Décauville automobile
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Décauville was a French automobile company already famous for producing locomotives. The factory started producing automobiles in 1898. The first car was designed by Messrs Joseph Guédon and Gustave Cornilleau. The design was purchased for 250,000 French francs. Cornilleau was also taken on as chief engineer.
The car had a perculiar designed structure, it featured independent suspension and two single-cylinder engines produced by De Dion-Bouton. This car sold well, supplying 107 cars by 1898 and 350 by 1904. 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.
Unfortunately, the demand for cars fell, and Decauville was forced to close its automobile factory in 1910. Decauville went back to producing locomotives.
A Decauville from 1900 is featured in a museum in Aalholm in Nysted, Denmark.
[edit] See also
- Decauville locomotives
