Automobiles Hotchkiss
| Company type | Division of Hotchkiss et Cie |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, armaments |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Headquarters | Saint-Denis, Paris , France |
| Products | Automobiles, trucks, military vehicles, tractors |
| Parent | Hotchkiss et Cie |
Automobiles Hotchkiss operated as a division of the French firm Hotchkiss et Cie, headquartered in Saint-Denis, Paris. The company manufactured premium automobiles from 1903 until 1955 and produced trucks between 1936 and 1970.
The emblem of the brand displayed crossed cannons, symbolizing its heritage as a weapons manufacturer. After World War II, Hotchkiss briefly marketed vehicles under the Hotchkiss Grégoire name. The Hotchkiss brand ceased to exist in the 1970s following a series of mergers and acquisitions; its successor entities ultimately played a role in establishing the partly government-owned Thales Group.
Early cars
Initially, Hotchkiss specialized in supplying engine parts such as crankshafts to early automotive pioneers like Panhard et Levassor and De Dion-Bouton. By 1903, the company expanded into complete engine production and, motivated by distributors Mann & Overton (London) and Fournier (Paris), began manufacturing its own automobiles. Drawing design inspiration from a purchased Mercedes Simplex, Hotchkiss engaged Georges Terasse, formerly associated with Mors (automobile), to serve as their designer.
The debut Hotchkiss model was a 17 CV four-cylinder car introduced in 1903. Its 20 CV type C engine was largely derived from the Mercedes Simplex but incorporated ball bearings throughout and featured the distinctive Hotchkiss drive system. Subsequently, six-cylinder models L and O were launched in 1907.
Engines with ball bearings persisted until the release of the 30CV type X in 1910, when Hotchkiss also added a smaller 2212cc type Z variant.
During World War I, manufacturing shifted towards military equipment production, including opening a subsidiary facility in Coventry, England. Automobile production resumed in France by 1919 using prewar models AD, AD6, AF, and AG. Throughout the war, the company also produced machine guns and conducted testing atop its factory roof.
Production models
- Hotchkiss 35 CV
- Hotchkiss 20/30 CV
- Hotchkiss L
Inter war production
Following an unsuccessful venture into the luxury segment with the AK prototype, Hotchkiss adopted a strategy focused on a single model line by introducing the Coventry-designed AM in 1923. Later that year, the Coventry factory was sold to Morris, prompting managers Henry Mann Ainsworth and Alfred Herbert Wilde to relocate to Paris as general manager and chief engineer respectively.
By 1926, construction of a new manufacturing plant on Boulevard Ornano was completed. In 1929, Hotchkiss acquired a steel press that allowed for in-house fabrication of steel bodies. The one-model approach ended that same year with the launch of six-cylinder AM73 and AM80 models, named according to their engine bore dimensions. While most vehicle bodies were produced internally, some AM80 units featured coachwork by luxury builder Veth and Sons.
In 1933, the AM series was succeeded by new models identified through a numeric naming system: the 411 (11CV four-cylinder), 413 (13CV four-cylinder), along with six-cylinder variants 615, 617, and 620. The 686 model introduced in 1936 replaced the 620 and included high-performance Grand Sport and Paris-Nice editions equipped with twin carburetors. These vehicles contributed significantly to Hotchkiss’s numerous victories at the Monte Carlo Rally during the years 1932, 1933, 1934, 1939, 1949, and 1950. The naming convention established in 1936 combined cylinder count with engine bore measurements in millimeters.
Second World War
In 1936, the Front Populaire government nationalized Hotchkiss's armament division along with its body stamping factory. The following year, Hotchkiss expanded its military vehicle production by acquiring Amilcar, entering the light tank market amid rising rearmament activities. By September 1939, the company had secured an army contract for 1,900 H35 and H39 tanks, equipped with six-cylinder engines of 3.5 and 6 liters respectively. Production persisted until the German invasion in May 1940, when the decision was made to evacuate the Saint-Denis facility on May 20.
The workforce retreated in disorder to Auxerre, Moulins, and further south to prevent sensitive military manufacturing information from falling into enemy hands. After France’s armistice in June, most employees returned except for Commercial Director Jacques Jacobsen and General Director Henry Ainsworth—born in England—who avoided capture. During the occupation period, Hotchkiss was forced to service German military vehicles.
In 1941, François Lehideux, an economic official under Vichy France, approached Jean-Pierre Peugeot and Maurice Jordan with a proposal to acquire a controlling stake in Hotchkiss. This initiative was prompted by a German regulation allowing seizure of companies under Jewish control. Peugeot assumed control in July 1942, with Jordan joining the board later that year. Despite this change in ownership, no operational merger took place, and Peugeot divested from Hotchkiss after the war.
Following liberation in 1944, Ainsworth returned to lead the company, which resumed production in 1946 by manufacturing prewar automobile models alongside light trucks and tractors.
Post war models
Automobile production restarted gradually after the war, with fewer than 100 vehicles produced during 1946 and 1947. By 1948, output had increased to 460 cars; however, this volume was still insufficient for long-term viability. Truck manufacturing proved more successful, surpassing 2,300 units that year, largely driven by the Jeep-based M201 model. This robust truck production enabled Hotchkiss to continue making cars longer than many French luxury competitors until the mid-1950s. The vehicles offered remained mainly prewar designs: the four-cylinder Hotchkiss 864 (2,312 cc) and six-cylinder versions—the Hotchkiss 680 (3,016 cc) and 686 (3,485 cc).
