FR

Floride & Caravelle 1959-1968

Fregate 1951-1960

Panhard

Panhard (F), formerly Panhard et Levassor, was established in 1889, the first automobile manufacturing company in the world.

After World War II Panhard manufactured cars such as the Dyna X, Dyna Z, PL 17, 24 CT and 24 BT. The Dyna X and the first series of Dyna Zs had aluminium bodywork. The later Dyna Z and the PL 17 models had steel bodywork. Panhard styling was, well, different from the rest. And if the looks were not enough, the air-cooled flat two-cylinder engine made a distinctive note that made everyone pay attention.

Talbot-Darracq (FR)

Ford Comete

The Comete was billed as The French Luxury Car. The bodywork was by Facel, but the engine was the 2158cc V8 unit used in the Vedette. The undated brochure sports the Ford logo, unseen on any other Ford S.A.F. product!

Ford Vedette 1951

Coupé, Conduite Interieur Berline, Cabriolet Décapotable 1951

The 2158 cc V8 engine was advertised as being smooth, silent en economical and the most important selling-point was the fact that the engine was a product of Ford de Poissy (as opposed to the rest of the vehicle, which was of American design). This is a French brochure

Ford Vedette 1953-54

By 1953 the Vedette had acquired a modern one-piece windscreen. A Dutch brochure boasts about the vehicle being manufactured at the Amsterdam works, but reassures the reader that it is an American design and is constructed under the supervision of American engineers (no mention of France here).

Ford Versailles 1955

Now advertised as "French design, European finish, American technology", but still as a Ford (brochures published by Ford Motor Company (Belgium) S.A. and N.V. Nederlandsche Ford Automobiel Fabriek, Amsterdam).

Available in other two versions, the Trianon, the Régence, with the Versailles in between. Its side-valve V8 had grown to 2353cc.