Donnet
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Automotive |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder | Jérôme Donnet, François Denhaut |
| Fate | Ended automobile production in 1934; Nanterre factory sold to Simca |
| Headquarters | Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris; later Pontarlier, Doubs; then Paris and Nanterre , France |
| Products | Flying boats, Automobiles |
Donnet was a French industrial enterprise established in 1914 under the name Société des Établissements Donnet-Denhaut, founded by Jérôme Donnet and François Denhaut in Neuilly-sur-Seine. The company initially specialized in manufacturing patrol flying boats that gained recognition within the French Navy. After Denhaut left the firm in 1919, it was renamed Donnet and soon discontinued its aircraft production activities.
History
In 1919, Jérôme Donnet took over Automobiles Zedel located in Pontarlier, Doubs, and rebranded it as Donnet-Zedel. This facility produced the Donnet-Zedel CI-6 model, powered by a 2120 cc engine based on a design dating back to 1912. The launch of the 1098 cc Type G in 1925 marked a significant success, enabling Donnet to rank as France’s fourth largest automobile manufacturer by 1927. The Type G was assembled at a former aviation plant situated in Gennevilliers, Seine. Most vehicles featured four-cylinder engines, including Zédel’s 3168 cc unit and Donnet-Zedel’s versions of 1100 or 2120 cc.
The factory at Pontarlier was sold in 1928, coinciding with the removal of 'Zedel' from the company name. Subsequently, production moved to Paris with an enlarged range of automobiles.
Early in 1927, Donnet acquired a factory in Nanterre, Seine, previously owned by Vinot-Deguingand. Although modest in scale, this acquisition facilitated expansion. By the time of the October 1931 Paris Motor Show, the Nanterre plant was promoted as France’s most technologically advanced automotive facility.
At that event, Jérôme Donnet unveiled an innovative front-wheel drive (fwd) 11CV model engineered by Jean-Albert Grégoire. This vehicle utilized an existing 1970cc six-cylinder engine mounted on a wheelbase. Priced at 38,900 francs, it represented cutting-edge technology but remained at the prototype stage. The three production cars presented were traditional rear-wheel drive mid-range models equipped with side-valve engines:
- Donnet 7CV: four-cylinder, 1,324cc engine, wheelbase , priced at 25,900 francs
- Donnet 11CV: six-cylinder, 1,970cc engine, wheelbase , priced at 29,950 francs
- Donnet 14CV: six-cylinder, 2,540cc engine, wheelbase , priced at 38,900 francs
Following the acquisition of Nanterre, Donnet incorporated into its portfolio the former Vinot-Deguingand 4CV model in 1932—a two-stroke 750cc car originally designed by Marcel Violet. This particular model experienced limited market success and was withdrawn prior to the October 1933 Paris Motor Show—marking Donnet’s last participation in such exhibitions.
Despite offering six-cylinder vehicles during the early 1930s, Donnet invested minimally in developing new designs. Automobile production ended in 1934; that same year saw the sale of the advanced Nanterre factory to Simca.
One of Donnet’s distinguished models featured a six-cylinder side-valve engine with a displacement of 2540 cc.