In 1950, Hotchkiss updated its luxury lineup with the introduction of the Anjou four-door saloon, built on the renamed chassis: 1350 (formerly known as 486) and 2050 (previously 686). The upscale Anthéor cabriolet was added in 1952. Some units of both Anthéor and Anjou were coachbuilt by Swiss firm Worblaufen, including two four-door convertible models.
After acquiring rights to the Grégoire front-wheel-drive car in 1948, Hotchkiss launched the Hotchkiss Grégoire in 1951. Featuring advanced engineering such as integral chassis-body construction, independent suspension, a 2.2-liter flat-four engine, and a claimed top speed of 95 mph, it was priced at over twice that of a Citroën 15/6 but incurred losses on every sale. Sales rapidly declined; production ended in 1952 after only 247 units were built—including seven coupe and seven cabriolet versions crafted by Chapron.
In 1951 Hotchkiss produced approximately 2,700 automobiles overall. Nevertheless, persistent technical difficulties led to a complete halt in Grégoire production by 1952. Total car manufacturing plummeted to just 230 units in 1953. Meanwhile, competitors such as Citroën and Peugeot introduced groundbreaking models like the DS19 and Peugeot 403 in 1955. Hotchkiss’s dependence on outdated models and absence of left-hand-drive options restricted export opportunities.
One of Hotchkiss's final automotive ventures involved displaying a Jeep Wagoneer at the Paris Motor Show in 1969 with intentions for local assembly; however, this plan never came to fruition after selling its Stains factory.
Trucks
Hotchkiss introduced its initial truck model in 1936, the 486 PL (with PLL indicating the extended wheelbase), equipped with a 2,312 cc overhead-valve four-cylinder engine derived from the 486 passenger vehicle. Production totaled 163 units before ceasing in June 1940 due to the outbreak of World War II. After the war, the truck received an upgrade in 1946 featuring an all-steel cab and was renamed the PL20, offering a two-ton load capacity and maintaining the 2.3-liter engine delivering at 3,000 rpm. Hydraulic braking systems were added, and in 1951, the drive configuration shifted from right-hand to left-hand drive. The payload capacity rose to in 1952, leading to the model being rebranded as the PL25. The range grew to include six-cylinder PL26 models and longer wheelbase PL25L variants; production of the PL25 continued until 1964.
The more robust PL50 (), introduced in 1956 as a successor to the PL25, showcased redesigned front fenders that incorporated headlights and initially kept the rounded grille design from the PL20 before transitioning to a flatter grille style. Six-cylinder versions (PL50-6) utilized Hotchkiss’s 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine producing , often employed as fire engines. Most variants featured a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, with power outputs ranging from to by 1962. The first diesel model, the PL50D/DL, was equipped with an underpowered dieselized four-cylinder engine, which led to widespread replacement with Perkins engines. The DH50 utilized a Perkins 3,153 cc four-cylinder engine delivering ; around 1964, six-tonne models named PL55/DH55 were introduced.
French off-road specialist Herwaythorn S.A. provided a four-wheel-drive conversion for the PL/DH series, incorporating Dunlop Pneuride air suspension with air bellows integrated into quarter-elliptic leaf springs that functioned as radius arms.
In 1951, Hotchkiss collaborated with Standard Motor Company to assemble Ferguson TE20 tractors at its Saint-Denis facility. Between 1953 and 1957, more than 37,000 units were produced under the nickname Petit Gris ("Little Grey"). By January 1957, local content reached full domestic production levels and the tractor was renamed FF-30 ("Ferguson France, 30 horsepower"). Production concluded in 1958 after nearly 29,000 units had been made. Standard had considered acquiring Hotchkiss’s factory for Triumph Herald manufacturing but abandoned these plans after Massey-Ferguson decided to build a new plant in Beauvais, bringing this partnership to an end.
Merger and closure
In July 1954, Hotchkiss took over French luxury automobile manufacturer Delahaye, immediately discontinuing Delahaye passenger car production. The final Hotchkiss passenger car was produced in 1955. The merged company, known as Société Hotchkiss-Delahaye, briefly marketed trucks under this combined brand before retiring the Delahaye name altogether. Production of the Delahaye VLR Jeep was succeeded by the Hotchkiss M201, a licensed copy of the Willys MB, which remained in production until 1966.
In 1956, Hotchkiss was acquired by weapons and household goods producer Brandt, forming Hotchkiss-Brandt. This entity merged with CFTH in 1966, creating "Compagnie française Thomson-Houston-Hotchkiss-Brandt," which was shortly thereafter renamed Thomson-Houston. In 1968, it combined with CSF to establish Thomson-CSF. The Hotchkiss brand ceased to exist during the 1970s following truck production ending in 1970 and cancellation of the Europa Jeep project in 1976. Thomson-CSF retained Hotchkiss’s crossed cannon insignia on military vehicles. Following nationalization in 1982, Thomson-CSF evolved into Thomson SA and eventually became part of the Thales Group.
The Stains manufacturing facility was sold in 1969; tooling for Jeep production was transferred to Spanish subsidiary Viasa under Thomson-Houston-Hotchkiss-Brandt management. Hotchkiss ceased independent operations on December 31, 1970. Civilian truck manufacturing stopped entirely while arms production and assembly of the Hotchkiss P4R Crotale missile launch vehicle were transferred to Brandt. Spare parts for the M201 Jeep were managed by former subsidiary Sofia ("Société Financière Industrie et Automobile"), and production of petrol truck engines moved to Berliet.