Hotchkiss Anjou
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Automobiles |
The Hotchkiss Anjou represented a premium automobile manufactured by the French company Automobiles Hotchkiss between 1950 and 1954. It served as an evolution of the earlier 486 and 686/866 models from the 1930s, continuing to utilize their overhead camshaft engines originally developed in the mid-1920s.
Introduced towards the end of 1950, production began with 1,787 units and increased to 2,666 vehicles in 1951, marking the model's highest output year. This peak was influenced by economic difficulties and substantial taxes imposed on larger cars. Subsequently, manufacturing declined sharply, with only 815 cars produced in 1952 and a mere 197 in 1953, which was the final year of production. Nevertheless, advertisements for new vehicles persisted through 1954, indicating possible financial challenges partly due to early overproduction.
The Anjou showcased a limousine-style body that was significantly redesigned compared to its forerunners. While the primary body style was a four-door sedan, limited runs of two-door coupés and a convertible version named the Hotchkiss Anthéor were also made available. Additionally, the Swiss coachbuilder Carrosserie Worblaufen crafted two four-door convertible variants based on this model.
Engine choices included a four-cylinder overhead camshaft unit with a displacement of 2,312 cc—the most common option—as well as a larger six-cylinder OHC engine of 3,485 cc. The latter positioned the vehicle within the high-taxation 20CV category but increased power output from roughly 72–75 hp to between 100 and 125 hp. This enhancement raised the maximum speed from approximately 130 km/h (81 mph) to about 145 km/h (90 mph). Power figures varied depending on whether single or dual carburettors were installed.
Both engine types were mated to a conventional four-speed manual gearbox; however, the smaller engine variant also offered an optional electromagnetic Cotal preselector transmission, notable for providing four forward and four reverse gears—an early form of automatic transmission technology.
In total, Hotchkiss manufactured roughly 5,465 Anjou units along with about 40 Anthéor convertibles.
References
- This entry uses information from the Italian Wikipedia entry on the same car.