Cottin & Desgouttes
Encyclopedia
Cottin & Desgouttes was a French automobile manufacturer from the beginning of the 20th century.
, France. The first model was the type A, powered by a 9.5-liter, 45 hp, six-cylinder engine. Only two cars of this type were built.
In December 1905, a chassis with a four-cylinder, 24/40 hp engine was presented at the Salon de Paris
. It exhibited many innovative features and enjoyed a huge success. At the beginning of 1906, Pierre Desgoutte was joined by a wealthy industrial partner, Cyrille Cottin. They decided to call the new company “Automobiles Cottin & Desgouttes”, Pierre Desgoutte acting as Technical Director, whereas Cyrille Cottin would manage Sales.
Between 1906 and 1914, most of the production was devoted to four-cylinder models. En 1907, the company produced a 2.5 liter, 12 hp model that was so well accepted by the public that is was produced without any major changes for more than four years.
Over the next years, growth was regular and the factories thrived. In 1913, Cottin & Desgouttes could be proud of producing close to 450 cars with a total staff of 300, which was very high at the time, since the usual rule was one car per year per employee.
Well known for the very high quality of their production, Cottin & Desgouttes was also famous for the interest they demonstrated in “high-tech” solutions: they were among the first to use a single-block engine, direct drive transmission and universal joint-based transmission.
As soon as May 1906, a Cottin & Desgouttes car driven by engineer Auguste Fraignac won the Limonest race in its category.
Encouraged by this excellent result, the company decided to participate in more and more important races, from the Press Cup in 1907 (where their car achieved the best gas mileage) to the Grand Prix de France
in 1911, in Le Mans
, where the specially built model set the lap record before having to abandon due to steering problems.
Cyrille Cottin, a great sportsman himself, drove at a number of races, rallies or other sports events.
During the war, Cottin & Desgouttes also built special engines for tractors. In 1915 the Cottin & Desgouttes factory manufactured aircraft motors for Gnome et Rhône
.
In addition to the powerful models built immediately after the war, the company launched a smaller, all new and lower priced car in 1922, the type M.
Shortly after this car was presented, Pierre Desgoutte quit the company. Paul Joseph, selected by Cottin to replace him, was charged with building a more powerful and faster car, based on the type M, and aimed at racing. One such car won the Grand Prix du Tourisme de l'Automobile Club de France, which resulted in the launch of the “Grand Prix” model.
Around this time, Cottin & Desgouttes started his first research on aerodynamic profiling; the results of this work were used in the 1925 models, most notably for the 4-seat “boat-torpedo” with its streamlined rear.
In 1925, the company launched the “Sans Secousse”, with Houdaille-type paddle-based shock absorbers and separate springs for the 4 wheels. At the front, the suspension was handled by leaf springs with 2 vertical guide bars supporting the hydraulic shock absorbers; in the rear, it was handled by oscillating semi-trees with double universal joints and 2 overlapping leaf springs.
When the car was presented at the Paris Salon, Gaston Doumergue
, President of the French Republic congratulated the Lyon car manufacturer for his historic invention, that would promote the French Automobile Industry. Cottin reportedly replied that the government had contributed to this invention - by the very bad quality of the roads. The Sans-Secousse was also very successful outside of France.
In 1930, the first Saharan Tourist Car Rally was won by four “Sans Secousse” cars that demonstrated a high level of resistance. These cars were 14 hp sport roadsters, with no wings or other useless accessories, yielding a high weight to power ratio, separate springs in front and four leaf springs at the rear, with a de Dion
-type bridge; they could drive very fast even on low quality dirt roads.
.
The last car built by Cottin & Desgouttes was much more conventional, powered by a lateral 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine.
Production stopped in 1931. In 1933, the last Cottin & Desgouttes, assembled with stock parts, were sold.
The Beginning
In 1904, Pierre Desgoutte started manufacturing automobiles under the name “Desgouttes & Cie”, in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France. The first model was the type A, powered by a 9.5-liter, 45 hp, six-cylinder engine. Only two cars of this type were built.
In December 1905, a chassis with a four-cylinder, 24/40 hp engine was presented at the Salon de Paris
Mondial de l'Automobile
The Paris Motor Show is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held around October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show was the first motor show in the world, started in 1898 by industry pioneer, Albert de Dion. The show...
. It exhibited many innovative features and enjoyed a huge success. At the beginning of 1906, Pierre Desgoutte was joined by a wealthy industrial partner, Cyrille Cottin. They decided to call the new company “Automobiles Cottin & Desgouttes”, Pierre Desgoutte acting as Technical Director, whereas Cyrille Cottin would manage Sales.
