Berliet GD series
| Company type | Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, Commercial vehicles |
| Founded | 1899 in Lyon, France |
| Headquarters | Lyon , France |
| Products | Commercial vehicle chassis (GD series among others) |
The Berliet GD series represents a line of medium to heavy-duty commercial vehicle chassis manufactured by the French company Berliet between 1926 and 1953. This series primarily consisted of conventional cab designs, with some forward control variants included. Created as a successor to the CBA and its chain-driven derivatives, the GD range introduced universal joint transmissions for Berliet's intermediate rigid truck category. While the series saw some limited deployment in military roles as non-armoured transport, it was eventually replaced by the Berliet GL series.
1926–1934: GDH introduction, developments, and diesel adoption
Berliet unveiled the GD series in 1926, marking a shift from chain-driven models to trucks equipped with universal joint transmissions. The first in this line, the GDH, was a commercial chassis designed for a 5-tonne payload and an 11-tonne gross vehicle weight (GVW). It was powered by an inline-four petrol engine with a displacement of 5,322 cc, rated at 20 fiscal horsepower (CV). Available with two different wheelbase options and fitted with dual rear wheels, this model was also identified as the CBL.
In May 1927, the GDHV variant was introduced, aimed at coach applications and featuring a GVW of 10.5 tonnes. It utilized updated MLB engines that retained the same bore, stroke, and displacement specifications. Later that year in November, the GDHM emerged as an evolution of earlier models, maintaining a 7-tonne payload but increasing GVW to 12 tonnes. This version initially employed the MLB5 engine and offered two wheelbase choices. Its braking system combined servomechanical front brakes with mechanical rear brakes.
By February 1928, enhancements led to the GDHMB chassis capable of handling a 7.5-tonne payload and raising GVW to 13.5 tonnes; a dumper variant known as the GDHMB2 featured an engine tuned for lower output. In August 1929, Berliet expanded the lineup with the GDHP model equipped with a larger inline-six petrol engine of 10,308 cc displacement for a GVW of 12 tonnes; additional six-cylinder versions such as the GDHPB followed.
Between 1930 and 1931, Berliet broadened the GD series offering with models like the GDHL (11.5 tonnes GVW) and GDHE (17 tonnes GVW). Some were fitted with gasifiers or more powerful engines, with fiscal horsepower ratings reflected in their model designations.
February 1932 saw the GDHM updated to incorporate the MKU 110 inline-six petrol engine (8,553 cc), adjusting its classification to a 6-tonne payload and a GVW of 13.5 tonnes.
Starting in 1931, Berliet began fitting diesel powerplants into its commercial vehicles using Bosch-licensed Acro technology. By March 1932, several GD variants were equipped with the MDB inline-four diesel engine (7,238 cc), initially identified by appending "28" to their model names corresponding to fiscal horsepower ratings. Later that year brought six-cylinder diesel engines—the MDE (10,857 cc) and MDC (8,553 cc)—which powered new models including the GDHMB 8 (15 tonnes GVW), GDHM 10 (13 tonnes GVW), and GDHE 10 (16 tonnes GVW). Petrol-powered six-cylinder versions continued alongside these diesel options.
In February 1933, Berliet introduced the GDHE 12 featuring the MDH inline-six diesel engine (12,742 cc) producing around 105 PS. By this period, the GD series had established itself firmly within Berliet's mid-range commercial chassis lineup positioned between lighter V series trucks and heavier GP series models.
Most petrol and diesel-powered GD trucks shared a distinctive rectangular cab design characterized by rear-hinged doors and a sun visor mounted above the windshield. Bonnet lengths varied depending on engine size; six-cylinder variants featured bonnets composed of two sections. All were equipped with four-speed manual gearboxes driving rear wheels through leaf spring suspension systems. By the early 1930s, servomechanical braking systems were standard on all wheels. Minor exterior modifications over time included the addition of front bumpers on later iterations.
From this GD platform, Berliet also developed tractor units such as the TDH—capable of handling a gross combined weight (GCW) of 22 tonnes with a payload of 15 tonnes—and the TDHE—with a GCW of 28 tonnes and payload capacity of 20 tonnes—both powered by MDE diesel engines.
1934–1939: advancements in chassis design, diesel integration, and gasifier technology
In 1934, Berliet launched the GDL chassis designed for a 5-tonne payload, intended to succeed the GDHL model. This chassis was available in four configurations with varying engines and gross vehicle weights ranging between 10.5 and 12 tonnes. That same year, French Westinghouse air brakes became an optional feature on GD series trucks.
The company's construction chassis range broadened with the introduction of the GDE 10 and GDM 10 models, both rated at 15 tonnes GVW. Additional models followed, such as the GDM 7 and multiple GDE variants equipped with newly developed diesel engines including the six-cylinder MDK. Berliet also rolled out low chassis diesel variants targeting coachbuilders and heavy delivery vans: the GDSM and GDSE series powered by MDE and MDH engines.
