Lorraine-Dietrich

In 1896, the managing director of the Lunéville plant, Baron Adrien de Turckheim, bought the rights to a design by Amédée Bollée. This used a front-mounted horizontal twin engine with sliding clutches and belt drive. It had a folding top, three acetylene headlights, and, very unusual for the period, a plate glass windshield. While the company started out using engines from Bollée, De Dietrich eventually produced the entire vehicle themselves.

In 1898, De Dietrich debuted the Torpilleur (Torpedo) racer, which featured a four-cylinder engine and independent suspension in front, for the Paris-Amsterdam Trial; the driver, Etienne "Gaudry" Giraud, wrecked en route, but still placed third. The response was substantial, exceeding one million gold francs. The 1899 torpilleur was less successful, despite underslung chassis, a rear-mounted monobloc four, and twin carburettors; poor preparation left none of the works teams able to complete the Tour de France.

The Bollée-inspired design was supplanted by a licence-built Belgian Vivinus voiturette at Niederbronn and a Marseille-designed Turcat-Méry at Lunéville, following a 1901 deal with that cash-strapped company.

In 1902, De Dietrich & Cie hired 21-year-old Ettore Bugatti, who produced prize-winning cars in 1899 and 1901, designing an overhead valve 24 hp (18 kW) four-cylinder with four-speed transmission to replace the Vivinus, colloquially (and retroactively) referred to as the Type 2. There he partnered with Bollée, and became acquainted with Émile Mathis, marketing director. He also created their 30/35 of 1903, with the models today referred to as the Types 3-7 attributed to him before quitting to join Strasbourg-based Mathis in the German Alsace in 1904.

The same year, management at Niederbronn quit car production, leaving it entirely to Lunéville, with the Alsace market being sold a Turcat-Méry badge-engineered as a De Dietrich. Even at the time, this was seen with some disdain, and Lunéville put the cross of Lorraine on the grille to distinguish them. Nevertheless, under the skin, they were little different, nor would they be until 1911. For all that, the Lorraine-Dietrich was a prestige marque, ranking with Crossley and Itala, while attempting to break into the "super-luxury" market between 1905 and 1908 with a handful of £4,000 (US$20,000) six-wheeler limousines de voyage.

Like Napiers and Mercedes, Lorraine-Dietrich's reputation was built in part on racing, which was "consistent if not distinguished", including Charles Jarrott's third in the 1903 Paris–Madrid race and a 1-2-3 in the 1906 Circuit des Ardennes, led by ace works driver Arthur Duray.

De Dietrich bought out Isotta Fraschini in 1907, producing two OHC cars to Isotta Fraschini designs, including a 10 hp (7.5 kW) allegedly created by Bugatti. Also that year, Lorraine-Dietrich took over Ariel Mors Limited of Birmingham, for the sole British model, a 20 hp (15 kW) four, shown at the Olympia Motor Show in 1908, offered as bare chassis, Salmons & Sons convertible, and Mulliner cabriolet. (The British branch was not a success, lasting only about a year.)

For 1908, De Dietrich offered a line of chain-driven touring fours, the 18/28 hp, 28/38 hp, 40/45 hp, and 60/80 hp, priced between £550 and £960, and a 70/80 hp six at £1,040. The British version differed, having shaft drive. That year, the names of the automotive and aero-engine divisions were changed to Lorraine-Dietrich.

End of automobile production

The 15 CV was supplanted by the 20 CV, which had a 4,086 cc (249.3 cu in) engine, of which just a few hundred were made. Automobile production eventually became unprofitable and, after the failure of their 20 CV model, the concern ceased production of automobiles in 1935.

In 1930, De Dietrich Argenteuil plant was absorbed by Société Générale Aéronautique, and was converted to making aircraft engines and six-wheel trucks licensed from Tatra. By 1935, Lorraine-Dietrich had disappeared from the automobile industry. Until World War II, Lorraine concentrated on the military market, manufacturing vehicles such as the Lorraine 37L armoured carrier.

The Lunéville plant returned to rail locomotives. In 1950s it was acquired by the US company General Trailers and as Trailor (Trailmobile Lorraine) manufactured trucks.

Aircraft engines

Lorraine 5P – 5 cyl radial