Messier (automobile)
| Industry | Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1925 (as an automobile manufacturer) |
| Defunct | 1931 |
| Headquarters | , France |
Key people | George Messier |
| Products | Automobiles, pneumatic engineering (later) aircraft landing gear |
Messier was a French car manufacturer situated in Montrouge, close to Paris, active between 1925 and 1931.[1][2][3][4]
Origins
By 1920, George Messier operated a factory specializing in pneumatic devices and had engineered an air suspension system tailored for automobiles. That same year, he established Messier Automobiles to commercialize this innovation. Starting in 1925, vehicles were produced under the Messier marque. Production of cars ended in 1931 as the company redirected its efforts toward aircraft landing gear development, inspired by the creation of the Messier Monoplace Laboratorie monoplane featuring a retractable bicycle-style undercarriage.
The air suspension technology developed by Messier served as a precursor to the groundbreaking Hydropneumatic suspension system later implemented by Citroën, particularly on the 1955 DS model.[1] Although inventor Paul Magès (born 1908) probably had knowledge of Messier's design, he advanced it by incorporating compressed nitrogen and pressurized oil to achieve damping.
The cars
Vehicles produced by Messier were notable for their unique pneumatic air suspension systems. Engines were procured from specialist manufacturers: initial models were equipped with 4-cylinder engines from CIME. Racing variants utilized overhead camshaft powerplants, while Touring and Limousine editions also featured overhead camshaft engines. The company made its first public appearance at the 1924 Paris Motor Show, advertising their "voitures sans ressorts" (springless cars) due to their pneumatic suspension technology.[5] Front suspensions employed compressed air tubes of a certain diameter; rear suspensions used slightly larger tubes.[6]
By the time of the 1928 Paris Motor Show, Messier had shifted its attention toward more upscale market segments.[7] Their lineup included 6-cylinder engines rated at and , along with 8-cylinder units producing (20 CV) and (30 CV).[7] The most powerful engines were supplied by Lycoming Engines from Pennsylvania, with additional American manufacturers also providing powertrains.
The "Messier Type H," an 8-cylinder model, was offered with wheelbases measuring and .[7] Around fifty of these vehicles were built, many configured for ambulance service.
External links
- History of the Messier Company (In French)
Reading list
- 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)
References
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