Early in 1935, Berliet expanded its heavier GD lineup by adding the GDM 12 and a gasifier-equipped version, the GDM 21G. Mid-year updates included the GDLH 10 and petrol-powered GDM models featuring MKU engines. Due to reliability concerns with Acro-based diesel units, Berliet secured a direct injection license from Ricardo in 1935. After engineering modifications to cylinder heads, this licensing agreement allowed the company to overcome prior technical limitations.
By 1936, Berliet introduced its first chassis powered by a Ricardo-designed engine: the GDLR 7 equipped with the inline-four MDBR diesel engine. Concurrently, petrol-driven variants such as the GDB 22 were launched, and some lower-capacity GDL models were phased out in favor of GDR variants.
A significant design evolution occurred mid-1936 with the debut of the GDLK 7—the company's initial forward control cabin chassis featuring a modern aesthetic that influenced subsequent model styling. Additional forward control designs included the GDRK 22 and GDMK 10.
At the Paris Salon in 1936, Berliet showcased advanced diesel powerplants utilizing Ricardo combustion technology on models like the GDLR 8. The event also saw the introduction of popular civil chassis including both standard and extended versions of the GDR 7. The low-frame forward control GDSL targeted coach and bus applications, offered with petrol or diesel engines. The GDM 8 became Berliet’s heaviest four-wheeled truck that year, accompanied by other robust forward control heavy-duty models.
In 1937, Berliet expanded its range of gasifier-equipped vehicles with models such as the GDMG 2 and reinforced forward control chassis including the GDRKL 7 and GDRKLG. The forward control cabins were updated to feature streamlined rounded contours and integrated front grilles. Late in 1937 and continuing into 1938, new gasifier chassis like the GDL 21G series were introduced alongside upgraded diesel models such as the GDME 7 and GDR 8, many with increased GVW capacities.
Prior to World War II, Berliet released the GDME 10 chassis (16.5 tonnes GVW), powered by an MDER engine incorporating Ricardo's direct injection system as a successor to the GDM 8. Alongside this came a gasifier variant named the GDMG 10. Notably, in 1941 three GDME 10 trucks participated in a trans-Saharan expedition testing alternative fuels derived from peanut and palm oils produced in French colonial territories.
Pre-war military GD chassis
Berliet supplied various GD series chassis to French military forces, often ahead of their civil market debut. These included models such as the GDL (from October 1933), multiple long-wheelbase versions of the GDR (late 1936 through early 1937), the GDM (March 1937), GDR 22 (from late 1936 until late 1938), GDLR 7 (December 1937), long-wheelbase GDR 7 (September 1938), GDSL (March 1939), GDMK (June 1939), GDLS 30 (July 1939), as well as gasifier-equipped GDR variants (August 1939).
The most widely deployed pre-war military GD model was the GDR 22, initially delivered with tarpaulin-covered cargo beds. Its dimensions featured a wheelbase of , width , height , length , and an unladen weight of . This configuration served both Army and Air Force units. Later versions supplied from 1938 onward functioned as fuel tankers for Air Force use with adjusted measurements: wheelbase , width , height , length , kerb weight . Both configurations supported payloads up to five tonnes and were powered by MKB 3 engines producing at 2,000 rpm.
The military use of the GDR 7 mirrored this pattern; originally issued with a long wheelbase and tarpaulin cover in 1938 before transitioning to a shorter wheelbase tanker variant after hostilities commenced. The tanker measured in length and employed an MDBR engine rated at in its military setup.
Designed primarily for armed forces, the forward-control low-frame GDLS 30 (15 tonnes GVW) was developed to transport the Canon de 75 CA modèle 1940 Schneider anti-aircraft gun alongside its crew of twenty personnel plus ammunition under cover, aligning with France’s rearmament program initiated in 1933. Its larger size distinguished it from other models; it could reach speeds up to , matching towing requirements capped at an average of . Key dimensions included a wheelbase of , width , length , and kerb weight . Powered by an MKU 110 engine delivering , production orders continued following war outbreak. Some civilian GDLS 30 units were requisitioned for military use and converted into refrigerated transport vehicles.
1939–1945: World War II and Its Consequences
At the onset of the war, numerous civilian GD trucks were commandeered for military use. Berliet concentrated production on two main military variants: the GDLS 30 and the GDRA. The GDRA, with a gross vehicle weight of 10.85 tonnes, was specifically engineered for military applications and equipped with a 5,702 cc inline four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 70 PS. This model represented Berliet’s first substantial vehicle manufacturing effort since 1918, with a total of 1,880 units produced before the 1940 armistice. By comparison, the most manufactured GD model during the interwar years was the GDR 7, which saw 1,182 units built from 1936 through 1939.
Following the armistice, Berliet introduced a civilian gasifier adaptation of the GDRA known as the GDRA 19G (later designated GDRAG), featuring a gasifier-converted diesel engine producing 60 PS and a GVW of 12 tonnes. Beginning in 1941, military deliveries included several variants such as the diesel-powered GDRA 7 with an output of 85 PS, the GDRA 2, and the GDRA 28 W—exclusively supplied to the Wehrmacht—powered by an 80 PS petrol engine. Additionally, the GDRAG 28 gasifier variant and the limited-run GDRA 28 TTN (approximately 80 units) designated for the Armistice Army were part of this production range.
