Bel Motors
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Microcar manufacturing |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Jean Bellier |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Fate | Founder established Bellier company |
| Headquarters | Les Sables-d'Olonne , France |
| Products | Microcars (Véloto) |
The Société Bel Motors was a French microcar producer established in Les Sables-d'Olonne in 1976 by Jean Bellier. The firm marketed its vehicles under the Véloto label, a name chosen to highlight their lightweight construction and distinctive spoked wheels reminiscent of bicycles.
Production of the Véloto line ended in 1980 when Jean Bellier founded the Bellier company, transitioning to manufacturing automobiles bearing his own brand.
Origins
Before entering automobile production, Bel Motors International manufactured an array of products such as pedal cars for children, eventually progressing into the microcar sector.
Cars
The initial offering, named the Super Véloto, was a quadricycle equipped with a rear-mounted, twin-cylinder, air-cooled 50cc Motobécane engine that powered the rear wheel through a combination of V-belt and chain drive. The suspension system was minimalistic, featuring only rubber rings at the front and none at the rear. Braking was limited to rear drum brakes actuated by a hand lever. Emphasizing simplicity rather than comfort or noise reduction, the vehicle had an empty weight of just 150 kg and measured 2120 mm in length with a wheelbase of 1460 mm.
Unveiled at the 63rd Paris Motor Show in October 1976, the Super Véloto incorporated engineering concepts reminiscent of the early 1940s Vélocar. Its lightweight design enabled operation without requiring a full driving license, targeting younger buyers. The starting price was 5,950 francs at launch in late 1976, increasing to 6,850 francs by mid-1977.
By autumn 1978, two variants were available: "Type A" priced at 7,600 francs, which required pedaling to start the engine, and "Type B" costing 9,300 francs, equipped with an electric starter and ignition key.
The Véloto C-10 S was introduced in 1979.
In 1980, Bel Motors presented the Minoto, featuring polyester body panels reinforced with aluminium mounted on a steel chassis; however, this model did not proceed beyond the prototype stage. The Minoto designation later appeared on a lightweight vehicle produced by aluminium microcar manufacturer Arola between 1982 and 1983 but bore no technical relation to Bel Motors' version.
External links
- Microcarfan (French, accessed 6 April 2013)
Further reading
- Harald Linz, Halwart Schrader: Die Internationale Automobil-Enzyklopädie. United Soft Media Verlag, München 2008, . (German)
- George Nick Georgano (ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 3: P–Z. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, . (English)
- George Nick Georgano: Autos. Encyclopédie complète. 1885 à nos jours. Courtille, Paris 1975. (French)