Ardex (car manufacturer)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | Marcel Tamine |
| Headquarters | Nanterre , France |
| Products | Cyclecars, microcars |
Ardex was a modest French car manufacturer overseen by Marcel Tamine and situated in Nanterre.
The company introduced its initial cyclecar in 1934, inspired by the Morgan three-wheeler design and equipped with a V2 500 cc engine. In 1937, Ardex released a four-wheeled model priced at 5,500 francs, distinguishing it as the most affordable vehicle on the French market at that time (in contrast to the Simca 5, which cost 10,900 francs). It is noteworthy that both Ardex and Simca operated factories within Nanterre.
During the World War II and the German occupation of Northern France, Ardex responded to resource shortages by creating compact vehicles powered initially by electric batteries and subsequently by pedal drive between 1942 and 1943. The Fulmen Company, a prominent French electrical equipment manufacturer, placed substantial orders for these vehicles. Early wartime cyclecars featured four wheels but transitioned to a three-wheel configuration due to tyre scarcity and expense. In October 1942, the occupying authorities prohibited electric car production, limiting Ardex to manufacturing pedal-powered cyclecars until the conclusion of the war.
In 1953, Ardex introduced a four-seat microcar powered by a Société Anonyme BriBan (S.A.B.B) single-cylinder two-stroke engine available in 100 or 125 cc variants. Production ended in 1955.
Subsequently, the Ardex marque was acquired by French engineer Max Sardou, who developed the Ardex S80. This vehicle competed as a Group 6 Prototype at the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans but did not qualify. It was driven by a BMW M88 3.5L engine sourced from the BMW M1 and coupled with a Hewland five-speed manual gearbox.