The pre-World War One period
The company progressively specialized in luxury and sports models.Between 1906 and 1914, most of the production was devoted to four-cylinder models. En 1907, the company produced a 2.5 liter, 12 hp model that was so well accepted by the public that is was produced without any major changes for more than four years.
Over the next years, growth was regular and the factories thrived. In 1913, Cottin & Desgouttes could be proud of producing close to 450 cars with a total staff of 300, which was very high at the time, since the usual rule was one car per year per employee.
Well known for the very high quality of their production, Cottin & Desgouttes was also famous for the interest they demonstrated in “high-tech” solutions: they were among the first to use a single-block engine, direct drive transmission and universal joint-based transmission.
Racing
The fame of Cottin & Desgouttes was also due to their participation in a number of car races.As soon as May 1906, a Cottin & Desgouttes car driven by engineer Auguste Fraignac won the Limonest race in its category.
Encouraged by this excellent result, the company decided to participate in more and more important races, from the Press Cup in 1907 (where their car achieved the best gas mileage) to the Grand Prix de France
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
in 1911, in Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, where the specially built model set the lap record before having to abandon due to steering problems.
Cyrille Cottin, a great sportsman himself, drove at a number of races, rallies or other sports events.
World War One
At the beginning of World War One, the company produced a series of fast Utility Vehicles and delivered several large 36 hp “Torpedoes” to the French Army General Staff. The reliability of the trucks used by the Army was legendary.During the war, Cottin & Desgouttes also built special engines for tractors. In 1915 the Cottin & Desgouttes factory manufactured aircraft motors for Gnome et Rhône
Gnome et Rhône
Gnome et Rhône was a major French aircraft engine manufacturer. Between 1914 and 1918 they produced 25,000 of their 9-cylinder Delta and Le Rhône 110 hp rotary designs, while another 75,000 were produced by various licensees, powering the majority of aircraft in the first half of the war on...
.
After the War
At the end of the War, Cottin & Desgoutte had well equipped production facilities, and their financial situation was good enough to start again producing luxury cars. Their staff, accustomed to high quality standards, easily moved from the war-time production back to tourist cars. The manufacturing of trucks was continued.In addition to the powerful models built immediately after the war, the company launched a smaller, all new and lower priced car in 1922, the type M.
Shortly after this car was presented, Pierre Desgoutte quit the company. Paul Joseph, selected by Cottin to replace him, was charged with building a more powerful and faster car, based on the type M, and aimed at racing. One such car won the Grand Prix du Tourisme de l'Automobile Club de France, which resulted in the launch of the “Grand Prix” model.
Around this time, Cottin & Desgouttes started his first research on aerodynamic profiling; the results of this work were used in the 1925 models, most notably for the 4-seat “boat-torpedo” with its streamlined rear.
In 1925, the company launched the “Sans Secousse”, with Houdaille-type paddle-based shock absorbers and separate springs for the 4 wheels. At the front, the suspension was handled by leaf springs with 2 vertical guide bars supporting the hydraulic shock absorbers; in the rear, it was handled by oscillating semi-trees with double universal joints and 2 overlapping leaf springs.
When the car was presented at the Paris Salon, Gaston Doumergue
Gaston Doumergue
Pierre-Paul-Henri-Gaston Doumergue was a French politician of the Third Republic.Doumergue came from a Protestant family. Beginning as a Radical, he turned more towards the political right in his old age. He served as Prime Minister from 9 December 1913 to 2 June 1914...
, President of the French Republic congratulated the Lyon car manufacturer for his historic invention, that would promote the French Automobile Industry. Cottin reportedly replied that the government had contributed to this invention - by the very bad quality of the roads. The Sans-Secousse was also very successful outside of France.
In 1930, the first Saharan Tourist Car Rally was won by four “Sans Secousse” cars that demonstrated a high level of resistance. These cars were 14 hp sport roadsters, with no wings or other useless accessories, yielding a high weight to power ratio, separate springs in front and four leaf springs at the rear, with a de Dion
De Dion-Bouton
De Dion-Bouton was a French automobile manufacturer and railcar manufacturer operating from 1883 to 1932. The company was founded by the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton and his brother-in-law Charles Trépardoux....
-type bridge; they could drive very fast even on low quality dirt roads.
The Twilight
In spite of all these achievements, the company was yet another victim of the 1930s crisis. A “Sans Secousse” cost twice the price of a six-cylinder CitroënCitroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
.
The last car built by Cottin & Desgouttes was much more conventional, powered by a lateral 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine.
Production stopped in 1931. In 1933, the last Cottin & Desgouttes, assembled with stock parts, were sold.