Panhard

Panhard
Company type	Private (historically)
Industry	Automotive, Military vehicles
Predecessor	Panhard et Levassor
Founded	1887
Founder	René Panhard, Émile Levassor, Edouard Sarazin
Fate	Acquired by Auverland in 2005; acquired by Renault Trucks Defense in 2012; merged into Arquus brand in 2018
Headquarters	France, France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Arthur Krebs (General Manager 1897–1916)
Products	Automobiles, Light tactical and military vehicles
Parent	Renault Trucks Defense (since 2012)

Panhard was a pioneering French automobile manufacturer, initially focused on civilian vehicles before shifting its expertise towards light tactical and military transport. The brand's final iteration came after its acquisition by Auverland in 2005 and subsequently by Renault in 2012. In 2018, Renault Trucks Defense consolidated Panhard with ACMAT, creating the unified Arquus brand.

History

Established in 1887 as Panhard et Levassor by René Panhard, Émile Levassor, and Belgian attorney Edouard Sarazin, the firm was one of the earliest to commercially produce motor vehicles.

Early years

The company's inaugural automobile was sold in 1890, powered by a Daimler engine licensed through Sarazin and later his widow Louise—who married Levassor. Panhard et Levassor introduced several automotive innovations such as front-mounted radiators, chain-driven gearboxes operated by clutches, and the first modern transmission system in 1895. A notable milestone occurred during the 1894 Paris–Rouen Rally when Alfred Vacheron drove a Panhard fitted with one of the earliest steering wheels.

In 1891, Panhard launched the Système Panhard, which incorporated four wheels, a front-engine with rear-wheel drive configuration, and sliding-gear transmission—elements that became foundational to automotive design for many years. That same year, Panhard licensed its Daimler engine technology to Armand Peugeot, enabling Peugeot's entry into automobile manufacturing.

Panhard vehicles demonstrated strong performance in early motorsports; in the 1895 Paris–Bordeaux–Paris race, their cars secured first and second places. Tragically, Émile Levassor died from injuries sustained in a crash during the 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris race. Arthur Krebs took over as General Manager from 1897 to 1916, guiding Panhard to become one of the largest and most lucrative automakers before World War I.

The company developed the Panhard rod, which became widely used in vehicle suspension systems. Beginning in 1910, Panhard advanced sleeve valve engine technology under license from Charles Yale Knight. Between 1910 and 1924, the firm offered both conventional valve engines and sleeve valve variants; from 1924 until 1940, all models exclusively featured improved sleeve valve engines.

First World War

During President Raymond Poincaré's term (1913–1920), Panhard & Levassor’s 18CV and 20CV automobiles were designated as official presidential vehicles.

Throughout First World War, the manufacturer shifted production towards military needs, producing trucks, V12 aircraft engines, artillery components, and large-caliber ammunition. The military particularly valued the sleeve valve Panhard 20HP model. General Joseph Joffre utilized two Type X35 cars with 7,360 cc engines for his personal transportation, frequently seen transporting military officials between the front lines and the Élysée Palace.

Inter-war period

After the war, passenger car production recommenced in March 1919 with the Type X19 model featuring a 2,140 cc four-cylinder engine rated at 10HP. By October of that year at the Paris Motor Show, Panhard presented four four-cylinder models:

Type X19 – 2,150 cc / 10 HP
Type X31 – 2,275 cc / 12 HP (successor to Type 25)
Type X28 – 3,175 cc / 16 HP
Type X29 – 4,850 cc / 20 HP

By 1925, all vehicles incorporated Knight sleeve valve technology enhanced with steel sleeves designed to reduce friction and allow higher engine speeds. Additionally, Panhard patented anti-friction coatings applied to outer sleeves to minimize jamming risks.

In that same year, a model with a 4,800 cc engine set a world record by maintaining an average speed of 185.51 km/h (115.26 mph) over one hour.

At the October 1926 Paris Motor Show, Panhard unveiled its first six-cylinder car since before World War I: the "Six" 16CV with a 3,445 cc engine and a wheelbase measuring 3,540 mm; it was priced at 58,000 francs for the bare chassis. The lineup also featured seven four-cylinder variants ranging from a 1,480 cc (10CV) to a large 4,845 cc (20CV), with prices spanning from 31,000 to 75,000 francs. Furthermore, an eight-cylinder "Huit" model with a displacement of 6,350 cc (35CV) was offered at a cost of 99,000 francs.

By October 1930’s Paris Motor Show, Panhard had discontinued its last four-cylinder models along with the six-cylinder Type X59 (10CV), concentrating instead on its "S-series" cars introduced in late 1929: the "Panhard CS" and "Panhard DS." These featured underslung chassis designs that lowered both vehicle height and center of gravity. These automobiles were recognized for their smooth operation and quietness due to valveless engines. Among five displayed models, four housed six-cylinder engines between 2.35 and 3.5 liters; an eight-cylinder Type X67 equipped with a 5.1 L powerplant and a wheelbase of 3,590 mm was priced at approximately 85,000 francs.

The last pre-war model produced by Panhard was the innovative monocoque Dynamic series launched in 1936.

In addition to automobiles, Panhard manufactured railbuses designed for metre gauge lines such as those operated by the Chemin de fer du Finistère.