For civilian use in France, Berliet continued manufacturing GDRAG models. In 1943, under German orders, gasifier technology transitioned to Imbert systems, resulting in the GDRIG range. By January 1944, Berliet rolled out the GDRKLG and subsequently the GDSLG—both gasifier-equipped hybrid trucks utilizing pre-war cabin designs and powered by a 65 PS MPB 2G engine.
As a critical resource for Germany, Berliet’s factory became a target of heavy Allied bombing campaigns starting early 1944, forcing assembly operations to cease by May. Full production resumed only after Liberation in September with the reintroduction of the GDRAG. The GDRA 28 W was rebranded as GDR 28 F and received updated payload classifications.
The GDRAG family—including models such as GDRA 19G, GDRIG, and GDRAG 28—accounted for Berliet’s largest output of gasifier trucks, totaling 3,699 units. By July 1945, Berliet launched the brief-lived diesel variant GDRKL 7 equipped with an MDB 3R engine.
1945–1952: Post-War Developments and Conclusion of the GD Line
In November 1945, Berliet unveiled the GDR 7 D—a diesel-powered successor to the GDRAG. It offered wheelbase options of either (normal and tipper) or (long chassis), maintaining a width of across all versions. Length varied between (tipper) and (long chassis). The chassis weighed , supporting a payload capacity of seven tonnes and a GVW of thirteen tonnes. This model was powered by an MDB 3R engine delivering 19 CV at 1,650 rpm. It underwent testing by French military forces on Saharan routes and saw operational use in Algeria.
September 1946 saw the introduction of the GDME 10.46—a modernization of the pre-war GDME 10 chassis adapted to comply with updated French regulations. Wheelbase choices included or , width remained at , and length spanned from to mm depending on configuration. The chassis weighed , accommodating a payload increase to ten tonnes from its previous seven-and-a-half-tonne rating; GVW ranged between 18.4 and nineteen tonnes. It utilized an MDER engine rated at 29 CV producing at 1,600 rpm. An optional transfer case allowed up to eight forward gears—a first within the GD series. Early versions featured a two-piece bonnet; later models adopted a single-piece bonnet akin to those found on four-cylinder engines. At this time, it was Berliet's heaviest four-wheel rear-drive truck.
In June 1947, Berliet launched the lighter-duty GDC 6 D based on the VDC 6 D platform but retaining its cabin design. Wheelbases measured or mm; width was mm; length varied between and mm. The chassis weighed , carrying a five-tonne payload with a GVW of approximately nine-point-eight tonnes. It was powered by an MDF 2 C inline-four diesel engine (5,702 cc) delivering fifteen CV at 1,800 rpm. Notably, its cabin differed from other GD models by featuring a vertically split radiator grille and rear-hinged doors.
By July 1948, the GDR 7 D was succeeded by the GDR 7 W which incorporated standard French Westinghouse air brakes replacing previous servomechanical systems. Dimensions and payload remained consistent; however, it featured an enlarged bumper accented with chromed strips. The powertrain continued with MDB series engines maintaining identical output figures. Production ceased in May 1952. A specialized military "army type" version operated on Sahara supply routes from late 1947 onwards with enhancements such as larger fuel and water tanks, insulated cabin roofs, sand-yellow paint schemes, and reinforced tires. From the early fifties onward, these were gradually replaced by Renault and Willème trucks; final units were withdrawn from service by 1957.
At the Paris Salon in late 1948, Berliet presented the GDC 6 W as an update to replace the GDC 6 D model—initially preserving its original cabin before adopting that of the GDR7 W along with standard Westinghouse air brakes. Vehicle dimensions remained largely unchanged; payload capacity held steady with GVW around nine-point-seven tonnes. It employed an MDF3 C engine similar to its predecessor but increased power output in November1950; production ended in August1951.
In October1948, evolution continued as the GDME10.46 transformed into the GDM10 W featuring standard air brakes and a cabin styled like that of the GDR7 W model. Wheelbase options ranged from to mm; length varied between to mm; chassis weight remained stable alongside a ten-tonne payload and consistent GVW figures. Initially powered by its predecessor’s engine configuration, from1950 onward it offered an upgraded MDEC engine capable of delivering up to power output; transmission choices included four- or five-speed gearboxes complemented by transfer cases enabling up to ten forward speeds. Production concluded in October1953.
Berliet also developed tractor units derived from these platforms: The TDR7 W based on the GDR7 W chassis featured a wheelbase of mm with chassis weight , supporting twelve-tonne payloads and gross combination weight ratings (GCW) up to twenty-point-five tonnes; manufactured between November1948 and1952. The TDM10 W evolved from GDM10 W with wheelbase mm; chassis weight ; payload capacity twenty tonnes; GCW reaching thirty-two tonnes.
Between1952 and1953 marked Berliet’s phase-out of their longstanding GDC, GDR, and GDM chassis lines in favor of their new GL series—including models like GLC, GLR, and GLM—signifying a strategic evolution within their commercial vehicle portfolio.