Rabag, Lic. E. Bugatti, der Vollblüter

The Bugatti Brescia, was probably one of the best small sport cars of the early twenties. 

The 4 cylinder with 16 valve engine was very powerful and reliable. After the First World War, Bugatti had licence arrangements with Diatto in Italy, Crossley in England and Rabag in Germany.

The Rheinische Automobilbau AG, “Rabag”, was founded with a capital of 13 million marks on 3 December 1920 by the Funke Brothers. The head quarter was in Düsseldorf with a factory located in Mannheim where they built, under licence, Bugatti Type 22 and Type 23.

The Rabag were relatively popular in Germany and often seen in sport events.

In June 1925, the firm merged with AGA (Autogen Gas Akkumulator A.G.) from Berlin-Lichtenberg which produced the Dinos cars. But economic situation of the new society was not good, and in November 1925 it was declared in bankruptcy.

The car in the photograph is registered, IV-6760 in Chemnitz (Kreishauptmannschaft), Sachsen.

Renault Nerva Grand Sport by Kellner

This Renault Nerva Grand Sport has been bodied by Kellner in October 1935. 

The Nerva Grand Sport was the top model of the French manufacturer equipped with a straight eight cylinder engines (85 x 120). 

This car is the chassis ABM 3 #31 from 8 May 1935 that was renumbered  ABM 5 #75 on 13 November 1935. This is only Nerva Grand Sport  that was bodied by Kellner.

Kellner was one of the most famous French coach builders that was founded in 1861 by Georges Kellner. Very quickly it became very famous because of the high quality of its production. His two sons, Paul and Georges entered the society in 1890 that changed its name to "Kellner & Fils".

In 1906, a new factory of 25 000 m3 was erected in Billancourt and about 600 people were working there. During the 10s and the 20s,  that can be considered as the golden age for the coach builders, Kellner was one of the most prestigious.

In 1910, Georges Kellner retired and his the two sons, Paul and Georges, took full control of the society that changed to "Kellner Frères".

Jacques Kellner, the son of Georges, became associate in 1924 and the society change again to "Georges Kellner & fils", Paul sold his shares to his brother in 1919.

Kellner bodied many luxury cars among them one of the six Bugatti type 41 known as the Royale. Many cars from the French presidency were also bodied by Kellner.

Sixcyl by Ateliers Bréguet 1907

Few French airplanes constructors tried with more or less success to built automobiles. Gabriel Voisin is the most known. Being one of the first airplane manufacturer, Voisin became one of the main suppliers of the French army during WWI producing hundreds of aircrafts. After the war and because of a saturated market, Voisin stopped to build airplanes and became an important automobile manufacturers during the 20s.

Farman is another example with a quite similar history as Voisin. Starting with the construction of airplanes during WWI, Farman built luxury cars from 1919 to 1932.

It is less known that Bréguet, the famous airplane industrialist started with the construction of automobiles in 1907.
Actually the designer of the car was a certain Chenu who first built cars and aero engines and marketed them under his own name. In 1907, he subcontracted the construction of his cars to the Ateliers Bréguet.
Two models were available : a 30 HP and a 60 HP, both equipped with a 6 cylinder engine.

The name of the car was : Sixcyl and the address of the society was 10 rue Fontaine in Paris.
Chenu had a stand at the Paris motor show in October 1907 where the two models of cars were exhibited.

One 30 HP Sixcyl was planned to participate to the famous New-York to Paris race but certainly for financial reasons, the car never came to New-York.

Very few Sixcyl were built and none survived.

Mercedes Benz 540 K Offener Tourenwagen 1938

This Mercedes 540 K was exhibited at Berlin Motorshow in 1938. It was the second design for the Offener Tourenwagen body type, a very ample open tourer car that had quite a lot of room for five people.
Very rarely seen on a German car is the hood that disappears completely when down. There is a metal cover over the folded-down hood. The bumpers are also not the ones usually seen on the 540 K model. Priced 22 000 RM in 1939, only twelve 540 K Offener tourenwagen were built and quite surprising, among them, one was sold by the Parisian agent to a French customer.

Je suis venu en Voisin...

This chauffeur is proudly standing in front of his Voisin C7 Lumineuse.

With a small 4 cylinder engine, rated 10 HP in France, the C7 was available from 1924. The "Lumineuse" body was created in 1925 and was very innovative by many aspects:

- the lightweight construction with aluminum panels

- The sliding windows
- A third headlight mounted on the right side and at the rear of the body. The idea was to improve the driving condition during night without dazzle other drivers.

The result was this Art deco style body that was sold quite well.

Lorraine

This chauffeur can be proud of his Lorraine-Dietrich. The car is bodied as a "Roi des Belges"tourer and seems to be ready for a long journey on the French roads.
Initially from Luneville close to Nancy, France, the headque-arter is moved to Paris 1905 and a second factory in founded in 1907 in Argenteuil.

The Lorraine was a car with a good reputation.
The last model of personal car was the 20 CV that was produced in the first half of the 30's.

Beute auto...

Between mid 1940 and the D-day in June 1944, the German troops occupied, first the North -West half of France and from November 1942 the whole country.
It now quite well known that during this period many paintings, sculptures and different antics were either stolen or, in few cases, bought but at a very low price. It is less known that many cars were also took by the German Army.
Of course the latest models were the first choice with a clear preference for American cars such as Packard, Buick, Cadillac... and also the French most desirable models with the Delahaye 135, Delage D8, Bugatti T57...
In the enclosed pictures, it is a more humble sport car, probably French that has been discovered in a barn by few soldiers.
We haven't been able to identify the manufacturer of this car. Is it a Derby, a Lombard, a Rally ?
We are waiting for your suggestions.