existing name 1 nbsp Amilcar M2 1932 nbsp Amilcar Pegase 1935 nbsp Amilcar Compound ca 1939 nbsp Amilcar Compound From 1928 the company offered a light touring car called the M Type it featured a side valve 1200 cc engine and was launched in 1928 It was followed by the M2 M3 and M4 versions The M type and its successors continued to be produced through the ensuing years of financial difficulty offered for sale till 1935 though production probably ended in 1934 1928 saw the introduction of a straight eight which was built with an ohc 2 3 liter engine This the C8 proved unreliable and soon disappeared with only a few hundred produced The acquisition of Amilcar by Sofia in 1933 did not in itself resolve the financial pressures At the end of August 1934 still faced with disappointing sales volumes the factory at Saint Denis closed for the last time as management struggled to save the business A new model was clearly needed and in October 1934 the company presented the new 2 litre 12CV Amilcar Pegase powered by a 4 cylinder ohv 2150 cc engine supplied by Delahaye 2 There was also a competition version of the Pegase with a 2490 cc 14CV engine 2 By October 1935 the smaller Amilcar models having been discontinued the Pegase produced under much reduced circumstances at premises in Boulogne Billancourt was the only Amilcar model listed 2 Another change of control edit Recognising the impossibility of sustaining the Amilcar business with a single model but unsure of how to finance or produce another management turned to Hotchkiss which had recently taken a large shareholding in Sofia Amilcar s holding company 2 Hotchkiss had problems of their own at this time their hugely lucrative armaments business having recently been nationalised by the left wing Blum government while their middle market automobile business was under increasing pressure as volume automakers became more effective in pushing their own ranges upmarket with models such as the Peugeot 402 and the Citroen Traction 2 Henry Mann Ainsworth the Automobile Director at Hotchkiss had already been presented by the high profile engineer Jean Albert Gregoire with a promising prototype at that stage based on an Adler chassis for a lightweight 7CV category small technically advanced family car 2 It was agreed that the automotive businesses of Hotchkiss and Amilcar would be merged and the prototype would be developed into an Amilcar model that would become the Amilcar Compound 2 The front wheel drive Amilcar Compound was technically advanced in design for its era featuring a monocoque frame made of a light alloy and independent suspension all around Its engine at launch was a four cylinder side valve unit of 1185 cc 3 The Compound s ambitious use of aluminium in its body structure and its front wheel drive configuration meant that production got off to a slow start and although it was launched in October 1937 584 of the 681 passenger cars produced date only from 1939 with a further 64 produced during the early months of 1940 before the German invasion of May June 1940 effectively ended civilian automobile production in the Paris region 4 Production prototypes for an upgraded Compound with an OHV 1340 cc engine were running by the summer of 1939 and this version was scheduled for an October launch at the 1939 Paris Motor Show but the motor show was cancelled and the launch was postponed as matters turned out indefinitely due to the intervention of war which France and Britain declared against Germany in early September 1939 4 Production of the Amilcar was not resumed after World War II List of important Amilcar models edit nbsp 1921 Amilcar CC racecar nbsp Amilcar CGSS sport 1927 nbsp Amilcar CO supercharged engine 1922 Amilcar CC 1922 Amilcar C4 1923 Amilcar E de 5 1924 Amilcar CGS 1925 Amilcar CS de 6 1926 Amilcar CGSS 1927 Amilcar C6 de 7 1928 Amilcar M 1929 Amilcar C8 1930 Amilcar C8 bis 1930 Amilcar CS8 de 8 1934 Amilcar Pegase 1938 Amilcar Compound aka B38 sedans being in regular manufacture from 1938 to 1940Isadora Duncan editIsadora Duncan s fondness for flowing scarves was the cause of her death in 1927 in an automobile accident in Nice France The famed American dancer was the passenger in an Amilcar CGSS 9 when her silk scarf became entangled around the open spoked wheels and rear axle breaking her neck 10 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m Automobilia Toutes les voitures francaises 1925 Salon Paris Oct 1924 72 Paris Histoire amp collections 59 2005 a b c d e f g Automobilia Toutes les voitures francaises 1937 Salon Paris Oct 1936 72 Paris Histoire amp collections Page 9 1997 Automobilia Toutes les voitures francaises 1938 Salon Oct 1937 6 Paris Histoire amp collections Page 9 1998 a b Automobilia Toutes les voitures francaises 1940 46 Les annees sans salon 26 Paris Histoire amp collections 12 2003 Cercle Pegase Amilcar Model E cercle amilcar free fr Retrieved 4 December 2023 amilcar cs 3 December 2016 Archived from the original on 2016 12 03 Retrieved 4 December 2023 Cercle Pegase Amilcar Model C6 cercle amilcar free fr Retrieved 4 December 2023 texte Societe anonyme francaise d automobiles Amilcar Auteur du 1926 1929 Recueil Documents publicitaires Documents techniques Societe anonyme francaise d automobiles Amilcar Type C S 8 Retrieved 4 December 2023 Lerner amp Preston History s Greatest Automobile Myths and Rumors Revealed Motorbooks 1st Ed Nov 2012 Craine Debra and Mackrell Judith 2000 The Oxford dictionary of dance Oxford University Press Oxford p152 ISBN 0 19 860106 9External links edit nbsp Media related to Amilcar at Wikimedia Commons http vea qc ca vea marques1 amilcar htm Archived 2005 03 07 at the Wayback Machine http historic motorsport de TEAM BURO VITA PRIVAT MOTORSPORT AMILCAR amilcar html Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amilcar amp oldid 1215385018, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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