Decauville automobile

Decauville licensed as a Wartburg (from 1898)

Decauville was a French automobile maker, a subsidiary of a company already famous for producing locomotives.

The company was registered as Société des Voitures Automobiles Decauville in 1897 and the factory started producing automobiles in 1898.^[1] The first car was designed by Messrs Joseph Guédon and Gustave Cornilleau and the design was purchased for 250,000 French francs. Cornilleau was also taken on as chief engineer.

The car, a three-seater in the Voiturette (Cyclecar) class, was called the Voiturelle. It had a peculiar designed structure, it featured independent suspension by transverse spring and two single-cylinder engines produced by De Dion-Bouton sharing a common crankcase. The engine was mounted under the seat and drove the back axle through a two speed transmission. This car sold well, supplying 107 cars by 1898 and 350 by 1904. It was built also under licence by Wartburg in Germany and Marchand in Italy.^[1] In 1905 the car became much more conventional, the engine had become an 1416 cc water-cooled in-line twin and was moved to the front under the bonnet with the radiator on the scuttle behind the engine, a four speed gearbox and shaft drive. A larger 2090 cc model followed and it was one of these that was purchased by Henry Royce.^[1] The last of the voiturelles was made in 1902.

From 1905, the company produced larger models with four-cylinder engines. The customer could choose the engine type from 2.7 to 9.2 litres. A range of trucks and buses was also made.

Unfortunately, the demand for cars fell, and Decauville was forced to close its automobile factory in 1910. The parent company, Société Decauville continued to produce locomotives.

Surviving cars

A 1899 Decauville Voiturelle with a vis-a-vis body on the 2008 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

• A Decauville Voiturelle from 1898 is featured in the Musée Automobile de Vendée in [Talmont-Saint-Hilaire]]
• A Decauville Voiturelle Vis-à-Vis from 1899 is featured in the Musée Henri Malartre in Rochetaillée-sur-Saône
• A Decauville from 1900 is featured in a museum in the Aalholm Automobile Museum, in Nysted, Denmark
• A Decauville 10 HP Tonneau belonging to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire is a regular participant at the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, last time attending in 2010 (No. 143)
• Another Decauville Voiturelle, ca. 1899, from Belgium, participated at the 2010 London Brighton Run (No. 35)

See also

• Decauville locomotives

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Georgano, N. (2000). Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-57958-293-1. 

External links

• 1901 Decauville (box six)-[1]
• Decauville mentioned in world history?-[2]