Carrosserie Pourtout
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coachbuilding, Automotive design |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Founder | Marcel Pourtout |
| Fate | Ceased creative ventures in 1994; continues as vehicle body repair facility |
| Headquarters | Bougival, Rueil-Malmaison , France |
Area served | France |
Key people | Marcel Pourtout (founder), Georges Paulin (chief stylist 1933–1938), Henriette Pourtout (financial management) |
| Products | Custom automobile bodies, Eclipse retractable hardtop mechanism |
Number of employees | 15 (1936) (1936) |
Carrosserie Pourtout was a French coachbuilding company established by Marcel Pourtout in 1925, acclaimed for its unique, custom-made automobile bodies crafted prior to World War II. The firm’s designs from that era were generally sleek and performance-oriented. Between 1933 and 1938, chief stylist Georges Paulin worked alongside Pourtout to develop the 'Eclipse' retractable hardtop mechanism, which was implemented on vehicles from manufacturers such as Peugeot and Lancia Belna.
Among its distinguished clientele was Georges Clemenceau, the former Prime Minister of France.
Subsequently, the company redirected its efforts toward industrial and public transportation vehicle design.
Though Carrosserie Pourtout ceased its creative ventures in 1994, it remains operational as a vehicle body repair facility.
Before and during World War II
Marcel Pourtout founded the enterprise in 1925 with a modest workshop located in Bougival and a staff of twelve. Financial management was handled by his wife, Henriette. The business expanded rapidly, allowing for full loan repayment within a few years and the enlargement of its premises in 1928.
In 1936, the firm took over the Hurtu factory workshops situated in Rueil-Malmaison, boosting its capacity to undertake small-scale production alongside bespoke coachbuilding. The workforce increased to fifteen employees.
Up until the outbreak of World War II, Pourtout regularly presented its creations at the annual Salon de l'Automobile de Paris.
Early during the conflict, prior to the occupation of France, the company manufactured ambulances mounted on Chevrolet chassis.
Marcel Pourtout was appointed Mayor of Rueil-Malmaison in 1941, a position he held until 1944 and later resumed from 1947 through 1971.
In 1942, as occupying forces retreated, they requisitioned and partially destroyed Pourtout’s workshops. That same year, Georges Paulin was executed by the Nazis due to his involvement with the French Resistance and British Intelligence activities.
Collaboration with Emile Darl'mat and Georges Paulin
At the end of 1933, Marcel Pourtout was introduced to Georges Paulin, a dentist turned coachwork designer, by Peugeot’s Paris dealer Emile Darl'mat. Paulin subsequently became Pourtout’s principal designer.
According to French aerodynamic styling expert Richard Adatto, "Paulin emerged as the foremost French stylist of his era... His designs were all aerodynamically driven. He prioritized fuel efficiency and streamlined shapes, allowing smaller engines to deliver greater speeds."
Together, Pourtout, Darl'mat, and Paulin developed the patented Eclipse retractable hardtop system that folded seamlessly into the trunk space. Carrosserie Pourtout manufactured Eclipse variants for Peugeot models including the 301, 401, 402, and 601, as well as for vehicles from Lancia Belna, Hotchkiss, and Panhard.
For the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans, Carrosserie Pourtout collaborated with Emile Darl'Mat to build bodies for three cars equipped with modified Peugeot 402 engines mounted on altered 302 chassis. These Darl'mat Roadsters achieved overall placements of 7th, 8th, and 10th. Returning in 1938, the entry driven by De Cortanze secured victory in the under-2 litre category.
Between 1937 and 1938, Carrosserie Pourtout produced a street-legal version of these racing vehicles: the Peugeot 402 Darl’Mat "Spécial Sport," with total production reaching 106 units.
Significant prewar productions
DELAGE
| Model | Production Period | Units Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Unspecified models | 1927–1939 | 5 |
| D1 12 | January 1937 – November 1937 | 3 |
| D6 60 | January 1937 | 1 |
| D 6 70 | January 1937 – October 1938 | 31 |
| D 6 75 | October 1938 – September 1940 | 21 |
| D 8 120 | October 1937 – October 1938 | 3 |
LANCIA
| Model | Production Period | Units Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Dilambda | September 1931 | 2 |
| Belna | December 1934 – April 1937 | 326 (including 209 convertibles) |
| Ardennes | September 1937 – July 1939 | 36 |
| Astura | March 1939 | 1 |
PEUGEOT 402 Darl'mat
| Body Style | Production Period | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Roadster | September 1936 – June 1939 | 54 |
| Cabriolet | September 1937 – June 1939 | 32 |
| Coupé | June 1937 – August 1938 | 20 |
RENAULT Saprar
| Body Style | Production Period | Units Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Primaquatre Sport Roadster | September 1938 – June 1939 | 10 |
| Primaquatre Sport Cabriolet | March 1939 – July 1939 | 15 |
| Primaquatre Sport Coach | October 1938 | 1 |
Post-World War II period
Although Paulin was no longer present, Carrosserie Pourtout continued to present their work at the Salon de l'Automobile from 1947 through to 1952, delivering distinguished coachwork until Marcel Pourtout and his son Claude redirected their efforts towards industrial design and advertising ventures.
Throughout its history, Carrosserie Pourtout developed coachwork on chassis supplied by more than twenty different manufacturers, including such notable names as Voisin, Fiat, Hispano-Suiza, Panhard, Hotchkiss, Bugatti, Lorraine, Lancia, Unic, Renault, Peugeot, Bentley, Delage, Delahaye, Buick, Delaunay-Belleville, Talbot-Lago, Healey, Simca, and Chrysler.