Post-World War II period

Following World War II, the company adopted the name Panhard and focused on manufacturing lightweight vehicles such as the Dyna X, Dyna Z, PL 17, and 24 CT/BT. Taking advantage of aluminum’s lightness amid postwar government steel rationing, Panhard initially crafted car bodies from aluminum. However, Jean Panhard’s cost estimates did not account for scrap losses, resulting in aluminum body costs of 55,700 francs compared to 15,600 francs for steel. This financial strain nearly led to bankruptcy, compelling the company to revert to steel bodies by mid-1955, though they retained thicker steel stampings to enhance durability.

The air-cooled flat-twin engine from the Dyna was also utilized in Georges Irat’s "Voiture du Bled," a limited-production off-road vehicle developed in Morocco during the early 1950s.

Drawing inspiration from the Panhard Dynavia prototype, the Dyna Z showcased sleek aerodynamic lines paired with a minimalist aesthetic. The 24CT model, introduced in 1963, was a stylish 2+2 coupe, while the 24BT variant featured an extended wheelbase accommodating four passengers.

In the postwar years, Panhard provided unofficial backing to Monopole racing cars, contributing to victories in the "Index of Performance" at the 24 Hours of Le Mans races between 1950 and 1952. The company’s direct collaboration with Robert Chancel ceased after the tragic 1955 Le Mans accident. Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Deutsch Bonnet ("DB Panhard") race cars sustained dominance within small-engine racing categories.

The production of Panhard passenger cars concluded in 1967. Facing diminishing sales, Panhard supplemented its output by assembling Citroën 2CV panel vans to maintain factory utilization and secured capital by selling shares to Citroën and Michelin, both of which assumed full ownership by 1965. In autumn 1967, Citroën absorbed Panhard’s civilian vehicle division, retiring the brand name; from 1968 onward, Panhard concentrated exclusively on manufacturing armored vehicles.

In 2004, after losing the contract for the French Army’s PVP to Auverland, Panhard—then a subsidiary of PSA Peugeot Citroën—was acquired by Auverland in 2005. Leveraging Panhard’s stronger brand recognition, the PVP was marketed under the Panhard badge.

PSA Group contemplated relaunching Panhard as a luxury marque comparable to Toyota’s Lexus in 2007; however, this initiative did not come to fruition. Instead, PSA subsequently introduced DS Automobiles as its premium brand.

In October 2012, Renault Trucks Defense, a Volvo Group subsidiary since 2001, purchased Panhard for €62.5 million.

Today, Panhard’s heritage is most notably preserved through the Panhard rod (or bar), a suspension component developed by the company that controls lateral axle movement and continues to be widely employed in automotive designs and classic American car restorations.

Panhard car models

Model	Production years
Panhard 15 CV	1904–1907
Panhard 24 CV	1904–1906
Panhard 35 CV	1906–1909
Panhard Dyna X	1945–1954
Panhard Dynavia	1948
Panhard Dyna Junior	1951–1956
Panhard Dyna Z	1953–1959
Panhard PL 17/17	1959–1965
Panhard CD	1962–1965
Panhard 24	1963–1967

Automobiles Utilizing Panhard Engineering

Model	Production Years
Dyna Veritas	1949–1954
Rosengart Scarlette	1952
DB HBR 5	1954–1961
DB Le Mans	1958–1964
Sera-Panhard	1959–1961

Selected Non-Armored Trucks and Buses

Model Code	Vehicle Type	Decade Introduced
K 4	Truck	1910s
2 tonnes	Truck	1920s
2.5 tonnes	Truck	1910s
K 101	Truck	1930s
K 11 (Tracteur Panhard-Châtillon)	Truck	1910s
K 113	Truck	1930s
K 125	Truck	1930s
K 128	Truck	1930s
K 13 (Tracteur Panhard-Châtillon)	Truck	1910s
K 140	Truck	1930s
K 155	Truck	1940s
K 161	Bus	1940s
K 162	Truck	1940s
K 172	Truck	1940s
K 173	Bus	1940s
K 175	(Truck/Bus)	1940s
K 185	Truck	1950s
K 188 (ALM VS 215)	Truck	1940s
K 219 (ALM VS 237)	Truck	1950s
K 224	Truck	1950s
K 332	Truck	1950s
K 48	Truck/Bus	1930s
K 50	Truck	1930s
K 61	Truck/Bus	1930s
K 63	Bus	1930s
K 73	Truck/Bus	1930s
K 85	Truck	1930s
K 91	Truck	1930s
K 944	Truck	1950s
Additional Information
By the early twentieth century, Panhard standardized the "K" series designation for its cargo vehicles, alongside alternative naming conventions that reflected vehicle class and chassis configuration.

Present Military Models

Véhicule Blindé Léger (VBL)
Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP)
Panhard EBR
PVPXL / AVXL – enlarged version of the AVL
TC series: TC54, TC10, TC24
A3
Peugeot P4
ERC 90 Sagaie
VBR – expanded multipurpose variant of the VBL armored vehicle
VAP – special operations vehicle based on the VBL (Véhicule d'Action dans la Profondeur)
VPS – SAS patrol vehicle derived from Peugeot P4
Panhard CRAB

Vehicles Currently in Service

Panhard has supplied in excess of 18,000 wheeled military vehicles to over fifty nations, concentrating on combat vehicles weighing less than ten tonnes. The distribution includes:

Approximately 5,400 armored wheeled units such as AML, ERC90 Sagaie, and LYNX VCR (6x6) models
Around 2,300 VBL units deployed in sixteen countries, with the French Army operating about 1,600 of these
Nearly 933 A4 AVL—Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP)—selected by the French military
Close to 9,500 lightweight vehicles under seven tonnes, primarily jeep-style models manufactured under the Auverland brand

External Links

Official website of Arquus